Christ could not have been buried on Good Friday afternoon and resurrected early Easter Sunday morning because that would be only a day and a half in the tomb–about 36 hours.
“So what?” some may ask. “So what if it’s just a day and a half; it was part of three days. The important thing is that we believe that Christ arose.”
Yes, His resurrection is extremely important. But Christ Himself said that we should “dig deep and build our house on the Rock”–Him. We cannot remain superficial on this.
No Other Sign Given–Three days and Three Nights in the Tomb
Christ gave only one sign to unbelieving mankind–one sign that would point out who the true Savior is. His own words: “There shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: 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” (Matthew 12:39-40).
But how long is a day and night? Christ Himself said that there are “12 hours in the day” (John 11:9). That would mean that there are 12 hours in the night. This gives us the prophetical yardstick. Three 12 hours days is 36 hours; three 12 hours nights equals 36 hours. 36 and 36 is 72 hours total time in the tomb, in the “heart of the earth.”
But What Difference Does It Make?
I’ll answer that question with another question. If “Organized Christianity” can’t even get the one and only sign of the true Messiah right, then how can we trust them to teach us the deeper truths of God?
Hundreds of millions of professing Christians all over the world, many very sincere, will go to their respective church buildings and worship this Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Yet hardly any of them will realize that their pastors, priests, and bishops have taught them error and un-truths concerning their Savior Jesus Christ. How many other falsehoods are they teaching them?
If the Catholic and Protestant Denominations can’t even get the sign of the Savior right, how many other concepts that they teach about Christ and His gospel can be trusted? If they have this sign wrong, how many other doctrines and traditions are wrong as well?
What Is the Fruit of This Error?
I believe that they are teaching a different concept of the Savior and another gospel. Christ said, “You will know them by their fruits.” What is the fruit of all the studies done in all the seminaries with all their doctorates in Theology and Divinity and Philosophy? They have Christ in the tomb 36 hours! Please.
I share this, not to be disrespectful of anyone and their worship. All pilgrims to the Heavenly Jerusalem are at “way stations” at present. But I’m sharing this to alert those “who have an ear to hear” to dig deep! “Prove all things.” Know that if this only sign of the true Savior is off, then something is dreadfully wrong with the whole spiritual building!
I share this, not to be argumentative, but out of concern–a concern that honest seekers of God must be told the truth about this one true sign of who He is.
Yet, Organized Churchianity keeps slugging on, teaching tired old erroneous doctrines like this one–earnestly sharing half-truths, not realizing that “a little leaven (hypocrisy and falsehoods) leaveneth the whole lump.”
Therefore, we are admonished to “purge out the old leaven that the lump may be holy.” We, the spiritual body of Christ, His church, are supposed to be that lump of dough that turns into the bread of life after we suffer the fiery trials of this oven-like existence here on earth. But we have to get rid of false doctrines and false concepts before we can be that holy bread of life that is to be broken and share with those hungering after righteousness. “Take, eat, this is my body.” We, His body, must be holy, and getting this right is a good place to start.
A detailed biblical account of how Christ was crucified Wednesday afternoon and resurrected Saturday afternoon is found here:
http://www.giveshare.org/library/hwa/easter.html
Kenneth Wayne Hancock
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