The End of Shadows, the Fullness of Reality
The shadows fade as the fullness of reality shines in Jesus, our true rest and offering.
Devotional Credit: eManna by Witness Lee
Photo Credit: Unsplash
In today’s devotional, Witness Lee points us to the deep truth that Jesus is the reality behind all the Old Testament shadows. The sacrifices, feasts, and Sabbath were never ends in themselves. They were signposts pointing to something greater. Sacrifices foreshadowed the once-for-all offering of Jesus’ body on the cross. The Sabbath pictured the true rest we now enjoy in Him. The feasts looked forward to the satisfaction and joy of fellowship with God that is ours in union with His Son.
Lee reminds us that we are no longer bound by ritual observances. The moral commands of God still reflect His heart, but ritual laws like the Sabbath rest have been fulfilled in Jesus. We are sanctified by His offering, and our rest is not tied to a particular day but is found in abiding in Him. What was once only shadow has now been revealed in the reality of the risen Lord.
The beauty of this truth is that it frees us from striving to keep forms that were never the substance. We no longer need animal sacrifices or special feast days to draw near to God. We have Jesus Himself. The fullness is here. Shadows fall away when the reality has come, and in Him we live in continual fellowship, joy, and rest.
This devotional draws our hearts toward gratitude. We do not live in the uncertainty of shadows but in the certainty of reality. Jesus has fulfilled the Law, and in Him we are sanctified once for all. The old has passed away, and the new has come. The fullness of God’s provision is ours in union with Jesus Christ.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
My child, you do not live in the shadows, for the reality has come. In My Son, the once-for-all offering was made, and through Him you are sanctified. You are not striving to keep rituals that were temporary. You are resting in the reality that has been fulfilled.
Every shadow of the old covenant finds its substance in Jesus. He is your sacrifice, so you no longer offer goats or lambs. He is your Sabbath, so you no longer strive to carve out one day for rest, for your rest is in Him at all times. He is your feast, so you no longer wait for a festival season, for your joy and satisfaction are complete in Him.
Do not let anyone judge you regarding shadows. The reality is yours in union with Christ. Walk in the freedom of life in Him. Rest in His completed work. Live in the fullness of what He has provided. You are sanctified through His body offered once for all, and you are complete in Him.
Scripture References: Hebrews 10:8-10, Colossians 2:16-17, Matthew 11:28-30, Romans 6:10-11, John 6:35, Galatians 2:20, Colossians 2:9-10, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 2:14-18.
Real-Life Analogy
Think of a photograph tucked in your wallet. For years you carried it, looking at it often, cherishing it as a reminder of someone you love. But then that person walks into the room. The photo is no longer necessary in the same way, because the real presence has arrived. The picture was good, but it was only a shadow of the reality.
In the same way, the old covenant rituals were good, but now that Jesus is here, we no longer cling to the pictures. We rejoice in the presence of the One they pointed to. Today, when I am tempted to fall back into striving, I can whisper, “Lord, I trust You to live Your life through me in this moment, for You are my rest and my reality.”
Prayer of Confidence
Lord, I thank You that I no longer live in shadows, but in the fullness of reality in Jesus. You have sanctified me once for all through His body, and I rest in Him as my Sabbath. I rejoice that every ritual, every form, and every shadow has found its completion in Him. Today I walk in freedom, resting in Your finished work and celebrating the reality of life in union with Jesus.