“The Law is only a shadow ..” This the point that the writer has been stressing time and time again. All the things of the Law (and in Hebrews he is speaking of the sacrificial, Levitical system) were only a shadow. They reflected something of reality, but were not reality itself. The problem the Jews had was that they thought it was a the real thing, but when you try and grab hold of a shadow you find you have nothing at all. Now the Law had been part of Jewish heritage, part of everyday life for over a thousand years of history, and every single day of their life. It had completely defined the nation. So when a Jew came to Christ there was still an incredibly deep emotional, intellectual,spiritual tie to the Law. It was not easy to fully appreciate the new reality. All of us have to learn to live in the new reality of the kingdom of God, of the gospel. Even if we have been Christians for years there is still much unlearning and learning to do.
What was it a shadow of? The “good things to come”. The Law was not “wrong”, it was the Jews perception of the Law that was wrong. The Law was pointing to good things. Used properly, it can help us to find more of the good things in the gospel. And when God is working in us to let go of something, to change our ways, it is often painful, it seems to take us into a place of uncertainty, and few of us like that. But we should be glad that the new place God is taking us to is a place of good things. God’s plans are always to take us somewhere better, the route may be difficult, but the destination is always wonderful. Just as God took Israel out of Egypt to the Promised Land.
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