The Third Day

Did the resurrection have to be on the third day? Does it matter?

Three times in the gospels Jesus predicts his death and resurrection will happen on the '“third day.” Jesus was clear in his mind about this and underscored it. Indeed, in the Gospel accounts, he mentions “three days” 21 times.

Why the obsession with the third day? Why was Jesus so certain? Does it matter?

The clue is in what Paul says in the words that follow “the third day” in 1 Corinthians 15:4, namely, “in accordance with the Scriptures”.

The rising of Jesus on the third day was not a random event – it was in accordance with the Scriptures. And therein lies its significance. The resurrection is God’s plan for the world. It is not merely an inspiring story to encourage us to turn over a new leaf. It is not just an isolated miracle. No, it is God’s way of saving people like you and me, of saving the universe. It was planned in eternity, promised in the Scriptures, realised in history and shapes the future.

The Scriptural Testimony to the Third Day

As you consider the scriptural testimony to the third day resurrection, many of you will be thinking of Jonah. Jonah disobeyed God and ended up being thrown into the sea. He was rescued by being swallowed by a big fish, spending three days and three nights in it before being spat out onto dry land. It was the death and resurrection of Jonah. Jesus himself alluded to it in Matthew 12 and other places.

But I want to suggest to you that there is more than that. Just as Jesus’ death in accordance with the Scriptures is not based on one isolated event in the OT but on Scripture as a whole, so it is with the resurrection on the third day.

When is the first third day in the Bible? It is found in the very first chapter – Genesis 1:11-13. Life springs from the earth. Not only that, within these plants are their seed. The plant produces seed according to its kind.

Jesus will later be described as the firstfruits from the dead in 1 Corinthians 15. He will use the illustration of seed being sown and rising from the ground. All believers are his seed, coming from Christ, made in his image, according to his kind.

When is the next third day? Day 6. What happens then? Animals are created, but also man is created in the image of God. Not only that, but Adam is also created from the dust of the ground and Eve is created from Adam.

With all of that background in mind, consider 1 Corinthians 15:42-49. Do you see how it is a deep reflection on Genesis 1-3? Tied to this is the resurrection of Israel foretold by Ezekiel the prophet, with life being breathed into the dry bones echoing the creation account of Adam in Genesis 2.

But there is more. One of the most tremendous passages in the Bible that anticipates the death and resurrection of Jesus is the story of Isaac being bound by his father, Abraham, ready to be offered as a sacrifice, recorded in Genesis 22.

There are so many connections to the future death and resurrection of Christ in this passage that space does not allow me to go through them all. For our purposes, Genesis 22:4 tells us that this all occurred on the third day.

Isaac, we know, was not killed. In fact, it was as if he was raised from the dead – Hebrews 11:17-19. As Abraham lifted the knife to thrust it through Isaac, the Angel of the LORD intervened on Mount Moriah to stop Abraham. As a result, on the third day, he confirms his covenant with Abraham.

There are other significant third days in the Old Testament which time does not allow us to explore in detail:

• God appears on Mount Sinai on the third day (Exodus 19).

• David recovers all at Ziklag on the third day (1 Samuel 30) and receives news of Saul’s death, confirming his own kingship, on the third day (2 Samuel 1).

• Esther appears before King Ahasuerus on the third day after fasting, receiving favour from him (Esther 5:1).

• Hosea speaks of Israel’s repentance and resurrection on the third day (Hosea 6:2), a repentance with eschatological significance (Hosea 14).

One last example. David sins in numbering the people and the LORD gives three punishment options to David (the accounts are found in 2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21). He chooses for Israel to be plagued for three days.

At the end of this, the Angel of the LORD lifts his sword ready to strike Israel (note the echo of Abraham raising his knife). But the LORD intervenes. He commands David to raise an altar on the threshing floor of Ornan. David buys the threshing floor and does as the LORD says.

This is where the temple of the LORD will be built. This is Mount Moriah, where Abraham received Isaac back from the dead.

So What?

What do we learn from this?

1. We learn something about God. We are reminded that God is sovereign. The resurrection was his plan, and it came to pass. What a wonderfully comforting truth – our God reigns!

It reminds us that God is faithful. God had foreshadowed this resurrection. God had appointed it and keeps his appointments. Jesus died at Passover – God kept his appointment. The Holy Spirit came at Pentecost – God kept his appointment. Jesus rose on the third day – God kept his appointment. It was also the first day, the beginning of a new creation. The firstfruits were waved on the eighth day (Leviticus 23), the first day of a new week.

There is one more day on God’s calendar – the return of Christ. It is the day of the full harvest. It is the day of our resurrection. God will keep his appointment.

2. We learn something about Jesus Christ. How did Jesus know he would rise on the third day? From the Scriptures. His Father had mapped out his timetable for him there. Jesus knew the Scriptures intimately.

Jesus is the ultimate man of faith, our forerunner, our pioneer, the one who has gone before us. The Scriptures equipped Jesus for every good work; the same is true for us.

3. We learn something about salvation. Why wasn’t the resurrection on the first day? Because before resurrection is death; before exaltation, humiliation; before light, darkness; before glory, suffering; before victory, warfare.

Before Jesus comes back to bring in the final resurrection, there is a period of waiting. But it is not wasted time. It is a time of testing. It is a time when Jesus is conquering all his enemies. And the last enemy is death. Jesus has accomplished salvation; he is now applying salvation; but on the third day, as it were, he will consummate salvation. And we will be brought into the Promised Land, the New Heavens and New Earth.