Colossians 2:17

Paul is doing all he can to break off any attempt to have anything cover the eyes of the people from fully seeing the glory of Christ.

Remember that his recipients already had decades of other religious influences, and Jesus was an emerging influence at this time. Paul had to start weeding out whatever had drawn the people's attention before and showing them that Jesus was supreme overall.

He has been doing this for several verses, pointing out philosophies, allegiances to circumcision, and people practicing all manner of things they think make God happy.

Now he comes with a slam dunk. He compares them all with shadows.

Have you had someone say that you are chasing shadows? Nothing is flattering about that. It means whatever you think you are going to get from that thing will be emptiness at best.

There are some things to come, but Paul did not discuss them because Christ is the focus now.

Whatever thing Paul listed as shadow is clearly a sample. We may need to list something in our lives, things we are pursuing that are shadows, and the reality in Christ.

You could be chasing relationships that you think will fulfill you, but they are clearly shadows. The reality is Christ. You are better off pursuing Christ and his knowledge than seeking love from human beings (shadows). We seek refuge in human love (shadow), money (shadow), and position (shadow) when we should have the Lord as our refuge.

Paul wrote elsewhere that “the love of money is the root of all evils (1 Timothy 6:10). People have reached for it (shadow), have strayed from the faith, and stabbed themselves with many pains.”

John wrote that loving the world (shadow) and the things in the world means the love of the Father is not in us (1 John 2:15).

Another shadow that people chase is accolades, certificates, and prestige (shadow) in the sight of the world. But Jesus confronted the people when he said you need the approval from men (shadow) but not the one from the heavenly father (John 5:44).

We have a tendency to chase after shadows, things that sort of hold the promise of safety, comfort, fulfillment, fullness, and pleasure, but they are all shadows. Some people chase the bottom of the bottle of wine (Proverbs 23:29-35).

These things send you on a shadow-chasing trip; on that path, you are constantly stretching to grab the elusive, chasing an amount of money and degrees. The morning after, you feel empty because it’s a shadow, so people would drown in drugs (shadow), trying to drown out the echo of emptiness on the inside no matter what they do.

There is a book like that in the Bible. It's called Ecclesiastes. The preacher was the epitome of chasing shadows, but see his conclusion: vanity upon vanity, all his vanity—or maybe shadow upon shadow.

The reality is Christ.

Basically, everything you are looking for is solidified into Christ, and everything else is a shadow.

To put a bow on that, the writer of the book of Hebrews said that God is going to shake everything so that the only thing that would not be shaken is what has to do with the kingdom (Hebrews 12:26-28).

Jesus said to seek the kingdom of God first, and his righteousness cannot be shaken (Matthew 6:33). Basically, he is saying to stop chasing shadows.

Yes, live your life; don't leave the reality to chase shadows. There is an end coming to the reign of man, and Jesus will set up his kingdom. At the time, what would matter would be how we existed in relationship to him.

How did the apostles end their lives? They were killed, and they have no human accolades. But Jesus promised them that they would sit on 12 thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28).

That is the substance that, when compared with what is happening on the earth, is shadow.

And the believers would judge angels (1 Corinthians 6:3). The believers, many for whom the earthly "reward," was being speared and fed to lions.

Paul said it this way: the light suffering (shadow) cannot be compared with the glory that will be revealed in us (Romans 8:18). Now we weep, but in that time, tears will be wiped away from our eyes (Revelation 21:4).

While some may argue that it is a miraculous act, it may be deeper than that. The unadulterated, unalloyed, and unending joy and pleasure in the presence and supreme peace of the Lord when we see him face to face means we live in a permanent state of being overwhelmed, and tears cannot form.

When we truly see him as he really is and know him even as we are known, when all questions are answered and everything makes sense, we are forever removed from any possibility of pain or harm. What, then, is the point of tears?