April 2nd - It took 72 hours to Save Humanity

It took God 72 hours to save humanity. Following is the way it happened as I understand the Bible...

"He begins to teach them that the Son of Mankind must be suffering and be rejected by the elders, and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after AFTER THREE DAYS days rise." (Mark 8:31)

“For even as Jonah was in the bowel of the sea monster three days and three nights; thus will the Son of Mankind be in the heart of the earth THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS.” (Matthew 12:40)

"Now, crucifying Him, they divide His garments, casting the lot... And they place above His head His charge written: "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews." About the ninth hour Jesus exclaims with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi! Lema sabachthani?"...with a loud voice, lets out the spirit." (Matthew27:36-37, 46-50)

"The Jews, then, since it was the preparation, lest the bodies should be remaining on the cross on the sabbath (for it was the HIGH DAY, that sabbath), ask Pilate that they might fracture their legs, and they may be taken away." (John 19:31)

"And lo! a man named Joseph...approaching Pilate, requests the body of Jesus. And taking it down, he folds it up in a linen wrapper, and he places Him in a rock-hewn tomb, where no one was lying as yet. And it was the DAY OF PREPARATION. Now following after, the women who were come together out of Galilee with Him, gaze at the tomb, and how His body was placed." (Luke 23:50, 52,54-56)

The "high day" or high sabbath was a name for those sabbath days which occur once a year during the Jewish festivals. During the festival periods there are "high" sabbaths as well as the weekly sabbath. Passover is the first "high day" of the seven days of the festival of Unleavened Bread. The day before Passover is called the "day of preparation". Jesus was crucified on the preparation day before the "high day" of Passover. It is the first day of the seven day festival of Unleavened Bread and the day after the weekly sabbath is another "high day" called Firstfruits. 

It was three nights and three days after Jesus was crucified on the preparation day for the "high day" of Passover. The women came to the tomb at sunrise on the second "high day", Firstfruits, and were told He had been resurrected...

"Now it is the evening of the sabbaths. At the lighting up into one of the sabbaths came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to behold the sepulcher...the messenger said to the women, "Fear you not! For I am aware that you are seeking Jesus, the Crucified." He is not here, for He was roused, according as He said. Hither! Perceive the place where the Lord lay." (Matthew 28:1-6)

Summary of the events of the death and resurrection of Jesus:

A Jewish day begins at sunset and ends the next day at sunset. The preparation day had began at sundown on a Tuesday evening and Jesus ate the Passover meal with His disciples. Later that night Jesus was arrested and brought before the Jewish high priest and tried. It was Wednesday morning when He was delivered over to Pilot. After Pilot had talked with Jesus he ordered Him to be flogged and crucified which occurred on Wednesday before noon. Jesus died at three o'clock on Wednesday afternoon. Just before sundown Jesus was placed in a tomb owned by a man named Joseph.

Wednesday night passes...Thursday passes...Thursday night passes...Friday passes...Friday night passes...Saturday passes - three full nights and three full days.

Then at sundown on Saturday, at the end of the third full day, Jesus comes back to life, the Firstfruit of all who will be resurrected from death to life never to die again. It was the third day after the day he was killed.

So, 72 hours from His entombment the salvation of humanity is secured when He rose from death!

The death, entombment and resurrection of Jesus is the good news (gospel/evangel). The details of those events which provided for the salvation of humanity is important to me, and is part of what Paul instructed Timothy to "Prescribe and teach".

"Now I am making known to you, brethren, the evangel which I bring to you, which also you accepted, in which also you stand, through which also you are saved...that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was entombed, and that He has been roused the third day according to the Scriptures." (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

“Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all welcome, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, foremost of whom I am.” (1 Timothy 1:15)

"Faithful is the saying and worthy of all welcome (for for this we are toiling and being reproached), that we rely on the living God, Who is the Savior of ALL mankind, especially of believers. These things be CHARGING AND TEACHING.” (1 Timothy 4:9-11)

April 1st - What happens when we die?

What Happens When We Die?

"Behold, I am against those who have prophesied false dreams, declares the LORD, and related them and led My people astray by their falsehoods and reckless boasting; yet I did not send them or command them, nor do they furnish this people the slightest benefit, declares the LORD.” (Jeremiah 23:32)

It is hard to distinguish between what God has actually said from what men say that God says. Following is an example of what sincere men say God says...

“Adam sinned and immediately died spiritually. Eventually, he died physically” Bob Hoekstra – Day by Day Grace

Let’s look at the verse of Scripture Mr. Hoekatra was commenting on…

“For the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23)

Do you see the word “spiritual” in that verse? No, there is no spiritual death taught in the Bible. You are either dead or you are alive. At death the body of flesh and blood returns to the soil. The spirit returns to God who gave it, and the soul rests/sleeps until the resurrection.

“Then David rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David…Brethren, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.” (1 Kings 2:10; Acts 2:29)

No one is made alive again until Jesus returns to resurrect the dead.

“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:3)

"What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever. But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies." (1 Corinthians 15:50-53)