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"The law, having a shadow of the good things to come..."

Text: Hebrews 10:1a

THE PLACE OF THE LAW

How should the law be understood? We have another important statement about the law in the following text.

“For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come,
and not the very image of the things…”
Hebrews 10:1a

1. The law

a) It had Divine origins.

b) The law was given by God to Moses for Israel.

c) The law covered many aspects of life.

i) Religious aspect (ceremonial and ritual)

ii) Judicial aspect

iii) Dietary aspect

2. A shadow

a) The Mosaic law was but a “shadow”.

b) The idea here was that it was meant to be no more than a reflection.

c) However this does not detract from the authority of God that lay behind the law.

3. Of good things to come

a) There was a greater reality.

b) There was this wonderful reality called “the good things to come”.

i) This is a reference to eternal things.

ii) This is a reference to heavenly things.

4. Not the very image of the things

a) A solemn reminder that the law was only “a shadow”.

b) The law was never “the very image of the (good) things”.