The Substance of a Shadow

In concert with the principle of origins, the lens of types and shadows magnifies our view even more through the telescope of Scripture.

Types & Shadows – are the prefigurement or outlined silhouette of a person, institution, office, action or event. For example, 

• Moses and Joseph both prefigured Jesus. 

• The Tabernacle prefigured both the Person of Jesus as well as the

Temple in Heaven.

As we have seen, inherent within the container of a word, the Spirit of the Word is communicating in prophetic poise, a much large conceptual image to illustrate a greater spiritual reality.  Types and shadows do this explicitly throughout Scripture. 

As the Light of the Kingdom of God shines from Heaven over the Substance of Jesus, the Messiah, it casts a shadow in the earthly realm. For example, say you are standing outside, the morning sun rises upon you and tada - your shadow is cast. Your shadow is only an outline of the reality of your substance, the real you! Furthermore, the dimensions of your shadow are measured by where you are in relation to the light. 

In kind, the Scriptures are chock full of types and shadows of the real and living Jesus the Messiah! Through the course of this study, we will see types and shadows, especially in the Law, coupled with 20/20 hind-sight of fulfilled prophecy. To further our quest, we will see type and shadows that are yet to be fulfilled, whose shadows are cast on the near future of Messiah's Second Coming! 

Our Hebraic Roots are so rich that it is not uncommon for folk to want to dress up in what was meant to be a type or shadow of things to come. Well-intended Christians dressing up in Jewish giddy-ups misses the point entirely. The Law indeed is a glorious, unfathomable, penetrating, marvelous tutor, trainer, teacher unto Christ – it provides an exquisite silhouette of Jesus Himself -- I love the Law of God! However, Beloved, let’s commit from the get-go as we study these types and shadows illustrated throughout Scripture not to dress up in the shadow, but rather in the Substance Himself, our Beloved Jesus - Christ in us, our hope of glory!

So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. Col 2:16, 17

For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law; who serve the copy and shadow of the Heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. Heb 8:4

With that said, let’s address the concerns of being legalistic. As Christians, we must realize the entirety of our assurance of salvation is based solely on the legality of the Blood of Jesus as our atonement. Jesus fulfilled a legal requirement for the legal system of the Kingdom of God. ALL forgiveness of sins, sacrifices, offerings, spiritual warfare, binding and loosing, and enforcing the Kingdom are authorized by warrant based on a legal position.

We live in a world of laws – local, state, federal and global. A world of traffic lights, prohibitive laws against killing, stealing, child abuse, etc. Can you imagine a world without laws? The intention and establishment of our laws are to enforce justice as legitimate rule. Just to give a little perspective for those who think the Law of God is a lot, 613 commands, the United States of American have over 60,000 laws. The brillance of God's Laws are that they are distilled into 613, rather than expanded, such as the US laws. 

If we need to go to court, it is our laws which define and provide justice to be enforced by legal ruling. In kind, it is the Law of God that reveals both our need for atonement and the legitimacy of the Blood of Jesus!  His atonement providing, allowing and authorizing the enforcement of justice from the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth!

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Gal 5:18-23