The Mystery of Foreshadows
by Christopher Hendrix
Great writers incorporate foreshadowing into their stories, building suspense and leading the reader well. Tolkien in Lord of the Rings foreshadows Aragorn's future rule through his character. Lewis, in the Narnia series, foreshadows the sacrifice of Aslan after Edmund's betrayal. We see foreshadows in real life as well. For example, the abilities and use of AI foreshadow an eventual replacement of human jobs with AI tech. The past few years of Harris as VP foreshadow what life will be like if she's given a promotion. But, above all fiction and reality, the Lord is the master foreshadower.
Listen to Pastor Chris' sermon on 2 Corinthians 3:7-11
The old covenant gives us foreshadows of a greater glory in Christ. Paul looks at the face of Moses in 2 Corinthians 3:7–11 and shows that it foreshadows a greater glory to come. Through arguing from the lesser to the more significant and contrasting the shining face of Moses, he points to the glory of the new covenant. The new covenant far surpasses the old in glory. It's better and demonstrates God more fully than Moses's decorated face. But Paul isn't so much aiming at Moses's face as he is how those in Corinth were handling the law of God.
Instead of understanding the law to be a foreshadowing of one to come who would fulfill it perfectly, some sought to use the law as how they could approach God in righteousness. They attempted to take the high ground in the church by not simply holding to Christ but Christ and the law. Instead of rightly viewing the law as pointing to Christ, they viewed Christ as pointing to the law. They reversed the redemption story of God and made the foreshadowing into the actual object on display.
So, Paul uses three contrasts to show the foolishness of this. Paul's premise is that the law of God is good; after all, it came from God! It reflects God's nature. His point isn't to bash God's law but to destroy the way some are treating the law. They use the law as a source of life. Yet, Paul calls it a ministry of death. The old covenant had glory, as seen in Moses's face, but it was a glory that killed. It was a glory that demonstrated God's holiness and the impossibility of living up to it. When the law is handled rightly, it foreshadows death and the need for life. How much greater is the new covenant with the Spirit who brings life? How much more of God's glory is seen in this! Likewise, Paul referred to the old covenant as a ministry of condemnation and temporal. In the new covenant, the righteousness of Christ is imputed to His children, meaning it is credited to them as if it were their own, and it's everlasting. There is no new new covenant coming. This is it! This is God's plan, which has been laid down and is being finalized.
Does this mean that, as Christians, we should not bother with the Old Testament? That's not Paul's point. Paul aims to get us to pull our eyes off of working for righteousness and live freely in Christ, embracing his righteousness given by grace through faith. Quite the opposite, but we must learn the Old Testament to deepen our understanding of God, His nature, and His works. Skipping the Old Testament would be like starting at the end of the Lord of the Rings story or starting at the end of the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. You won't know who the characters are, the trouble, the answer to the problem, or how magnificent the story's hero is. The Old Testament is a treasure trove of knowledge about God, and studying it enriches our spiritual journey.
The hero of the grand story of our world is Christ. The old covenant foreshadows this and builds up His greatness and glory. The Old Testament deepens our love for Christ as we learn who He will be, what He will do, and how He will do it. All the festivals, sacrifices, and commandments build upon one another, a suspense that climaxes at the cross. The small glimpses of glory in the old point to Christ's grand, magnificent glory in the resurrection. And as Christians who look back into the OT, all of the mysteries are revealed to us. Christ is the answer. The OT is about Christ. Don't look at the OT as the means to earn your righteousness. Look at it as the means to deepen your love and obedience to Christ.