Pictured above, is a sign and the reflection of it. Question: Is the meaning supposed to be “LAKE MIRROR” or “MIRROR LAKE”? Probably the second one is correct, but who knows? Anyway, the meaning ultimately turns out to be about the same, whichever order you prefer.
As I considered this conundrum ( which is really not a big deal, just me actually thinking again ) I remembered that the Bible discusses substance and shadow in a way that is A BIG DEAL. Consider this passage from the book of Hebrews…
Hebrews 8 ( World English Bible )
1 Now in the things which we are saying, the main point is this. We have such a high priest, who sat down on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,1
2 a servant of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man.
3 For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer. 2
4 For if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, seeing there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law;
5 who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, even as Moses was warned by God when he was about to make the tabernacle, for he said, “See, you shall make everything according to the pattern that was shown to you on the mountain.” 3
6 But now he has obtained a more excellent ministry, by so much as he is also the mediator of a better covenant, which on better promises has been given as law. 4
7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second.
8 For finding fault with them, he said, “Behold, the days come,” says the Lord, “that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah;5
9 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers, in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; for they didn’t continue in my covenant, and I disregarded them,” says the Lord.
10 “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel. After those days,” says the Lord; “I will put my laws into their mind, I will also write them on their heart. I will be their God, and they will be my people.6
11 They will not teach every man his fellow citizen, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all will know me, from their least to their greatest.7
12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness. I will remember their sins and lawless deeds no more.”
13 In that he says, “A new covenant,” he has made the first old. But that which is becoming old and grows aged is near to vanishing away.
Ever wonder why we divide the Bible into the Old testament and the New? Well, the passage above teaches that God initially established a covenant with the Israelites in the desert, but they simply could not keep it, so God gave ALL PEOPLE a NEW one. A new one that is not based on rule keeping, but rather on an obedient relationship with God from the heart through the grace of God. Inaugurated, not with the blood of bulls or goats, but rather with the shed blood of God’s one and only son, Jesus. So, the first one was becoming old ( at the time of the composition of the book of Hebrews ) and being replaced by the NEW and therefore we have the Old Testament ( covenant ) and the New Testament ( covenant ).
Today’s post is a bit different than most, for I have included the footnotes from my Bible for your consideration, just in case you may wish to reflect on the Hebrew passage. Unlike the trick picture above, this Scripture reflection will give clarity and understanding to one of the most important concepts found in our Holy Bible. Recently, I read the following comment about reflection, I do not know who wrote it, but it is worth the time to reflect on its meaning:
In a mirror is where we find a reflection of our appearances, but in a heart is where we find the reflection of our soul.