It’s almost New Year and I’m already thinking about Easter – New Life! Jesus rising from the dead is part of God’s eternal plan for redemption.
Jesus predicted His own death and resurrection.
Jesus referred to the prophet Jonah, just as he was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so would He be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Matt. 12:39-40; Luke 11:30. On another occasion, Jesus stated that He would destroy the temple, and He would raise it again in three days – John 2:19. (This is referring to His body, as his body became the living temple/tabernacle on earth). {Fact from Google – When Jesus Died}
Jesus died at the same time Jewish people were sacrificing their Passover lambs
Mk.14:12 says on the first day of the Unleaven Bread when they sacrificed the Passover.
John the Baptist said to his disciples of Jesus, “Look, the lamb of God!” (The innocent one sacrificed in the place of the guilty)
Christ was dead at three o’clock on Friday, they had before six o’clock, three hours to bury Him. After going through the red tape with the Romans it took less than an hour. {Facts from Google – When Jesus Died}
What about three days?
The Bible is clear that Jesus was crucified on the Passover, Friday, then buried later that (Friday) afternoon or evening before the Sabbath (Saturday) began, and then rose from the dead the first day of the week (Sunday). How could there be a fulfillment of Jesus’ prediction that He would be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth? What exactly does this mean? 3- literal 24- hour days or a statement related to a certain time period.
In Old Testament the expression “one day and one night” was an idiom used often by the Jews for a day, even when it was applied to only a part of a day. The Jewish reference to this period as three days and three nights is strictly in accordance with the Jewish mode of reckoning. Evening and morning, or night and day, is the Hebrew phrase for a natural day. It was a maxim among the Jews in computing time, that a part of a day was to be received or computed as the whole. {Facts from Google – When Jesus Died}
Fact is, Jesus died on the exact day God the Father intended. He lived His whole life in preparation for “that day” and “the hour.” God’s timing is perfect!