Did you know that the Old Testament Scriptures are described as a “shadow” in the New Testament?[1] Think about that for a moment. A shadow is a darkened image of something substantial. It is a lightless projection of something true and real; a darker form of something else. The concept of shadows and darkness convey a lack of illumination. In other words, the imagery of a shadow speaks of a lack of truth…yet as a shadow it truthfully points towards a firm substance and reality (so this is not to say the Old Testament isn’t true. Rather it is true sign-post pointing to something greater.)[2]
I want to show you one particular “shadow” of truth from the Old Testament. First, we’ll look at the shadow itself and then shift our gaze up and away towards the beautiful substance that is casting its dark form. Look at Ezekiel 21…
‘Thus says the LORD, “Behold, I am against you; and I will draw My sword out of its sheath and cut off from you the righteous and the wicked. Because I will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked, therefore My sword will go forth from its sheath against all flesh from south to north. Thus all flesh will know that I, the LORD, have drawn My sword out of its sheath. It will not return to its sheath again.”’ (Ez. 21:3-5)
The prophecy declares a coming “sword” of judgment that will hit the earth and kill all flesh in the land—both the “righteous and the wicked.” This is speaking of one of the darker periods of the Israel’s history where judgment came and people were wiped out by an invading army.
But now let’s look up and away. In the New Testament we find the substance and truth behind this image. In the epistles we find that the sword is compared to the “Word of God.” We also find that the Word of God is synonymous with the Gospel.[3] This is what the apostle meant when he said that believers should take up the “sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” The Gospel is a sword in the hands of the Spirit and it brings life to people, not death.[4]
So we find here that the sword in Ezekiel is actually a symbol of the Gospel! Now this is strange considering the word “gospel” entails really, really good news of great joy for all people.[5] Meanwhile, Ezekiel’s sword is anything but good news. So how does this image of darkness in Ezekiel come from this image of light and joy in the New Testament?
Well, let’s think about the actual message of the Gospel…
The Gospel is an announcement that Jesus Christ came and died as us. He died in our place. Paul goes so far to say that when Christ died, all died.[6] We need to understand that the body of Jesus is the body of humanity. What happened to Him happened to all of us. This is not just when a person believes it (as though your intellectual decision puts you into the body of Jesus. If that were the case, many people of the world, such as those in deformed mental states, aborted children, and unreached people groups would be excluded). Rather, this is a work that was already accomplished for all people. Faith is simply trusting and realizing this all-encompassing reality.
All of us were slain in the body of Jesus. He took away the sin of the whole world by taking that sin on Himself. Both the “righteous and the wicked” were included in this. This is why we see Ezekiel’s sword slaying all flesh in the land.
And what’s even more incredible is that this sword “will not return to its sheath again”! With New Testament eyes, that means that the Lamb’s blood continually cries out mercy and grace for all people. The blood will never stop its intercession. The sword will never return to its sheath. If it did, we would have to work on cleaning ourselves up or dying to ourselves in our own strength… But no. That death already occurred once and for all in the body of Jesus.
Later in the prophecy, God gives Ezekiel the following commandment: “Son of man, groan with breaking heart and bitter grief.”[7]
This is a sad and woeful passage until we understand that Jesus came to take this bitter pain upon Himself for us! He is the One who “bore our griefs” and “carried our sorrows.”[8] Indeed, Jesus came to bind up the brokenhearted.[9]
Let’s look at one final aspect of this prophecy. God, with His smiling face hidden behind the dark clouds of the Old Testament, speaks another truth that is cast as an inverse shadow on the earth. The prophet says, “Every heart will melt, all hands will be feeble, and all knees will be weak as water.”[10]
This speaks to the deep fear within all of mankind. The fear of death, the fear of destruction, the fear of man, and ultimately the fear of an angry God. But here’s the good news when we go from shadow to light…
Jesus also took ALL of this fear upon His broken body! He completely, absolutely, and forever removed the need for any of these fears. If we still fear it’s only because we have not found our rest in the perfect love of the Father.[11] Today, in New Covenant light, we are inversely invited to “strengthen our weak hands and feeble knees.”[12] In other words, we should never again fear punishment or destruction from God.
For a sword has been unsheathed and it has already killed all flesh in the body of Jesus, the One who bore our fears and sorrows. Jesus is the true King who in weakness took hold of the cross of judgment and released mercy to all. He now reigns from a throne of mercy and grace.
[1] Heb. 10:1
[2] John 5:39
[3] Col. 1:25
[4] In the book of Revelation Jesus has a sword coming out of His mouth. This also speaks of the Word of His gospel coming from His lips. Despite popular opinion, Jesus does not and will not wield the sword like the rulers of this world. He wields a sword of merciful, restorative justice.
[5] Luke 2:10
[6] 2 Cor. 5:14, 1 Cor. 15:22
[7] Ezek. 21:6
[8] Isa. 53:4
[9] It is interesting to note that Ezekiel is later called a “watchman on the wall” who stands in the gap between evil Israel and their Creator (Ezek. 33). In reality, Ezekiel is a prefigure of Christ. Christ is the One who would truly stand in the gap and intercede for us—and His intercession would be successful! So I have news for those of you are trying to “stand in the gap.” Jesus is the true Gap/Place-Holder. He is the ultimate Watchman on the Wall. It is His intercession that has truly saved us. Any intercession on your part is meant to be a joyful agreement with the finished work of the Lamb!
[10] Ezek. 21:7
[11] 1 John 4:18 (actually go and read this!)
[12] Heb. 12:12