LET GO OF THE SHADOW, THE SUBSTANCE IS HERE

Shadows can be very misleading. Source: Google Images "shadow art"

A shadow is a result of the interaction of an object with light. Shadows can be manipulated by the slightest movement on the part of the light and/or the object. You know, like when it’s noon and sunny outside, your shadow is barely a few inches long but when it’s late afternoon and you go stand at the same spot your shadow will be quite long, but you, the substance, the real thing, haven’t changed one bit. 

Shadows can sometimes be so distorted to the point of having little or no resemblance at all to the objects creating them, and if one is to only look at the shadow they might not be able to tell what the object actually looks like, it can be that misleading. Some parts of the OT and the NT illustrate this quite vividly. Here’s one example of how shadows can be misleading:

In the OT, we read:

Again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go and take a census of Israel and Judah – 2 Samuel 24:1 NIV

But the same account is recorded differently here…

Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel. – 1 Chronicles 21:1 NIV

Talk about shifting shadows…was it God or Satan who tempted David to sin? See the problem with shadows? They can’t be entirely reliable, that’s why we must focus on the substance. In this case, however, the account given in 1 Chronicles 21:1 is a lot closer to the substance, the NT, Satan is the tempter not God.

³ The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” – Matthew 4:3 NIV

Satan is the tempter, not God:

¹³ When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; - James 1:13 NIV

The OT is the Shadow while the NT is the Substance. We see types and shadows of Christ throughout the OT, we see Christ the Substance, the real thing in the NT. All the Jewish festivals, sacrifices and ceremonies were shadows, Christ is the substance. So we don’t need to fret over foods, days, drinks or any such shadows we see in the OT, for they are all just that, shadows:

¹⁶ Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. ¹⁷ These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. – Colossians 2:16 – 17 NIV

Let us fix our eyes on the substance, Jesus, not the shadows we see in the OT. Jesus himself said, “he who has seen me, has seen the Father”. And the Word tells us that Jesus is the express image of the Father. Look past the shadows in the OT and see the Substance, see Jesus. And every time you see Jesus, you see the Father.

        …Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father… - John 14:9 NIV

Jesus never condemned sinners, He welcomed them, ate with them, preached to them, healed them. His harshest words were reserved for the corrupt politicians and the self-righteous religious leaders of His day – He called Herod a “fox” – Luke 13:32, He called the Pharisees and Teachers of the Law “snakes and brood of vipers” – Matthew 23:33.  His heart was and still is about saving sinners not judging them or condemning them, that's why He gave His life on the cross for us. Of course there will be judgement for the unbelievers at the very end, not now. So believe that Jesus took all your sin, died on the cross for you and He was raised from the dead so you can be made righteous before God by simply believing in Him. God is for you, not against you. God is Love, He loves you with an everlasting love. 

On the road to Emmaus after His resurrection, Jesus took the time to open the minds of the disciples so they could understand the Scriptures. How did He do that?

²⁷ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. – Luke 24:27 NIV

⁴⁵ Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures – Luke 24:45 NIV

Let me leave you with the old adage:

The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed

Much blessings to you!