Good Morning Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
What a glorious celebration we have this week of our crucified and risen Savior, Lord, and King Jesus Christ. All the Old Testament pointed to the cross and all the New Testament points back to the cross. A fulfilled promise by our Father God and our Elder Brother and High Priest Jesus Christ. God gave His best for His best. Therefore, the words, “I’m just an old sinner saved by grace” shouldn’t cross our lips. When we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we were an old sinner. Then we passed from death unto life or from an old sinner to a son and daughter of the Most High God. Royalty is not an “old sinner.” It clearly tells us in Romans 8:2 “the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made us free from the law of sin and death.” “Free” in this verse means there is no memory of the past. Last week’s message spoke of the “zachar.” Upon the death of Jesus Christ, the zachar, or the remembrance, memory, or record of our sin, our old nature was destroyed, to be remembered no more. To say you’re an “old sinner” is not the Truth. Let’s remove it from our vocabulary.
For most of us, we have been brought up to believe Jesus was crucified on Friday and arose Sunday. This is the “traditional” church celebration. I always wondered how it could be three days and three nights, the math didn’t add up. But, again, I didn’t question the pulpit’s message which was sin on my part. Had I studied as commanded in II Timothy 2:15 and allowed myself to be led by the Holy Spirit, I would have learned Jesus was actually crucified and arose just as the Scriptures state – after three days and three nights.
The following two verses establish the Truth Jesus was in the earth, or in Hell, for three days and three nights. The first is the account of Jonah being in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights (Jonah 1:17). The second is our Savior Jesus Christ, Himself, telling us He’ll be in the heart of the earth, or hell, for three days and three nights (Matthew 12:40):
Jonah 1:17
Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
Matthew 12:40
For 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.
The following verse establishes the Truth Jesus was crucified during the week of a High Sabbath.
John 19:31
The 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.
What is the significance of a High Sabbath? In addition to the ordinary or “normal” weekly Sabbaths, God also determined seven more “special” days during the year which He also called “days of rest”, i.e. “Sabbaths”. Since these seven annual Sabbaths are special holidays, they are also called “High Sabbaths,” “Feast Sabbaths,” “Holiest Sabbaths,” “Great Sabbaths,” or “Most Holy Sabbaths.”
All seven High Sabbaths, or feasts, are related to the three agricultural harvest seasons of barley (spring), wheat (summer), and wine (autumn). They are also always thanksgiving festivals, both physically (agricultural) and spiritually. During the spring feasts thanks is given for Jesus as the first fruits. In the summer (Pentecost) thanks is given for a Believer’s calling and election as first-fruits through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and at the great autumn harvest thanks is given for the many who will receive eternal life. The first annual feast (Passover; days of Unleavened Bread) and the last (Feast of Tabernacles) each last seven days. The biblical feast days symbolize the spiritual harvest in God’s plan, but that is for another message.
Jesus fulfilled the Spring Feasts of the Lord (Leviticus 23) at His first coming; He fulfilled Passover with His crucifixion; He fulfilled the Feast of Unleavened Bread with His burial; and He fulfilled First Fruits with His resurrection. It is especially significant the Jewish Feast of First Fruits was observed on the day following the weekly Sabbath of the Passion Week – on Sunday. According to Jewish tradition, all days begin at sundown; therefore, First Fruits began at sundown of Saturday and ended on sundown of Sunday.
So, if we examine it, Jesus would have been crucified Wednesday and yielded up the ghost in the 3PM hour (Matthew 27:46, 50). Jesus was buried in the tomb before 6:01PM Wednesday. The Scriptures are very clear about this. Three days He was in hell paying the punishment or the wages for sin and death for us. At the start of the fourth day, Sunday, Jesus resurrected. He makes His appearance to Mary Magdelene in the early morning Sunday. I’m not going to cover it here, but there was a lot that occurred between His resurrection and His appearance to Mary early the next morning. Technically, the three days ended at 6:01PM Saturday, the end of the Sabbath and the start of the Feast of the First Fruits, Jesus Himself being the First Fruits.
This week is also celebrated by the world and religion as Easter. Easter is a pagan holiday celebrating the fertility goddess Astarte, also known as Aphrodite by the Greeks. I won’t spend any time giving words to false gods and demons. Suffice it to say Satan has the world and religion doing his bidding by trying to draw attention from and cover up the most important day and days in all of creation and eternity – the sacrifice, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. But where sin abounds, Grace abounds much more. The more Satan tries to do away with Jesus Christ, The Word, the more Jesus Christ, The Word abounds.
We aren’t taught this in most churches, but Jesus, upon the resurrection of His Spirit in Hell, paraded Satan around in Hell as a spoil of war and the captured leader of His opposition, just as the Romans did when they celebrated one of their general’s victories. Revelation 1:18 tells us Jesus took the keys to hell and death from Satan upon His resurrection. Satan is no longer in charge and has no power but the power a person, saved or unsaved, gives him.
As Believers, we celebrate the sacrifice, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ every day. Forget what the wicked traditions of man and religion teach us and follow God’s Word. We can use this week as an opportunity to share the Truth with all around us as the world celebrates Easter and some acknowledge a man called Christ. Don’t be a coward. Who cares if it isn’t “politically” right to mention the name of Jesus Christ. I don’t answer to the politicians or to those with power who would have us erase the memory of our Father God and our King Jesus Christ. I bow my knee to and answer to one Man and one Man only – Jesus Christ. As Isaiah 54:17 tells us, “there is no weapon formed against us by Satan that will prosper.” Do you believe this?
Deuteronomy 3:22
Ye shall not fear them: for the LORD your God He shall fight for you.
Who are you betting on for a victorious outcome? The world or God?
Have a wonderful day and week in our risen Lord, King, Redeemer, and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Larry