Silhouettes are an interesting phenomenon. With this season of the year, the shadows are cast longer and sooner than at any other time. I was startled somewhat to see the silhouette of a large leaf falling (I thought at my feet) when in actuality it was a good 30 yards away. At first I was sure that I was going to be hit on the head by this rapidly descending foliage. But when it fell, I didn’t even hear the impact. As I looked in the direction of this fallen leaf, there were several lanky shadows of very tall trees ascending to me in my driveway as I walked to the back door. Their shadows were dark, distinct, strong and probing. I almost felt like I needed to pick my way through their projected interference as they pointed at my feet. As I followed the visual lines of their deepening shadow, they led dramatically to the silhouettes of the trees standing in the early dusk of the evening. Both visages were striking. It took significant concentration to distinguish between the real and the silhouette; the true and the shadow. I never cease to be amazed that God has given us such visual capabilities as He has when he designed our eyes. What variety and distinctions they are capable of! Put aside for a moment the ability our eyes have to distinguish color, just consider the ability to sort out depth, dimensions and peripheral vision. Interestingly, Scripture uses the concept of shadows to teach us some spiritual lessons. The two principle teachers are Paul and the author of the book of Hebrews. In each case, these men emphasize that OT images, practices and even the law itself are all shadows of the “real” thing given to us in the NT. In Colossians, Paul says that “food, drink, festivals and [even the] Sabbath” are shadows, but Christ is the real substance. The author of Hebrews writes that the Law and the tabernacle are mere “shadows” of the “good things, better things, heavenly things” to come. But though these “shadows” only provide a silhouette of the great things that God has in store for us, I believe that we would really struggle to understand the spiritual “substance” if we didn’t have the OT objects which cast a long teaching shadow onto our NT understanding. As Paul said in another place, “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, that through perseverance and encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”