𝗕𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗶𝘁/ ""𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨"

𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝟭:𝟭–𝟲:𝟴

𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗲, 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗛𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗶𝗺; 𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗛𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺. - 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝟭:𝟮𝟳

This past week we kicked off another cycle in the Torah portion reading / studying. Each year we start in Genesis 1 and move throughout Torah (and its corresponding prophetic / new testament scriptures) as a way to more fully know GOD and understand His ways. So at the beginning, here we are "𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨", so to speak. The verse I shared above took me on an unexpected journey this morning, and I pray you will come along as we explore what the LORD has for us.

I have heard this verse more times than I could count. We are created in His image. The image of GOD. The Creator. Yet, as I began to look closer at the words (in their original languages), I saw something which I never really understood before. The word 𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗲 used here is the Hebrew word 𝙨̣𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙢, which according to the 𝘎𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘶𝘴' 𝘏𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘸-𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘦 𝘓𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘤𝘰𝘯 can mean 𝙖 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙙𝙤𝙬. Ponder this for a moment. God created us as 𝙖 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙙𝙤𝙬 of Himself. We understand shadows are produced by areas where light is blocked by a solid object. Think of your own shadow - the shadow isn't you - it isn't solid, yet its quite visible, especially when surrounded by light!

As I considered what this could mean, a familiar verse found in Romans 8 (v29) came to mind. It says, "𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘏𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘏𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘚𝘰𝘯, 𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘏𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘯 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 [𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴]." But that wasn't all - the LORD then led me to 1 Corinthians 15:49 which says, "𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘶𝘴𝘵 [𝘈𝘥𝘢𝘮], 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯."

But wait a minute...we were created in the image of GOD - not Adam. Yes, but when Adam and Eve transgressed the commands of GOD, their image became darkened by sin. I say darkened and not changed, because the light was not completely removed - sin just left a mark on them which in turn translated to sin [death] in all of us. Yet, we are not without hope, as Romans 8:29 told us above - we are 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙 {meaning determined from the beginning!] to be 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙚𝙙 {symmorphos - having the same form as] Christ! Friends, the sin of Adam didn't surprise GOD. He already had a plan. And just as death became part of our image in the garden, how much more resurrected life since the TOMB!!! Hallalu-YAH!!

In the beginning we were but a shadow of His image - but in the age to come we will be complete in form. No more decay, because there will be no more sin. Which leads me to the comparison of shadows the LORD showed me today.

𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘄 [𝗧𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗵] 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗮 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗱𝗼𝘄 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗶𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿, 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿, 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 [to carry through completely, to accomplish, finish, bring to an end] 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗱𝗿𝗮𝘄 𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗿. - 𝗛𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝟭𝟬:𝟭

The Torah has but a shadow of the good things to come. Follow me, friends. The Torah's purpose, as found in Romans 10:4 which says,"𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗱 {𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹} 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘄 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 {Torah} 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝘀", means it is the way in which we are being 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙚𝙙 to that image!!! But that isn't all.

Hebrews 10:1 talks about the 'same sacrifices' that are continually offered every year not being able to make perfect (to bring to an end, to accomplish, etc) those who draw near. That is because the earthly Tabernacle is but a 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗱𝗼𝘄 of the Heavenly one! Remember Moses was to build the Tabernacle by everything the LORD showed him - the LORD showed him the heavenly one! And the act of the priests going in to make atonement was but a 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗱𝗼𝘄 of what Christ accomplished on the Cross. His perfect SINLESS blood made atonement in the Heavenly Tabernacle, that we may be fully complete!

𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙃𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙪𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧 𝙧𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙𝙡𝙮 𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙. 𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙨, 𝙃𝙚 𝙖𝙨 𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝘼𝙏 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙀𝙉𝘿 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝘼𝙂𝙀 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙪𝙩 𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙮 [abolition, rejection] 𝙨𝙞𝙣 𝙗𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙃𝙄𝙈𝙎𝙀𝙇𝙁!! - 𝙃𝙚𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙬𝙨 9:26

But notice the text I placed in CAPS. 𝘼𝙏 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙀𝙉𝘿 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝘼𝙂𝙀. You see, Christ came to fulfill Torah in the sense that He showed how it was to be lived out in order that we may begin the process of restoring our image back to GODs design. We are to be 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘏𝘪𝘮 - full of Light. Our resurrected bodies, will be glorified. Shew, doesn't that make you want to shout!!! Death will truly be dealt with FOREVER, 𝘼𝙏 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙀𝙉𝘿 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝘼𝙂𝙀!! The question is, are you being sanctified / conformed in the meantime? Not as a means to salvation - Praise YAH that has been done - but as a means to be more like the One by which it came.

𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗻’𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗼𝘂𝘀. - 𝗥𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝟱:𝟭𝟵

We are but shadows, friend. Until that day when the full image of GOD in us becomes a reality, may we each seek to know His good and perfect will. May we dance and praise and worship in the light! "𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝗿𝗱. 𝗪𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗮𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁". -𝗘𝗽𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝟱:𝟴 To walk friends, requires 'work/action'. Are you ready? To Him belongs the glory forever and ever, Amen!!