From Shadows to Substance: Seeing Jesus’ All-Sufficiency

God revealed Himself to the Israelites through Moses in a more extensive way than He did to the patriarchs. Of course, oral tradition gave way to the written Word with Torah. As Moses penned the Pentateuch, the Hebrew people were receiving a history lesson, a legal code, genealogies, etc. that would serve them in every generation. Moses was a prophet of Yahweh among other roles. He spoke and wrote the Word of God as other men of God would do over the ensuing 1400 years.

The writer of Hebrews helps us to contrast the shadows of the Old Testament with the substance of Jesus Messiah explained in the New Testament. Stated another way, the types have their anti-type in Christ Jesus. Yahweh had spoken through the Hebrew prophets (Heb 1:1); and then He sent His only begotten Son — a preacher, along with many other roles (Jn 3:16; Heb 1:2).

The Epistle to the Hebrews is Christ-centered. Jesus of Nazareth is presented as the substantive fulfillment of what the Jewish people had anticipated for centuries. The very Son of God, superior to the angels, has appeared in the flesh (Jn 1:14). As the Son of Man, fully man, Jesus is far greater than Abraham or Moses. They were real people; but mere types of the father of people (Adam), the father of a chosen nation (Abraham), the King (Moses), and High Priest (Aaron and Melchizedek). Jesus is all of those exalted roles to His elect, holy nation of royal priests (1 Pet 2:9).

As our great high priest (Heb 4:14), Jesus, the Son of God also serves as the one Mediator between God and men (1 Tim 2:5). He is the Mediator of the new covenant cut in His blood (Mt 26:28) — Him being the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world (Jn 1:29). The precious blood of Christ was shed on Calvary’s cross (Eph 1:7; 1 Pet 1:19; 1 Jn 1:7), in a one-time event for the forgiveness of all the sins of His holy nation, His bride, His church, the Israel of God (Gal 6:16; Heb 9:28). He who knew no sin became sin for us, bearing our sins in His body on the cursed tree of punishment deserving wrath (2 Cor 5:21; 1 Pet 2:24). He is the propitiation for our sins (1 Jn 2:2; 4:10).

As the source of eternal salvation, we learn from Him and His deliverance of us from eternal judgment (Heb 5:9; 6:2). Knowing Christ Jesus, we know God our Father, Yahweh, the God of true Israel (Jn 14:7, 9) — His people of faith “in Christ” — elect from every nation, tribe, and tongue (Rev 5:9; 7:9). We believe the Word of God, having received new and abundant life from the Holy Spirit of Christ, who has been sent to each of God’s elect, redeemed people, in order to permanently indwell us (Jn 14:17, 26; 15:26; Rom 8:9, 11).

As our Teacher, we have this anointing from God to grow us in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Pet 3:18; 1 Jn 2:20, 27), who is Himself the revealed truth of God (Jn 14:6), who is true (Rom 3:4). The Word of truth is the Word of righteousness which sanctifies us (Jn 17:17; Heb 5:13), washes us (Eph 5:26), nourishes us (1 Tim 4:6), and satisfies us (Jer 31:25; Mk 8:4). God gives the increase in growing us up into spiritual maturity (Eph 4:15), which is conformity to the image of our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom 8:29).

Christians, both Jewish and Gentile, must forsake the world, the world’s religions, the idols and icons, the rites and rituals, pilgrimages, temples, and the doctrines of demons that inspire dead works of false worship. These are cheap imitations that distract the children of God away from pure and simple devotion to Jesus Christ (1 Cor 7:35; 2 Cor 11:3), who is our all in all and Lord of all (Acts 10:36).

Believers in Jesus Messiah have one baptism, not many ritual washings. We drink of one cup of sacrifice, not endless offerings of blood sacrifices that could never permanently remove sin (Heb 10:11). Christ is our substitute sacrifice that has set us free to live to serve the true and living God as slaves of Christ (Jn 8:32; Rom 5:8; Eph 6:6).

The future of Christ’s church, His body of believers, is secure (Jer 29:11). Death is all around us, all of our lives in this sinful world in rebellion against God (Rom 3:23; 5:12; 6:23; Heb 9:27). Christians have the hope of the resurrection, in the witness of Jesus raising Lazarus and others from the dead (Jn 11). This includes Jesus’ own resurrection from the dead (Jn 10:17). We serve a risen Savior, who lives forevermore. His promise is to raise us to life on the last day, the day of His second coming, the Day of the Lord (Jn 6:39, 40, 44, 54).

My dear reader, examine your faith. Is it mingled with some form of religious works designed by you or others, in order to heighten your sense of spirituality? You must turn from the shadows in the grace of repentance. You must turn to the Person of Christ. In seeing Jesus, you will have the meat, more than the milk of the Word of God. His substance is perfect sufficiency — never to be added to, nor subtracted from, by elementary things…mere shadows.

Old Testament types and shadows are to be learned and understood for what they represent. Jesus is the Light of the world (Jn 8:12); and as children of Light (Eph 5:8; Phil 2:15), we ought to walk in the Light as He is in the Light (1 Jn 1:7) — emanating from God the Father, who dwells in unapproachable Light and with eternal dominion (1 Tim 6:15–16) — to whom we ascribe all honor, praise, thanksgiving, power, wisdom, and glory.

Christian, keep your eyes on Jesus, the sole author of your faith (Heb 12:2). Look to Him and learn of His eternal judgment derived from His eternal purpose, derived from his eternal good pleasure (Phil 2:13; Col 1:19). He alone has determined all things that shall come to pass in His predetermined plan and foreknowledge (Acts 2:23). His eternal will must surely be done (Eph 1:11).

The alternative to your faith in Christ is to fall away in unbelief (Heb 6:4–6). Be not dismayed when you hear the testimony of those who denounce their trust in Jesus Christ; for they are those who have had a taste of the good things of Christ. They, however, did not belong to Him (Jn 10:26); did not receive His Spirit (Jn 14:17; 1 Cor 2:14); went out from the fellowship of His church (1 Jn 2:19) and were shipwrecked — not seeing the dangers of trusting in mere shadows. May God preserve you to the end (Is 49:6) and may the substance of eternal life find you holy and blameless (Eph 1:4; 5:27; Col 1:22; 1 Thess 3:13), by His grace on that day called, “forever and ever. Amen.”

David Norczyk

Spokane Valley, Washington

November 7, 2023

Hebrews 5:11–14–6:1–3