Rose Again on the Third Day According to the Scriptures

Why did Jesus Rise on the Third Day?

New Life, Covenants, and an Ancient Pattern

by Derek Hiebert 1 twelvemonth ago

Why did Jesus Rise on the 3rd Day?

For centuries, the Christian church has celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ on a Sun--3 days afterwards remembering his death on Good Friday. This timeline of three days is based on numerous references in the New Testament. Jesus predicted it many times, and the apostles include it in their announcement of the gospel (come across footnote references).

Yet why did Jesus' resurrection take place three days subsequently his death? It would seem that he could have risen one day, two days, or even four days afterward his decease and the resurrection would still exist historically valid according to eyewitnesses. Is the third day merely a random, inconsequential detail tacked on to the resurrection? Or is there significance to this timeline?

The Third Day Matters

For Jesus and the apostles, the timing of his resurrection has strong theological implications. The three-day timeline matters to the biblical narrative, considering it is the special mean solar day on which God creates new life and activates his covenant with humanity. How did the New Testament arrive at this agreement? It turns out Jesus himself and the New Attestation authors are drawing from a consistent "third 24-hour interval" design blueprint from the Hebrew Scriptures. Exploring this pattern for ourselves tin enrich our understanding of the Easter event.

The Third Day Pattern in the Hebrew Bible

Perhaps the well-nigh clear examples of 3rd solar day resurrection in the Hebrew Scriptures are found in Jonah 1:17 and Hosea 6:1-2. Jesus referenced Jonah's three days in the belly of the not bad fish as a metaphor for his resurrection. Hosea spoke of God's resurrecting work for Israel equally occurring on the 3rd day. While these are worthy texts to consider, this blueprint of resurrection on the third twenty-four hours begins even earlier in the story.

There are three passages plant earlier in the narrative of the Hebrew Bible that brainstorm to develop a blueprint of new life emerging on the third twenty-four hour period: the creation narrative of Genesis one, Abraham'south examination in Genesis 22, and the Israelites at Sinai in Exodus 19.

The First "Resurrection"

Where practise nosotros see the start peek into the 3-solar day significance? Page one of the Bible. The creation account in Genesis 1 is written like a poem with repetitive statements and parallels. Within the rhythm of these repetitions, two events in the cosmos narrative stand out as meaning, each happening at iii-twenty-four hours intervals. On the commencement "third solar day", God makes dry out land announced, and causes vegetation to come up upwardly out of the globe: plants yielding seeds and trees bearing fruit (i:eleven-13). The picture hither is of new life sprouting or rising upwardly from the ground—a place of non-existence or decease.

The 2d "third mean solar day" event happens on the sixth day when God creates animals and human beings (1:24). Reminiscent of the first "third twenty-four hour period", the passage says that the earth will bring forth living creatures (1:24-27). After we read that God formed humans from the dust of the ground (two:vii). Over again, here we see new life created out of the ground. Notice as well the connection between humans and trees: both are newly created from the ground (two:7, nine), both bear seeds and fruit (1:11, 28; iii:15) and both are created in this way on the third day. Still ii things are unique to just humans: 1) humans are made in God'south image; and two) God enters into a covenant with human beings, approving them and giving them instructions.

A Pattern Emerges

In the "third day" events of Genesis 1 in that location are three important aspects which go a pattern pattern:

1. God creates new life where at that place once was death (1:11-13; 26-27; 2:vii)

2. God establishes his covenant with the creatures he has newly created, in this instance humans (1:28-29)

3. The event takes identify in Eden, which nosotros sympathize equally a high place from which a river flows out (2:x-14)

The importance of this imagery and pattern cannot be overstated, as it becomes the prototype for future resurrection.

Abraham'southward Test on the Third Mean solar day

Where else does this pattern appear? In another "3rd day" event, Abraham is tested past God—one of the most intriguing narratives in all of Scripture (Genesis 22:1-19). When God calls Abraham to offering his only son Isaac as a burnt offering on a mount, the text says that on the third day, Abraham saw the place from distant and proceeded to become through with the test (22:four). In this scene, God wants Abraham to learn to trust him with the covenant and blessing of offspring. Ultimately, it is God who provides the sacrifice and brings about the purposes of his covenant.

The connection to "third day" theme hither resides in a powerfully vivid human action of atonement by God in which he substitutes a ram in the place of Isaac (22:13-14). Nosotros come to find out this act is wrapped up within his larger covenant projection to multiply Abraham's offspring, and through them, anoint the nations (22:17-xviii). Hither over again, on the tertiary mean solar day we run into the same pattern:

1. God acting to bring new life, in this instance to Isaac in his life being spared, and to Abraham in receiving dorsum his son (22:11-14)

2. God reaffirms his covenant with Abraham, using linguistic communication and themes consequent with Genesis ane:28 (22:17-xviii)

3. This event takes identify on a mount (22:2, 14)

Israel's Tertiary Day at Sinai

At a key juncture in the Bible's story, we find yet some other event happening on the third day. Having just rescued his people from centuries-long oppression in Egypt, Yahweh is on the cusp of entering into covenant with Israel, again on a mount (Exodus 19:two-iii). Here God makes clear that on the "third day" he will come downward to Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. Like Abraham, this moment is a test for Israel. They are to fix themselves to enter into covenant with God and be ready on the "third day" (Exodus xix:ix-16). The narrative mentions "3rd twenty-four hours" four times to ensure nosotros don't miss the fact that this momentous event will have place on God'due south special twenty-four hours.

Based on what nosotros have seen already with "third day", we should come to expect a certain pattern, which we run into however again:

1. God brings about new life for his people — in this example, new identity for Israel — only like he did at creation, and with Abraham and Isaac (19:4-half dozen)

2. God enters into covenant with his people, namely Israel (xix:iv-6)

3. God accomplishes all this on a mount (19:2)

And this is what nosotros come across in the narrative! Yet, sadly the remainder of State of israel'south story in the Hebrew Scriptures is marked by rebellion, unbelief and inability to sustain their cease of the covenant. Which brings us again to those passages in the prophets that mention the 3rd 24-hour interval: Hosea and Jonah.

Hosea's Hope, Jonah'due south 'Resurrection'

When nosotros return to these prophets, we have a greater backdrop for the "3rd day" and its powerful imagery of resurrection, along with its connection to God's covenant. Hosea calls Israel to "return to Yahweh", which is archetype prophetic linguistic communication for repentance toward covenant fidelity, and offers them hope using resurrection language (Hosea half dozen:i-ii). In keeping with our design, this render to the covenant means a renewing of life, a resurrection equally a people into the life of Yahweh, which he will bring about on the "third day".

With Jonah, we find ane of Israel's own prophets failing to obey Yahweh, and therefore experiencing 'decease' in an unlikely 'tomb'— a large fish. In many ways, Jonah and his failure represent that of Israel. Yet, God does not give upwardly on him nor his people. He gives Jonah new life after 3 days by vomiting him out of the fish — the most unusual 'resurrection' in the Bible.

Jesus Predicts a Third Day Resurrection

When nosotros make it at the Gospels, we find Jesus speaking of a third twenty-four hours resurrection when he talks about his death with his disciples. In fact, he mentions "three days" 21 times! By now you tin can probably tell this emphasis was not random. Jesus was adamant nearly the third day considering it represents God's initiative in creating new life and establishing covenant with humanity. Look at how the Easter outcome — the resurrection of Jesus — maps onto our third twenty-four hour period pattern design:

1. God resurrects new life up from the ground (tomb), in this example Jesus

2. God acts to bring about the new covenant through Jesus' atoning death and resurrection, in this example for all who believe

3. Jesus' act of atonement occurs on a hill

The imagery in Genesis 1-2 of new life rising upward from the ground on the third day, along with the connection to divine covenant throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, provides a poignant picture to the theological significance of Jesus' resurrection. On the tertiary day, Jesus' resurrection is made all the more than paramount. It is the climactic solar day of God's project of new life and covenant, beautifully pictured since creation, the finale of which will result in the future resurrection of Jesus' followers, and the restoration of the whole universe.

And so what does this mean for us?

When nosotros gloat the resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday, nosotros are non but following an historic tradition. We are engaging in a deeply meaningful theology centered effectually the tertiary day, with all its implications of God's redemptive work. The tertiary day design blueprint is a reminder — God has initiated the process of resurrecting people to new life, bringing them into his covenant partnership. How will we take part in that today?

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Source: https://bibleproject.com/blog/why-did-jesus-rise-on-the-third-day/

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