SHADOW OF THINGS TO COME.

The New Testament has two original Hebrew words translated as ―shadow‖. One, ―skia‖(G4639) used seven times in the bible, meaning something permanent (or also used to mean a shade as in cooling place out of the heat of the sun) and the other ―aposkiasma‖(G644), a derivative of G4639 used only once in the bible in James 1:17, meaning shading off or gradual reduction (Strong‘s Hebrew / Greek dictionary). However, James only uses it to state God has not variableness, shading off or gradual reduction. Whether the Sabbath or the feast days, some people think they are not to be kept, have passed away, because were a ―shadow of things to come‖. This phrase is mentioned twice in the bible, Colossians 2:17 and Hebrews 10:1; dealt with in a moment. When told they ought to, they reply ―so are we still to kill animals as sacrifices then?‖ They confuse the old animal blood sacrifices of Aaron and the priests with everything pertaining to, all the various laws or even law and commandments (distinction already given earlier). If you have been told to state that as a justification, you are wrong. The answer is no; Christians are not to kill the former animal sacrifice of old. In line with God‘sprediction, He destroyed the temple in which these sacrifices were to be made and scattered the people because they constantly polluted His house with Baal worshipping (i.e. 2 Kings 21:3-5). Even the Jews of today no longer do the annual or daily animal sacrifices for lack of the temple (daily sacrifice mentioned in Exodus 29:36). God replaced the animal for the annual sacrifice with His own pure sacrifice similar to what He did with Abraham and his son. As for the ―red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish and upon which never came yoke‖ mentioned in Numbers 19:2, none can be found today. So apart from the animal sacrifices, everything else stands. One way for all human race. No discrimination for age (old or new testament birth date), nationality(piece of land or family in which born), or other variances.Others may quote the man made instituted habits of the Scribes and Pharisees, i.e. only walking a certain number of steps on the Sabbath (covered under Sabbaths day journey section Acts 1:12). I doubt you would find any law or command of God or Jesus in the bible stating the number of steps one is to walk on the Sabbath. Thus these are man‘s interpretations of God‘s way and cannot be used as an excuse. Exo 24:7-8 ―And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, all that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient. And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled iton the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words‖. I think similarly Jesus‘ blood is the way to the remission for our sins (Heb 9:22 and almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.) However, we must also be like those under the above covenant. Go to God and state ―ALL that He says we will do and be obedient‖ then can Jesus‘ blood be sprinkled on us too. Now to the two times where ―Shadow of things to come‖ is mentioned and used as an excuse. I suggest users of this reasoning note this warning and context of which verses 16+ are based, given in Colossians 2:8 ―Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the TRADITION OF MEN, after the rudiments OF THE WORLD, and not after Christ.‖ For centuries the ways of God has been replaced by customs of men, of the world. Some call it changing with the times, being modern etc. Is that a justification for going against the God you claim to be your Lord and master? Following the ways of the ungodly, the mass, because the world operates on a system, weekly cycle and customs instituted by the deceiver? Are Christians to do the same? I say no. We are to stand alone, like Jeremiah if necessary, as a light to the ignorant, those who have forgotten the way of God the creator, have been taught or inherited the ungodly ways,excuses or false justifications of the deceiver. Col 2:11 ―In whom also ye are CIRCUMCISED with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ.‖ Here we read, asusual, Paul talking about the demands of the Jews that gentile believers be CIRCUMCISED and according to their custom handed down via Abraham. Paul states the sacrifice of Jesus was their salvation not CIRCUMCISION. Col 2:14―Blotting out the handwriting of ORDINANCES that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took IT out of the way, nailing IT to his cross‖. The commandments relating to the forgiveness of sins, the duties of the priest in the sanctuary system of Exodus 25 - 31:18, were written by the finger of God, contain ordinances and was placed in the Ark of the Covenant Exo 31:18; Deut 9:10. Moses wrote laws the people were to obey as recorded in Ex 24:4 and placed them in the side of the ark (Deut 31:26). Other laws recorded by Moses include Num 19:2 This is the ORDINANCE of the law which the LORD hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke: Num 19:3 And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest, that he may bring her forth without the camp, and one shall slay her before his face: Num 19:4 And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood directly before the tabernacle of the congregation seven times: (some bibles, i.e. NKJV, change ―ordinances‖ to ―requirements‖. Thus lumping the commandments, laws, statutes, judgements and ordinances together to distort God‘s instructions by implying none have to be kept rather than limiting the instruction to ORDINANCES. The Hebrew word translated as ―ORDINANCE‖ can be traced back to other places in the bible where it is also used. This cannot be done with requirements. Another example of an ORDINANCE is Ex 12:24. So to which ―ordinance‖ is Paul referring? Today‘s society, when people do not want to do something, they commonly use the term ―it is against the law‖, meaning law of the land rather than a specific one. When pressed, they think of one i.e. ―Freedom of Information Act‖. When told that law does not contain the restriction they claim; they end with ―well that is the way our company operates‖. What they may be going by is a company suggestion, recommendation, instruction which they call law. Unfortunately, similarly bible readers confuse and lump together commandments, laws, statutes and ORDINANCES of God. Maybe due to limitations of the English language and understanding gained from similar word all of which give instruction. God knew what He meant when he used different words. An ordinance is an instruction; but not limited or exclusive to animal sacrifices or holy days. Neither to God, as the following examples show: 1 Sam 30:25, Num 31:21, Ex 15:25, Lev 18:30 (abominable sexual practices), Lev 22:9 (to do with holy items), Num 10:8 (blowing of trumpet, Eze 45:14 (oil). Which ordinance did people find contrary? Acts 15:10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?‖ The yoke of CIRCUMCISION as mentioned in Acts 15:1-2 ―And certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. Therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them (on circumcision), they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about THIS question.‖ Which resulted in the text of 15:10. So is it not CIRCUMSION to which Paul was referring and not the Sabbath or God‘s holy days? The holy days did not cause division and were forever inclusive of strangers (Ex 12:14, Ex 12:17, Num 9:14). I doubt Paul would be saying we were not to keep any ordinances as this is contrary to Rom 13:2. Another aspect of the book of Colossians is seen in 2:8 ―beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy... rudiments of the world‖. V20 ―if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiment of the world, why as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, TOUCH not, TASTE not, HANDLE not after the commandments and doctrines of MEN‖. Note Paul speaks of the world not Jews, Israel or anything particularly limited to them as the law. He speaks of commandments of the MEN not God or contained in the Old Testament. Remember also on numerous occasions Paul states he is a jealous follower of the Law, has never spoken or taught anything against the Law and so on. Paul‘s letter was to warn against Judaic tendencies and customs similar to Jesus‘ correction of the Pharisees who accused Him of breaking the Law by healing on the Sabbath. Amongst other things, Paul was concerned about the new teachings of worshipping angels as intermediaries between God and man (v2:18). Hebrews 10:1 ―For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those SACRIFICES which they offered YEAR BY YEAR CONTINUALLY make the comers thereunto perfect‖. The key words in this sentence are ―law‖ (which one), ―sacrifices‖ ―year by year‖. If one knew the route to forgiveness of sins via the annual animal sacrifices of Aaron and subsequent priests (one of the laws in Leviticus, Lev 16:34), they would understand the sentence is talking about the replacement of this ANNUAL system by the once and for all sacrifice of Jesus. The sacrifice system is expanded on in Hebrews 9 (especially verse 9 and 22) [v9 was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; v22―And almost all things are by the law PURGES with BLOOD; and without shedding of blood is no REMISSION".] Hebrews 9 narrates the SACRIFICE SYSTEM. Some other sections of which are verses 1, then verily the first covenant had also ORDINANCES of DIVINE SERVICE, and a worldly SANCTUARY. V7 ―But into the second went the HIGH PRIEST alone ONCE EVERY YEAR, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the ERRORS OF THE PEOPLE:‖ In the Old Testament, Aaron offered a lamb (shed blood for FORGIVENESS OF SINS Lev 17:11 ―for it is the blood that maketh atonement for the soul‖). A blood sacrifice is needed for the REMISSION OF SINS. Thus the temple had to be destroyed due to constant polluting; God was forced to institute a replacement. These make it clear that Hebrews 10 is on that system, (not the sabbath days of Lev 23 nor any of the commandments or laws the people were to obey and keep). That one forgivenes of sin issue contained within the Law which consists of numerous individual issues or laws. Obviously not the Sabbath or feast days. Verse 23, 25 [Heb 9:23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. Heb 9:25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;]. A pattern must follow or match the actual thing. Heb 8:5 ―Who serve unto the example and shadow (4639) of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the PATTERN shewed to thee in the mount.‖ Thus one can see that a shadow is a copy of the real thing, the pattern. There is no physical sanctuary in Heaven as that would mean sin is in heaven and requires atoneing. God did not say to Moses to make the earthly sanctuary like the one, or MODEL in heaven. He said like the pattern I showed you when you when we met in the mount. These examples od the use of the word ―pattern‖ should show it does not mean a physical one pre-existed. 2Ki 16:10 And king Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, and saw an altar that was at Damascus: and king Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the fashion of the altar, and the pattern of it, according to all the workmanship thereof. 1Ch 28:11 Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place of the mercy seat, 1Ti 1:16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. Tit 2:7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity. Before Jesus, there was the sacrifice system administered by Aaron and the priests on our behalf. On Jesus‘ death, the veil separating the two sanctuaries (inner and outer, public and priests) was torn. Now compare this to the word shadow used in James 1:17―Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow (G644) of turning.‖ Here James says God has no variableness, i.e. one rule for one group or individual and a different rule for others. It is the only place in the bible this meaning is used. It means there is no shading off or gradual reduction. In other words, there is permanence. God does not institute Sabbaths then take them away. The cleaning system took two elements; the priests and the saving sacrifice of the lamb. Most Christians may see Jesus solely as the saviour. His death as the lamb alone forgiving all their sins and they have to do nothing more but believe in Him. They omit his Priestly roll and the thought He simply replaced one element of the Law not the Law in its entirety. Some try to justify this by claiming Jesus changes us from the inside rather than from outside as did the Law. There are probably equal amount of humans in the world whose heart has not been changed by Jesus similar to the number before Jesus. Let us be real, as Rom 2:14-15 says ―For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;.‖ Those wishing to serve and obey God will do so from the heart without the need for it being written in stone. Others who find obedience grievous will use the law to either accuse others or excuse themselves. In other words, justify doing what they want or validating an inherited false belief. Do not add nor take away from the written word of God with your own or others interpretations (church leaders or authors) (Deut 5:22 and 5:29-31 ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left, Deut 4:2, 6:2, 12:32, 28:14). As said elsewhere, the Holy Spirit would not guide an obedient person to go against the written word of God; though the deceiver does. It is interesting to note that Moses sealed the covenant of God‘s Commandments and Laws with the people using a ceremony and blood, as Jesus‘ blood allowed all nations in to partake of God‘s salvation. Ex 24:7 and he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, ALL that the LORD hath said will we DO, and be OBEDIENT. Exo 24:8 And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words.

SHADOW OF THINGS TO COME.

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