WITHOUT THE CRUCIFIXION, YOU CAN’T HAVE EASTER MORN
He is not here; he has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: “The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.” Luke 24:6-7 NIV
Just as a storm precedes a rainbow, the crucifixion of Jesus was necessary for his resurrection. Jesus predicted the events of the passion on numerous occasions. Was the timing of the resurrection merely an accommodation of the Jewish sabbath, or was there a reason that it occurred on the third day, rather than the second day or the fourth or fifth day?
According to theologian Derek Hebert of Western Seminary in Tacoma, Washington, there is a theological pattern of three-day events in the Old Testament. Starting with God’s creation of the world, we find that on day three, God creates plants – and their seeds. Seeds are the mechanisms created by God for producing new life. Then three creation days later, God creates humans in
his own image from the dust of the ground and blesses them with dominion over all other animals.
Next comes the story of Abraham being called by God to sacrifice Isaac on a mountain. The sacrifice is to happen on the third day of their journey to Moriah. Later, as the Israelites are on their way from Egypt to Canaan, God spoke to Moses on the first day of the third month of their journey – they were then in the desert near Mount Sinai. God gave them three days to prepare for his appearance to Moses on the mountain and the gift of the Ten Commandments.
The prophet Hosea admonished the Jews to return to God, indicating that God would restore them on the third day. Jonah gets swallowed by a whale but is spit out after three days.
Jesus’ resurrection occurs on the third day, as the pattern of God’s creative power receives its ultimate fulfillment.
Prayer: Lord, as we enter Holy Week, we will recall the events leading to the crucifixion. By knowing that the story does not end on Good Friday, the impact of a resurrection three days later is our reward. May we also seek Your plan in all times of tribulation and be patient, for God likes to act on the third day. Amen.
Carol Rice
