Three Days
Note: To properly understand the position of the writer please read the author's message "To The Reader".
The Sabbath
[13.1]
To fully understand the Sabbath question, we must begin by recognizing that the bible is a record of two major covenants and several minor. The first major covenant (the covenant of law) was made with a God chosen, ethnic society, a society which He developed through Abraham and a society He regulated through Moses. We know this society as the nation of Israel and those upon whom the regulations fell are called Jews. The nation of Israel consisted of twelve tribes that came from the prodigy of Jacob, the grandson of Abraham.
The first commandment that God ever gave to mankind was “to be fruitful and multiply and take dominion over everything that moves on the earth and every living thing.” (Genesis 1:28-31)
Genesis 1:28-31
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.
31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Genesis 2:3
3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
[13.2]
The next commandment that He gave concerned the seventh day which He sanctified (set apart). After setting this day apart as the day in which He rested, He then gave this day to mankind as a day of rest (Mark 2:27).
Exodus 20:8-11
8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
[13.3]
God did not make the Sabbath for Himself, He made it for man as He did with all the other things He created, i.e. He made the trees for man, the beasts of the field for man, the fowl of the air, the fish of the sea and the herbs of the ground; all of these were created for man as was this day of rest.
Mark 2:27
27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:
[13.4]
The third command He gave had to do with the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. At this point in time, we are not speaking of Jews or of gentiles for neither existed at this juncture. Indeed, the nations of earth were not divided until the tower of Babel. After this, Abraham came on the scene and with Abraham, another covenant. He repeated this covenant with Abraham’s son, Isaac and again with Abraham’s grandson, Jacob (Genesis 12:2, 17:6, 18:18, 22:18).
Genesis 12:2
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
[13.5]
About The Law
Through the twelve sons of Jacob, the nation of Israel was born but the law which would govern this covenant wasn’t given until the time of Moses. God had previously established the Adamic covenant with Adam and followed this with the Noahatic covenant made with Noah and as previously mentioned, the Abrahamic covenant made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob but the covenant of law wasn’t established until it was given to Moses on Mount Sinai and it became the presiding covenant until the coming of Christ. One of the four principle reasons for Christ’s coming was to fulfill this covenant of law (Matthew 5:17, 18).
Matthew 5:17-18
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
[13.6]
When we say fulfill, we mean to make complete, to bring to an end. One can only fill a glass until the glass is full. Christ did not come to change the law but rather, to complete it by successfully fulfilling all of its requirements. This was something no man had been successful in doing prior to Christ and no man since has been able to successfully complete it nor will they ever (Romans 3:23, Romans 5:12).
Romans 3:23
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Romans 5:12
12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
[13.7]
However, the law remains in effect with all its requirements for all those that remain outside the new covenant, the covenant of grace. It will be the deciding factor at judgment for those who fall under its judgment (Romans 2:12) and it will pass away at the same time that heaven and earth pass away but, heaven and earth do not pass away until the end and the law will pass with it.
Romans 2:12
12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
Revelation 21:1
21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
[13.8]
The law was given to us as a means of identifying sin. Without it, man would not have known how to recognize sin. Sin is that which falls outside the will of God (Romans 3:20, Romans 7:7).
Romans 3:20
20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Romans 7:7
7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
[13.9]
The Law Taught Us
The mistake that many people make is treating the bible as though it were one continuous covenant. It isn’t. Although there are covenants which existed before the covenant of law, the Old Testament, for the most part, falls under this one major covenant, the covenant of law which continued in effect until the crucifixion of Christ which took place at the end of Christ’s life as recorded in the gospels of the New Testament.
[13.10]
The law was principally given to bring mankind to an understanding. It was designed to reveal to all mankind that no one could stand before God justified by their own good works. Mankind was in deep spiritual trouble but didn’t understand how far from God they had drifted. Because of God’s love for man, He needed to reveal to man the simple truth of his apostasy and its sinister consequences. To accomplish this, He sent mankind a schoolmaster. The schoolmaster that brought us to this painful reality was the law (Galatians 3:24, 25).
Galatians 3:24-25
24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
[13.11]
Man realized that even though the law was simple, his propensity towards sin would cause him to break it time and again thus making man unacceptable to God and destined for destruction.
[13.12]
Christ Bought Us
The law was never designed to save us. It was never meant to be an instrument of salvation or restoration. It could not make man acceptable to God. All it could do was impress upon man his need for a savior. This covenant could only bring man death but the ultimate plan of God was to cleanse man from all sin, making him worthy of life. God reasoned that because one man had introduced sin into the world, that it would only take one man to remove sin from the world (Romans 5:17-19).
Romans 5:17-19
17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
[13.13]
It would take a sinless man to complete this process and God provided His only Son as the sinless man, i.e. the sacrificial lamb of God, the one worthy to bear the burden of our sin.
[13.14]
The first major covenant (the law) had its faults. As mentioned, it could not redeem mankind (Hebrews 8:7).
Hebrews 8:7
7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.
[13.15]
Now today, because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we have a new covenant established on better promises and the first covenant, i.e. law will slowly die, it will eventually decay and vanish away (Hebrews 8:13, Hebrews 9:11-15).
Hebrews 8:13
13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
Hebrews 9:11-15
11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
[13.16]
The Hebrew nation had a number of Sabbaths that were celebrated through the year. For example, the Feast of Passover, the Feast of Pentecost, Yom Kipper, Rosh Hashanah and a few more. These were also called Sabbaths but the particular Sabbath we’re dealing with, is known as the weekly Sabbath day of rest. It was celebrated from sundown Friday evening until sundown Saturday evening. It has never changed and it will never change as long as this present heaven and earth exist.
[13.17]
The law demanded it be observed and failure to do so carried a stiff penalty but we, under the new covenant of grace, are no longer under its curse, in fact, if we attempt to keep the law, we have fallen from grace (Galatians 5:4).
[13.18]
Warning!!
Galatians 5:4
4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
[13.19]
If we try to keep it yet fail in only one point, we fail it all (James 2:10).
[13.20]
Does this mean that we cannot worship on the same day as the Jews? Not at all. We are free to do so. The difference being that we are not required any longer to do so. If one chooses to worship on this day, they have that freedom but they should not feel bound to it by the threat of the law (Romans 14:5, 6).
Romans 14:5-6
5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
[13.21]
No Bondage
Under the new covenant, we are free to set aside one day to offer our praise and thanksgiving to God or we are free to worship Him throughout the week; regarding every day as a Sabbath. To the Christian, Christ is our rest, He is our Sabbath and we have that Sabbath rest, that Sabbath peace within us because He remains in us. We should never allow anyone to judge us in the things we eat, drink or the things we commemorate, such as holidays, harvest days or Sabbath days (Colossians 2:16).
Colossians 2:16
16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
[13.22]
Some people think that Christianity had its roots in the old covenant (Old Testament). This is false. The law had its roots in the old covenant. The new covenant was built on better promises and began with Jesus Christ not with Moses, Abraham, Noah or Adam. The first post resurrection meeting of Christ and the disciples took place on the first day of the week (Sunday). This was the first time that Christ appeared to His disciples after the resurrection.
John 20:19-23
19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.
21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
[13.23]
The first meeting of the church took place on the first day of Pentecost, a celebration which commemorated the setting aside of the first fruits of the harvest. This was a traditional Jewish holiday and it was on this occasion, when the church was born. On this day, the Holy Spirit came upon those that had assembled in the upper room. The day when Peter gave the first sermon ever preached in a church (among the believers of Christ), a day when prophesy was heard, fulfilled and explained. A day when they heard the word, received it, believed it and were baptized (Acts 2).
[13.24]
The first day of the Feast of Pentecost always falls on the first day of the week (Leviticus 23:15-22) and so it would appear that the church continued to meet on Sunday, the first day of the week, because it symbolized the new covenant. The Sabbath day as commemorated under the old covenant has never changed but the day that has come to be recognized as a symbol of the new covenant, is now referred to as the Lord’s day (Revelation 1:10).
Leviticus 23:15-22
15 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete:
16 Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.
17 Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the LORD.
18 And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering unto the LORD, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto the LORD.
19 Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings.
20 And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits for a wave offering before the LORD, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to the LORD for the priest.
21 And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.
22 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God.
Revelation 1:10
10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
[13.25]
Anyone attempting to insist that we must meet on the traditional Sabbath day, i.e. Saturday, has made themselves a debtor to the whole law and then must put themselves in a position to be able to fulfill all of its requirements which we already know cannot bring us the salvation we need (Galatians 5:1-3, James 2:10).
Galatians 5:1-3
5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
James 2:10
10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
[13.26]
In conclusion, I would emphasize that under the new covenant, we are set free from the old law. We now serve from a heart of desire rather than from fear of consequence and the fruit of our life proves our relationship with Christ. We are free to worship God every day. The old covenant only made provision for worship once a week. Under the old covenant, only those born into the tribe of Levi could be priests but under the new covenant, all true believers are priests (1 Peter 2:5, 9) and as such, we can serve and worship God as often as we like and as often as He calls. Sunday Sabbath has been passed to us as a tradition, not a requirement. Saturday Sabbath was issued as a requirement to the children of Israel under penalty of death. Christ came to set us free, to give us life more abundantly. It should be clear that these two systems cannot mutually exist together (John 10:10).
1 Peter 2:5
5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 2:9
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
John 10:10
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
[13.27]
Stand Fast
The law carried with it the curse of death but Christ, through His sacrifice, purchased a new and better covenant, one that pointed out the way, brought us to the truth and made possible eternal life through belief in Him. We must now stand fast in the liberty He has purchased for us.
Galatians 5:1
5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
[13.28]
Is it wrong to worship on Saturday or Friday eve? When is it ever wrong to celebrate our relationship with God? If we choose to worship on the Sabbath, let’s do it because we’re convinced in our own heart that we should and not for fear of divine retribution and let us not judge another who may honor everyday as the Lord’s.
Romans 14:5-6
5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
God says what He means and means what He says.
[13.29]
Sleigh Bells Ring, Are You Listening?
Every year as we begin the Christmas season, the same questions and criticisms arise as though, they too were part of the Christmas tradition. The following are some of the questions and criticisms most often heard.
[13.30]
While each of the above deserves consideration, we must be careful not to throw the baby out with the bath water. We must also be careful not to justify our own selfish desires but honestly examine each of the above, with an open mind. We must be careful not to do injury to our conscience or the conscience of those with whom we share our home.
[13.31]
Let’s Review
If the actual day of Christ’s birth can be accurately determined, then His birth date would be open for discussion and the celebration open to possible revision but, as yet, it appears this bit of knowledge has eluded us. This being the case, if we must celebrate this occasion, it would appear that December the twenty-fifth is as good as any other day.
[13.32]
This brings us to our next two questions; if the apostles didn’t celebrate Christmas, why should we? This combines questions three and four. While it’s true that no mention of a special day of celebration is mentioned in the New Testament, it should also be apparent, to any student of scripture, that the apostles celebrated this gift every day of their lives, not as a traditional ceremony but as the gospel, the good news, the glad tidings of salvation through the forgiveness of sin and our reconciliation with God. This is the message they preached and were commissioned to take to the world. Salvation arrived with Jesus.
[13.33]
If the twenty-fifth day of December fell on the same day as a pagan holiday or was even planned to coincide with such an occasion, so what? While December 25th may have been observed as a pagan holiday in the British Isles among the Druids, it wasn’t a pagan holiday in most other nations. Somewhere in this sinful world of idolatry, there is a pagan holiday being celebrated most every day. This world is Satan’s kingdom and we, as Christians, are the intruders, the invaders, those now determined to bring down his empire. While he gets weaker, we grow stronger. It seems only fitting that we intrude into his traditions as well.
[13.34]
Anything we set above ourselves to serve, worship or obey becomes an idol. If we make the Christmas tree an idol then, by all means, let’s remove it from our lives, the lives of our children and our homes. If it is nothing more than a traditional family decoration, one that brings us into fellowship, then why should we fear it? It has no power to do evil or good. It is a decoration, a vanity of tradition, like the candles we use to decorate a birthday cake.
Jeremiah 10:3-5
3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
5 They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.
[13.35]
Legalism is the product of an improper attitude produced from an unhealthy motive. If we obey God out of a sense of obligation or because we fear God’s retribution, we obey legalistically but if we serve God, obeying Him from a heart of gratitude and love then, even though the act may be the same, our attitude and motive is quite different and not the least legalistic.
[13.36]
The same is true for giving. If we give because we feel we’re under an obligation to give or because we fear what others may think or say about us, then we give with the wrong motive from a vain heart, and with the wrong attitude, we give legalistically.
[13.37]
On the other hand, if we give to meet a need or to convey our love to another, it becomes selfless and godly. You say, isn’t this hypocrisy? Shouldn’t we be meeting the needs of others all through the year? Yes, please do and while you’re at it, don’t forget to give God thanks on the other three hundred and sixty four days that don’t fall on that other traditional American holiday known as Thanksgiving.
[13.38]
What day is it wrong to celebrate the greatest gift ever given? Can’t we share our gifts with Him in the spirit of Matthew 25:40, following in the footsteps of the wise men? Many of us have made it here after a long spiritual journey and like the wise men, we’ve arrived too late to view Jesus in the manger but just in time to bring Him gifts, gifts given to meet the needs of others.
Matthew 25:40
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
[13.39]
Santa Claus has become a symbol of Christmas, an icon of the season, a child’s fantasy but we have Jesus as our symbol thus, we need no idol. We have the real thing so no fantasy is needed. It’s unwise to deceive our children, especially if we want them to believe our testimony of Jesus.
[13.40]
THE GREAT DECEPTION
Easter bunnies, soft and cuddly
How cute they seem to be
What a pity that they hide
The truth that sets men free
Surely now we can’t forget
Old Santa and his deer
They cover up our Savior’s birth
With presents, joy and cheer
I wonder how much cheer there’ll be
When Christ returns on high
And gathers all His family
At their meeting in the sky
I wonder if the bunny
Or Santa will be there
I doubt they’ll even notice
I doubt they’ll even care
What a harmless little lie
To plant in a young child’s heart
Then to rip it out one day
And tear the child apart
We wonder why our children
Don’t listen anymore
They’re tired of our lies
Deceptions they abhor
We wonder why they left the church
And don’t believe God’s word
Could it be they’ve been confused
By the myths from us they’ve heard?
It’s no wonder that they question
Our tale of Calvary
And the Son of God who died
To set all sinners free
They’ve heard so very many lies
From their mom and dad you see
I guess they can’t be blamed
For refusing truth from me
[13.41]
Some will say, “We should celebrate this precious gift of God, the gift of salvation brought through Jesus, every day in the year rather than just one day.” Who couldn’t agree with that? But, answer this for me, when is it ever wrong to celebrate God’s greatest gift? Would it be better never to acknowledge the sacrifice God made when He gave His only begotten Son or the sacrifice Christ made to fulfill the will of His Father? I say, “Better one day than none.”
[13.42]
When is it wrong for families to gather together to laugh, eat, sing and share? When is it wrong for a family to remember the moment when the Son of God lay sleeping on the golden hay of a manger? Should we cease to observe this tradition? I think not. We might want to review it from time to time to make certain we haven’t rebuilt another fantasy. Perhaps we should begin anew by banishing Santa to the North Pole forever along with his helpers and reindeer, never to be seen or heard from again. From now on, let’s address the children’s gifts as follows:
To: your child
From: Jesus
[13.43]
Truly God provides all that we have so we will never have to lie about the giver of the gifts or confess our lie later. How do we explain Santa to our children? Let’s just tell it like it is, Santa is an idol that the world uses to represent the holiday spirit of X-mas. He’s like Mickey Mouse.
[13.44]
What About Easter?
So…at Christmas, we have Santa replacing our Savior’s birth with his message of materialism, I think you already know who’s behind that. There can be little doubt that Christendom’s most sacred day is the day that Christ was resurrected, the day and occasion we label as Easter. Just listen to what the apostle Paul has to say about that event.
1 Corinthians 15:12-20
12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
[13.45]
It is not ridiculous that this most important day has become a day when rabbits lay eggs and we, as Christian parents, color them, hide them and encourage our children to find them. If this isn’t already ridiculous enough, we become accomplices in this fraud by supplying them with Easter baskets full of candy and such. Maybe we’re supposed to believe that the angel’s which appeared at the empty tomb of Jesus weren’t angels at all but merely tooth fairies come to carry away our teeth one at a time and leave us money in their place.
[13.46]
Why should our children be taught about the blessed hope contained in the resurrection when they can enjoy the marshmallow and chocolate that the Easter bunny has left? Of course, I speak of this ritual as it’s celebrated in the United States. Maybe your nation has more appropriate customs…then again, maybe not.
[13.47]
Some have a problem with calling this day Easter, insisting it is a direct reference to a pagan holiday. I’m convinced that “sticks and stones may break bones but names will never hurt me.” Names of days like “Sunday”, though named to recognize the sun god, have done little to advance the recognition of false gods so, why should we fear them? Isn’t God more likely to read hearts than lips? Whom do you worship on Easter? Do you worship the Easter bunny? Do your children? Are your children waiting for Jesus to appear or are they waiting, with joyful expectation, for Santa and the Easter bunny? What do our children regard as the gospel, i.e. the good news? Have we, as mature Christians, truly understood all that’s contained in the Easter season from the four days preceding the resurrection to the day following?
[13.48]
I’m still seeking God’s wisdom in this, what about you? As we search together for further understanding, let’s begin by removing the lies from the minds and hearts of our children and begin to replace them with the truth. What is truth? John 17:17 answers that question.
John 17:17
17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
[13.49]
Three Days And Nights
It is commonly believed that Jesus was crucified on Friday and resurrected at, or near sunrise on Easter Sunday morning. This has been the hand-me-down doctrine which, up to now, has remained pretty much uncontested. The roots of this tradition have really never been tested, yet the bible teaches us to examine and prove all things.
1 Thessalonians 5:21
21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
[13.50]
For acceptable proof there is only one dependable authority, i.e. the word of God, the text we call “the bible”.
[13.51]
Hard Evidence
There were no eye witnesses to the resurrection. The so called “church fathers” had no information except the same recorded testimony given in the bible, the same record that’s available to us. With this in mind, we can dismiss the notion that the tradition itself holds any creditability.
[13.52]
The Pharisees asked Jesus for a sign proving that He was the Messiah and what did He reply?
Matthew 12:39-40
39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Jonah 1:17
17 Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
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Yes, Jesus would give them only one sign as evidence that He was the Messiah. He would give them the sign of Jonah, i.e. Jonas. He would remain in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights, the same amount of time that Jonah, i.e. Jonas spent in the belly of the whale. From the temple, Jesus told the Jews that He would rise in three days.
John 2:19-22
19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
21 But he spake of the temple of his body.
22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.
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A Sign Of The Time
The evidence Christ presented to the Pharisees did not rest upon the resurrection alone but on the time He would spend in Hades before His resurrection.
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The sign of His Messiahship was the time He remained in the earth. If he remained there three days and nights then, he’s the promised Messiah. If not, then He’s nothing more than a fake, a false prophet, an imposter.
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Even a child can determine, that according to popular tradition, Christ was in the earth less than two days. Anyone who can count to three can plainly see this. Satan has been very effective at establishing this tradition, for it denies the evidence that proves that Christ is the anointed Messiah of God.
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Is it any wonder that unbelievers poke fun at the story of Jonah, i.e. Jonas and the whale and believers find themselves confused? Satan has established a tradition that calls into question the very Messiahship of Christ.
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If we follow conventional teaching and employ simple mathematics, we discover that Jesus only spent two nights and one day in the tomb according to the most common tradition practiced today.
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How Long Is A Day?
The bible leaves nothing to question, it defines a day as twelve (12) hours and a night as twelve (12) hours thus, we are dealing with a period of time covering seventy-two (72) hours.
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Nobody argues concerning Jonah, i.e. Jonas, all concede that he was in the belly of the great fish for three full days, i.e. seventy-two hours.
Jonah 1:17
17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
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The whale (great fish) could not hold Jonah, i.e. Jonas for more than three days and the grave could not hold Christ for more than three days. Did Jesus interpret twelve hours as equaling one day and twelve as one night?
John 11:9-10
9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.
10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.
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The New Testament text refers over and over to the third day, i.e. the resurrection day. Not the third period of twelve hours but clearly the third full day (Matthew 20:19, Mark 9:31, Mark 10:34, Luke 9:22, Luke 18:33, Luke 24:7, 46, Acts 10:40, 1 Corinthians 15:4).
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Note: In the Genesis account of creation, God separated the light from the darkness calling the light day and the darkness night. Notice though, it took both to complete the first day and, every day that followed. And one period of darkness followed by one period of light were the first day.”
Genesis 1:4, 5
4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
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Why This Confusion
Jesus made the time of His internment perfectly clear. He said it would last three days and three nights. He even acknowledged the total hours in both day and night and finally stated that he would be in the earth as long as Jonah, i.e. Jonas was in the belly of the whale. What else is there to say?
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We need to look closely and examine everything when dealing with the traditions of men. We need to confirm all things, be good Bereans making certain that the claims being made are so. We must not take anything for granted. We must assume nothing and exercise caution when adopting any tradition.
Mark 7:13
13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
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Further Proof
Based on all available biblical evidence, there is no way that Jesus could have been in the earth less or more than seventy-two (72) hours.
Mark 8:31
31 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
Mark 9:31
31 For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.
Matthew 27:63
63 Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.
John 2:18-22
18 Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?
19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
21 But he spake of the temple of his body.
22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.
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The bible clearly declares that Jesus was in the earth three days and three nights, i.e. three twenty-four hour days. If not, then He’s a liar, a deceiver or an imposter.
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Let’s Reason
The Lord was to spend three full days in the heart of the earth. By determining the time of burial we also can fix the time of the resurrection. On the cross, soon after “the ninth hour”, i.e. three (3) p.m. in the afternoon, Jesus cried out and soon after that He died.
Mark 15:34-37
34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
35 And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias.
36 And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down.
37 And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.
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The day that Jesus was crucified was “the preparation or day before “the Sabbath” (Matthew 27:62, Mark 15:42, Luke 23:54, John 19:14).
Mark 15:42
42 And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath,
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This day ended at sunset, as recorded in Leviticus 23:32.
Leviticus 23:32
32 It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.
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Remember, Jesus had to be buried before the end of “the day of preparation” so as not to enter into the Sabbath which began at sunset. We know, by scriptural account, that He died shortly after three (3) p.m. therefore, He was prepared for burial and placed in the tomb between three (3) p.m. and sunset. Because we know this, we can now ascertain that His resurrection took place between three (3) p.m. and sunset three days (72 hours) later.
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From these facts, we can only conclude that Jesus did not rise on the morning of the first day of the week but in the late afternoon of the last day of the week, i.e. the seventh day, the day when God rested. Remember, the Jewish day ends at sundown whent he next day begins.
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Resurrection Day
Those first to visit the sepulcher (tomb) were Mary Magdalene and her companions. They arrived just before dawn as the sun was beginning to rise on the first day of the week, i.e. Sunday (Mark 16:2, Luke 24:1).
John 20:1
20:1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.
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Where do the scriptures say that Christ rose on the first day of the week? They don’t! The tomb was already open when they arrived and it was yet dark. The angel that confronted them declared, “He is not here, but is risen” (Luke 24:6, John 20:2, Matthew 28:5, 6).
Mark 16:6
6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.
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At the break of day on Sunday morning, Jesus wasn’t there. Why? Because He had risen late in the afternoon on the Hebrew Sabbath, i.e. Saturday. The Sabbath is over at sunset on Saturday therefore, it was a Sabbath resurrection; He had risen before Sunday began. He was crucified and buried before sunset, remained in the earth for three days as prophesied and resurrected at sunset on day three, the day we call Saturday.
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Prophecy Complete
Of course, the facts presented here presuppose that Jesus knew what He was talking about. We base this evidence on the accuracy of Christ’s own prophecy concerning Jonah. Some theologians claim He was only in the earth for half the time or about a day and a half.
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The angel of the Lord however, gives us a different testimony. The angel said, “He is not here: for He has risen, As He Said.” If He rose after only a day and a half, then He didn’t rise as He said.
Matthew 28:6
6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
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Yet further proof that Christ remained in the earth for three full days and nights is given by the apostle Paul.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
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Christ’s death and burial were according to the scriptures not in contradiction to them. His internment in the earth ended as it had begun, just before sunset on Saturday, three days after being placed in the tomb.
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Execution Day
At this point, it should be easy to determine the day in which Christ was crucified. If He rose at sunset on the Sabbath (Saturday) and spent three days in the earth then He was put to death on Wednesday shortly after three (3) p.m. the ninth hour. His body was interned on Wednesday afternoon between 3pm and sundown and remained there Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights (three nights). He was also there Thursday, Friday and Saturday during the day (three days) thus fulfilling this prophecy concerning Jonah.
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What About The Sabbath?
At this point some may object, pointing out the fact that there was a Sabbath which began on the eve of Christ’s crucifixion. They hold this out as evidence that Jesus was crucified on Friday believing the Sabbath to be the weekly Sabbath of rest, i.e. Friday sundown to Saturday sundown. This very point confirms the truth of this presentation.
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The day that Christ was crucified was called the day of preparation and this is confirmed by each of the four gospels. If Wednesday was the day of preparation, then the eve of that day would have been the Sabbath, but which Sabbath? It was the preparation day for the Passover, “For that Sabbath day was an high day.”
John 19:14
14 And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!
John 19:31
31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.
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Every Jew knows what a “High day” is. He knows it’s one of the annual Sabbaths, i.e. holy days or feast days. There are seven of these that Israel commemorates each year. They are:
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These holy days (Sabbaths) fall on the same calendar dates each year but on different days of the week from year to year, just as Christmas does. Though we celebrate Christmas on December twenty-fifth (25), it may fall one year on a Monday and the next on Tuesday or Wednesday, etc. Hebrew “High days” were all called Sabbaths as demonstrated in the following texts: Leviticus 23:24, Leviticus 16:31, Leviticus 23: 39, Leviticus 23:26-32.
Matthew 26:2
2 Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.
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As you read the above chapter through, you will see that Jesus was crucified on Passover day.
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The Passover
The Passover was the day that Israel was freed from the bondage of Egypt and delivered from their oppression. This is a picture, a historic metaphor of our deliverance from sin by the shed blood of the Lamb of God, i.e. Jesus, the only begotten Son. This was illustrated by the children of Israel when they painted the door posts of their houses with the blood of lambs. Where the blood was applied, the angel of death passed over, sparing that household from death, just as we are saved from eternal death and damnation by the shed blood of Christ.
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Note the dates given in this text:
Numbers 28:16-17
16 And in the fourteenth day of the first month is the passover of the LORD.
17 And in the fifteenth day of this month is the feast: seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten.
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The Passover lamb, killed every year on the fourteenth day of the first month and the feast follows on the fifteenth day of Abib (also called Nisan) which is the first month of the Jewish year.
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Christ is our Passover!
1 Corinthians 5:7
7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
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The spotless Lamb of God, God’s only natural Son was slain on the Passover. He was executed on a Roman cross on the fourteenth (14) day of Abib. Passover day was the day before they prepared for the Feast of Passover, the annual high day, holy day, or Sabbath which took place on the fifteenth (15) day of Abib. This day may fall on any day of the week but will always be on the same calendar date, i.e. fifteenth day of the month of Abib.
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Note: The day called, “the day of preparation” is the day that the “Passover” took place. The Passover feast or High Sabbath takes place on the following day.
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The Hebrew calendar reveals that in the year thirty A.D, the year of Christ’s death, Passover was observed on Wednesday with the Sabbath feast, “the High day”, beginning at sundown and continuing through Thursday ending, as it began, at sundown. Thus, in the week that Jesus was crucified, there were two Sabbaths, the high day of “the Passover Feast” and the weekly Sabbath day of rest which began at sundown on Friday and ended at sundown on Saturday.
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Common Criticism
In an honest attempt to test the validity of this teaching, some will point to Mark 16:9, believing it to prove that the resurrection took place on Sunday.
Mark 16:9
9 Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.
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No, early in the morning, on the first day of the week, when visited by Mary Magdalene, He was risen, i.e. He had already risen. He had risen in the late afternoon on Saturday, the day before thus, He was already risen.
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Another text which tends to create some confusion is found in the gospel of Luke.
Luke 24:21
21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.
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Note, it says, “and beside all this, today is the third day since those things were done.” What things? “Those things include all the things that took place in the previous three days.
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They included:
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These things included all the above so…..what day would it be three days after the tomb was sealed, three days from Thursday? Yes, it would be Sunday, the first day of the week. Sunday is not three days from Wednesday, it’s not three days from Friday. It’s three days from Thursday, as it should be. The story was not concluded until the tomb was sealed and it was sealed the day after the crucifixion, i.e. Thursday.
Matthew 27:62-66
62 Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,
63 Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.
64 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.
65 Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.
66 So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.
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One Thing More
Mary Magdalene and her companions did not buy their spices to anoint the body of Jesus until after the Sabbath had passed thus, they didn’t prepare them until after the Sabbath.
Mark 16:1
16:1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
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According to Luke, they rested on the Sabbath after they prepared their spices and ointments.
Luke 23:56
56 And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.
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Let’s Review
Luke 24:1
1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulcher, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.
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The only explanation for this, as shown above, is that there were two Sabbaths in the same week. After the annual Passover Sabbath feast of unleavened bread which took place on Thursday, Mary and her friends purchased and prepared their spices and ointments on Friday, then they rested on the weekly Sabbath (sundown Friday to sundown Saturday) according to the commandment!
Exodus 20:8-10
8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
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These two scriptures (Mark 16:1 and Luke 23:56) prove there were two Sabbaths that week with a day in between (Friday), otherwise these texts would contradict themselves.
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God says what He means and means what He says, His truth, His word is amazing. Jesus gave mankind the sign of Jonah as proof that he was and is the Messiah and He spent three full days and three full nights in the heart of the earth to prove it.
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Other scriptures indicate that in the evening of the fourteenth day of the first month, the month of Abib, the Lord shared Passover with His disciples. He did this on the same day He was betrayed, the day called the Day of Preparation. The day called the Passover was a day of Sabbath preparation because it was the day before the Sabbath feast of Passover, the day when the Lamb was to be roasted and consumed, which took place on the fifteenth day of Abib, on the same day the tomb was sealed.
Leviticus 23:5-8
5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD's passover.
6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.
7 In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
8 But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
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It appears that Jesus shared the Feast of Unleavened Bread with His disciples, including the Passover feast on the Day of Preparation, the day before the usual feast day, on the actual historical day of the Passover, the fourteenth day of Abib, the same day in which He was crucified.
John 13:1-3
13:1 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;
3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;
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Notice: Above, Jesus celebrated the feast with His disciples, finishing the Passover supper with them before the traditional day of celebration, the Passover Sabbath. Pay attention to the opening words of John 13:1, “Now before the feast” and the first words of John 13:2, “and supper being ended.”
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The Feast of Unleavened Bread is called the Feast of Haste; Moses and the children of Israel fled Egypt in a day of haste when many things occurred in the same day. This applies to Jesus as well. In one Hebrew day, extending from sundown on Tuesday till sundown on Wednesday, many things took place in haste; let’s consider some.
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All of these things were completed within one twenty-four hour period. The day that followed the Passover day called the Passover feast, was designated as a Sabbath wherein no servile work was allowed to be performed. Thus, it was important that Joseph and Nicodemus make haste to get Christ into the tomb before sunset of the Passover feast day, i.e. the 15th day of Abib.
Numbers 28:16-19
16 And in the fourteenth day of the first month is the passover of the LORD.
17 And in the fifteenth day of this month is the feast: seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten.
18 In the first day shall be an holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work therein:
19 But ye shall offer a sacrifice made by fire for a burnt offering unto the LORD; two young bullocks, and one ram, and seven lambs of the first year: they shall be unto you without blemish:
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Notice: the 14th day of Abib is called, “the Passover of the Lord” but the Passover Sabbath begins on the 15th day with a feast of roasted lamb to be totally eaten on the first day but for a total of seven days, herbs and unleavened bread are all that will be consumed until the last day. The first day, i.e. the 15th day of Abib and the last day are honored as Sabbaths. I repeat, the 14th day, though acknowledged as the Lord’s Passover, is not celebrated as a Sabbath but the day following, i.e. the 15th day of Abib is celebrated as a Sabbath as is the last day of the seven days that commemorate the Passover.
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The Passover came to be practiced in two different ways. When first observed, they were to kill the Passover lamb and apply the blood then on the 14th day of Abib, roast the lamb and consume it with bitter herbs and unleavened bread; leaving nothing. Later these same practices were accomplished on the 15th day of Abib.
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Please pay attention to the spiritual significance of the 14th day of Abib as recorded below: Jesus is our Passover (1 Corinthians 5:7)
Exodus 12:3-8
3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:
4 And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.
5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:
6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.
7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.
8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.
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Mark 14:12 and Luke 22:7 tend to lead the reader into a dilemma, one that does not fit with this perspective unless Jesus chose to observe the Passover as it had been originally observed and prepared His disciples and others beforehand. Remember, God ordained the 15th day of Abib observance as a memorial.
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It appears that Jesus commemorated the Passover as it was observed in Egypt originally. The Passover Lamb was slain, roasted and eaten on the same day the event originally took place, i.e. the 14th day of Abib (See Exodus 12:3-8 above). By doing so, Jesus set His sacrifice apart from all Passover sacrifices except the original sacrifice that brought deliverance to the children of bondage.
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Jesus was sacrificed on the 14th day of Abib when He shed His blood to free us from sin and death and His blood was applied to the doorposts of our hearts. The historical metaphor portrayed by Moses and the children of Israel was made complete by the spotless Lamb of God.