Read & SOAP: Colossians 1: 15-16
S: who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.For by him were all things created, in the heavens and on the eretz, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and for him.
O&A: Image: the image of one; one in whom the likeness of anyone is seen: εἰκών Θεοῦ is applied to man, on account of his power of command
I'll be honest, I don't have a short observation for this, but I'll try. I'm thinking of the Feasts of Adonai. Pesach/Passover, Chag HaMotzi/Unleavened Bread, Yom HaBikurrim/Firstfruits, Shavuot/Pentecost, Yom Teruah (often called Rosh Hashanah which is head of the year and something different)/Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement, Sukkot/Feast of Tabernacles. Messiah is represented in every single one of these, in different form.
Pesach: Redemption/Sacrifice/Death of Messiah
Unleavened Bread: Santification/Burial of Messiah/No decay
Firstfruits: Represents the Savior as first of the harvest
Shavuot: Ruach haKodesh/Holy Spirit sent by G-d
Trumpets: The Lord/The King/Messiah returns to Israel
Atonement: Day of Atonement/Messiah saves Israel
Sukkot: Messiah reigns/Wedding Feast/Golden Age/Messiah starts Millennium
I want to touch on just one of these feasts: Pesach. We read about it in the Torah, how the Hebrews had to put the blood of an unblemished lamb on their doorposts so the angel of death would pass over their homes, right? As a child, I didn't really understand how that applied to me in this time frame. Fast forward and I finally understood that this blood of the unblemished Lamb is still shed, and must still be applied to the doorposts of ones home (we, ourselves, must be covered by the blood of the Lamb for remission of sins, because without the shedding of blood, there is NO remission of sins). My husband gave a Pesach teaching a few years ago that really rocked me. He asked this question, "When was YOUR Passover? When did the angel of death pass over you?" It called each person there to ask them self this question, "What is MY personal testimony of salvation in Yeshua HaMashiach?" "When was Yeshua's blood applied to ME?"
For me, this applies to today's passage because it reminds me that He has always been here, He has always desired a relationship with us. And not only that, but He has always wanted us to be a reflection of HIS image. Not what we see in the magazines, or in the marketplace, on TV, etc. Back then, He didn't want them to look like or act like, or BE like unbelievers, and He doesn't change. He STILL doesn't want us to be like them.
He's calling out to me today a reminder: That Yeshua's blood was shed for me. Am I living for the One Who died for me? Am I a reflection of the G-d I serve? Is HIS likeness seen in me? If G-d is invisible, are His characteristics and attributes evident in me? Just as the angel of death saw the blood on the doorposts of the homes, am I recognized by the covering I received in Messiah?
P: Avinu Malkeinu, our Father and our King, You have really caught my attention this morning with this passage. I pray that You will have mercy on me as You continue to mold me and shape me. I am so far from perfect. I am flawed, and I make mistakes. In that, I am not a reflection of You. But by the blood of Your Son, I am made new! Abba, I want to accurately reflect You. I want to be an ambassador of Your kingdom, and not a spokesperson for this world. Help me to discern in every aspect of my life how I can represent You in the way You desire me to. If there are relationships that need to be cultivated, show them to me, and if there are relationships whose season have come to an end, please give me the strength to do as You would like me to do. I praise You and thank You for allowing me to serve You. B'Shem Yeshua, Amein.
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