PROPHECY AND FULFILLMENT

SHADOWS AND TYPES

A shadow is obviously not the real thing. Without the real thing we would not have a shadow. Did you ever hide behind something as a child when playing Hide And Seek? Did you look for the shadow of the one trying to find you? If you were on the same side of the light as the other player, you could see the shadow and know that you would probably be found soon. In this sense the shadow depicted something that was coming. In the Bible it is the same way; events, stories, situations, in what we call the Old Testament depicted what was to come later. In Colossians 2:16-17 we find events of Jewish Holy days were a shadow of Christ.

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.

Hebrews 8:3-5 says:

For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this One also have something to offer. 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. For He said, "See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.

One more quote to explain the preceding before we make a few comments. Hebrews 10:1-4:

For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.

THE PROMISE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

Sin and its consequences and the hope for forgiveness are often discussed. The scriptures also deal often with the message of forgiveness. If any doubt this let him read through the Psalms. In the Bible we see that the things of the Old Law, with it's sacrifices, did not bring forgiveness, but were a shadow of that which would. The hope of forgiveness was the anticipation of godly people throughout the ages until the coming of Christ and the fulfillment of all the prophecies through him. Those who sinned needed forgiveness from Adam onward. It was not something new with the law.

The Messiah, or in Greek, the Christ, would bring light which would include forgiveness and other blessings. Peter in II Peter 1:16-20 says:

For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

In this passage, Peter explains that the prophecies were confirmed by the recognition by God that Jesus is the Son of God. We also see in this passage that the prophecies were from God as the prophets spoke being moved by the Holy Spirit. Peter's readers were to heed that confirmed prophetic word as a light that shined in a dark place until the day did dawn. When Peter wrote, there were prophecies which were yet unfulfilled. Christ had come. He had provided the way of salvation, but there were still more. The mystery was being revealed but was not yet completed. Peter again says in II Peter 3:13:

Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells

This promise is to be found in Isaiah 65 and 66. Note the readings.

Isaiah 65:17-18

For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing, And her people a joy.

Isaiah 66:22

For as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before Me," says the Lord, "So shall your descendants and your name remain."

In the entire Bible this is the only promise of a new heavens and a new earth. It was part of the Jewish hope. Note the expression "in which righteousness dwells." This was also part of their hope based on a number of prophecies. We will list only a few.

Psalms 69:27-28

Add iniquity to their iniquity, And let them not come into Your righteousness. Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, And not be written with the righteous.

Psalms 85:13

Righteousness will go before Him, And shall make His footsteps our pathway.

Psalms 96:13

For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness, And the peoples with His truth.

Isaiah 1:26-28

I will restore your judges as at the first, And your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city. Zion shall be redeemed with justice, And her penitents with righteousness. The destruction of transgressors and of sinners shall be together, And those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed

Isaiah 61:11

For as the earth brings forth its bud, As the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

Righteousness could only come by forgiveness of sins. Forgiveness of sins would only come by repentance, change, returning to God. Jeremiah 3:14-15 says:

Return, O backsliding children," says the Lord; "for I am married to you. I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion. And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.

Themes consistent throughout the Old Testament eras are forgiveness, righteousness and judgment of the wicked. The law with all of it's sacrifices points to man's inability to keep himself from sin. Even those desiring to do right, committed sin. For the most part, few who served the Law were really concerned about doing right. Sacrifices were offered seeking atonement, but there was no repentance. They continued to sin and to drift further into sinful practices. In Christ's day we find every aspect of the law had defined. Sin and its penalties was clearly identified. Offerings were made regularly, daily, and on time. This is evident from reading the texts of the Gospels and many passages in Hebrews. One thing was wrong. Their service was not from the heart. Matthew records Jesus' quotation from Isaiah in chapter 15 verses 8 and 9:

These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. 9 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.

Jesus told the Pharasees and Saducees as recorded in Matthew 23:25-26:

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness.

Those that desired righteousness and forgiveness so that their sinful past could be forever forgiven were indeed few and far between. It was for the sake these select and special individuals who lived throughout the ages that the promises were made. Israel in her history thought that the remnant were the ones who came from Babylonian captivity. In Christ's day they carried out the tradition of sacrifices and offerings to the letter, believing they were correctly fulfilling their needs before God as the remnant to receive the promises. But the remnant who returned from Babylon were merely a shadow. The true remnant were the righteous throughout the ages who looked for the Messiah to forgive their sins. Isaiah 53, a long time accepted Messianic passage by Jews and Christians, records in verses 10-12:

Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.

I believe we have clearly stated the hope prophecies expressed and the undeniable need for a savior, the Messiah who could bring forgiveness of sins.

RELATIONSHIP OF PROPHECIES TO THE COMING OF THE CHRIST

Forgiveness -- Psalms 130:3-4

Restored relationship with God -- Psalms 80:17-19

Judgment -- Malachi 4:1-2

End of heartless worship -- Jeremiah 31:31-34

End of people who did not serve from the heart -- Deuteronomy 28:47-48

End of death caused by sin (for those who want it)-- Genesis 3:22-24

Eternal life -- Ezekiel 33:11

New kingdom -- Daniel 2:44

New Jerusalem -- Isaiah 65:18

New Heaven and Earth -- Isaiah 65:17

New Covenant -- Jeremiah 31:31

Justice -- Jeremiah 31:29-30