Easter Sunday Meals
3 Days 3 Nights
Written by Bro. Josh Sparks.
Praise the Name of Jesus Christ.
Today all across the United States and around the world we are celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Some call it easter and as part of the celebration have candy rains and pass out easter baskets filled with colored eggs and such. The word easter in (Acts 12:4) translated as such, though the greek word Pascha which is a rendering of the Hebrew Word Passover. Many Christians have forgotten the reason we celebrate the greatest event in history and why it isnt about easter egg hunts and easter baskets but about Jesus Christ fulfilling all the law and the prophets and the psalms testified concerning Him. Although I worship Jesus on the sabbath thus keeping the 4th of God’s 10 commandments and do not regard Sunday as the Lord’s day or the Lord’s sabbath let me state I do however believe that just as the scriptures declare that Jesus did rise the first day (sunday) of the week. Lets look at some of these scriptures below.
(Matthew 28 :1-6) 1In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. 2And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. 3His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: 4And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. 5And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. 6He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
(Mark 16: 2-6) 2And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. 3And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? 4And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. 5And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. 6And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.
(Luke 24:1-6) 1Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. 2And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. 3And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. 4And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: 5And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? 6He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee.
(John 20:1-2) 1The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. 2Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the LORD out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.
Although some of the events in th Gospels have some differences because they are accounts of 2 disciples who seen first hand Matthew and John and two who wrote based on what they heard Mark and Luke one thing all have in common that Jesus had risen on the first day of the week. This is why we believe that Jesus did rise on Sunday.
Jesus said in ( John 2: 18 – 22) 18 Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? 19Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. 20Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? 21But he spake of the temple of his body. 22When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.
Here we see Jesus referring to his burial. Destroy this temple and in three (3) days I will raise it up. So this brings us to the question I have been asked by many to address. Did Jesus spend three literal 24 hour days in the grave (72 hours) or was that allegorical? Well lets look at few more verses of scripture to provide evidence that Jesus was speaking of a literal 3 day period.
(Matthew 12: 38 -40) 38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. 39But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: 40For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Here Jesus retells how Jonas (Jonah) was three days and three nights 3 24hour days or 72 hours so shall emphasis on the word shall; so shall the Son of Man be three days and three Nights in the heart of the earth(the grave). So many call the friday before we celebrate the resurrection good friday because they believe that Jesus was crucified on this day. If Jesus rose on the first day Sunday and was cruficifed of Friday and the Jewish day ended and another began at sundown friday at sundown to saturday sundown was only one day and not three and Jesus said three days and three nights.
Jesus ate the passover meal with His disciples and later that evening was cricified which was Wednesday Morning which began at sundown. The High Sabbath which was one of a series of 7 Sabbaths that was kept during the passover celebration was the day the Lord was crucified because it was the day the passover was killed and was the day of unleavened bread the same day Jesus ate the passover with His disciples (Luke 22:7-8 ) 7Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed. 8 And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat. Scriptural proof that there were 7 days of unleavened bread observed can be found in Exodus 12:14-24.
(Exodus 12:14-24) 14And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever. 15Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel. 16And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you. 17And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever. 18 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even. 19Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land. 20Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread. 21Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover. 22And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning. 23For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you. 24And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever.
(Mark 15: 42- 43) 42And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, 43Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.
This scripture makes perfect sense. The day of preperation would begin at sundown which would be thursday the day before the sabbath and Jesus could not be left ont eh cross. Also in (Matthew 27: 57- 64) 57When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple: 58 He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. 59And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. 61And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre. 62Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, 63Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. 64Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.
Jospeh the day before the preperation wanted the body of Jesus and the Chief Priests and Pharisees believed he would be in the grave three days as well and wanted guards to keep the God of Heaven in the tomb. Jesus was betrayed early Wednesday Morning and crucified that afternoon.
(John 19: 31-34) 31The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. 32Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. 33But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: 34But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.
Jesus was cricified on the day the Passover was killed and before the day of preperation which was the day before the sabbath. Jesus was crucified on Wednesday and before the day of preperation which was a high sabbath he died and was buried and from Wednesday sundown to Thursday sundown was 1 day 1 night. Thursday night sundown to Friday night sundown 1 day. Friday night sundown to Saturday night sundown 1 day. Jesus rose early on Sunday Morning. This beloved brothers and sisters is proof Jesus spent three days and three nights in the grave. I hope this study has answered your questions concerning Jesus death and burial. But be assured He did rise from the dead and is our soon coming King.
In Jesus Name,
Bro. Josh Sparks.
About the Author
As a protege of R. A. West, Pastor J. O. Sparks is the founder of BREAKING THE SILENCE MINISTRIES and has been conducting revivals and travelling the United States since he was twelve years old. Bringing a timely and encouraging message to the Body of Christ, Pastor Sparks is leading the charge in tearing down the walls of man made tradition and bringing the church to an understanding of its inheritance in Jesus Christ.
He and his wife Melissa both enjoy living in the rolling hills of eastern Kentucky and pioneering a new Apostolic church. Together they have two sons, Ronnie and Elijah.
Why Today’s RASTAFARI Movement Is Dysfunctional? REPAIRING THE BREACH…. Yadon Speaks!
