Day 28

“The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming – not the realities themselves. Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again, he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sin, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” — Hebrews 10:1 & 11-14

The message that came through the prophets, through the priests, the angels and through Moses was all true, but it was not the truth. Remember Jesus, in the upper room, said, “I am the truth.” (John 14:6). These previous messengers spoke the truth, but Jesus is the Truth!

To illustrate, if you were taking a train somewhere, you may have a timetable that tells you it is leaving at 10 a.m. and will arrive at your destination at 2 p.m. Although the timetable is true, it is not the truth. The timetable bears witness to the truth. What is the truth? It is the train. A timetable won’t get you anywhere. You can read it, underline it, memorize it, sing it, but it still won’t take you to your destination. What it will do is tell you about the truth, which is the train.

Like the timetable, God’s revelation through the prophets, priests, angels and through Moses are all true, but they are all talking about Jesus, who is the Truth. If I may paraphrase Hebrews 1:1, “In the past God spoke to our forefathers, through the timetables at many times and in various ways, but in these last days He’s given us the train.” Everything that went before pointed to Christ, but it didn’t take you anywhere. The priests could inform the people there was somewhere to go, but they could not take them because the message of the Old Testament is that one day the train is going to pull into the station. The problem is that when Jesus came, he was rejected and scorned by the hierarchy of His own people. They didn’t board the train.

There isn’t anything wrong with the law. It is completely accurate and true, but it is only a shadow. It’s not the substance. It’s like the timetable and won’t get us anywhere. As Hebrews 10:1 says, it can never be the same sacrifices continually offered every year that make perfect those who draw near to God. But was it a waste of time? No. It was preparing the people for what was coming.... Jesus Christ, who is the Truth that all of Scripture bears witness to.

Prayer: thank you Jesus that you are the truth. It is only with you in my life that I am going somewhere. every day is a day I’m on that train and am assured of reaching my destination.

To reflect upon: How has the fact that Jesus is the Truth changed my life? am I in daily communion with Him as I travel the route He has destined for me?