“The Law has a shadow of the good things to come, but not the very substance of the things.”​—Heb. 10:1.

Various aspects of the Law, including festivals, the tabernacle and sacrifices, had a shadow that represented greater things to come. A shadow gives some idea of the general shape or design of the reality that casts it. Likewise the shadows of the Law aided right-hearted Israelites to identify the Messiah, as they could see how he fulfilled these shadows. Writing to Christians at Colossae, the apostle Paul pointed this out: “The reality belongs to the Christ.”​—Col. 2:17.