“And, behold, there
was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and just:
(the same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them); he was of
Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom
of God. This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And he
took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that
was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. And that day was
the preparation, and the sabbath drew on”
(Luke 23:51-54 NIV).
“The Jews therefore, because
it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain on 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” (John
19:31 NIV).
These scriptures reveal that
when the evening came after Yeshua (Jesus) died, Joseph of Arimathaea asked
Pilate for the body of Yeshua (Jesus). The coming of evening marked the
beginning of a new day at 6 pm. (sundown). At this point, the scriptures
prove that the day of preparation was the next day following Passover.
Considering the facts previously
noted, Yeshua (Jesus) was physically dead for three days and three nights.
Counting backwards from the day of Yeshua’s (Jesus’) resurrection will
verify this truth. The day of Messiah’s resurrection was before the dawn
of the second 12 hour cycle of the first day of the week. Therefore, the
evening (night) of the first day of the week is accounted for. The next
day to be counted occurring before the first day of the week is the seventh
day Sabbath. The Sabbath accounts for an evening 12 hour cycle and a morning
(day) 12 hour cycle (Note: The Sabbath always begins on Friday at sundown
and ends on Saturday at sundown). The day to be counted before the seventh
day Sabbath is the day of preparation. The day of preparation accounted
for an evening 12 hour cycle and a morning 12 hour cycle. The preparation
day began on Thursday at 6 pm and ended on Friday at 6pm. Three hours prior
to preparation day beginning, Yeshua (Jesus) died on the cross. This shows
that Yeshua died during the morning (day) 12 hour cycle of Passover. Therefore,
it can be concluded that Yeshua (Jesus) died on Thursday and was dead three
days (within three morning 12 hour cycles) and three nights (within three
evening 12 hour cycles).
II. Messiah Rose on the feast
day of First fruits
The resurrection of Yeshua
(Jesus) took place on Firstfruits. According to Leviticus 23:11, Firstfruits
was celebrated on the 1st day of the week. Although Passover can fall on
any day of the week from year to year, first fruits can only occur on the
1st day of the week immediately following Passover. During the year in
which Messiah was crucified and resurrected, the day of Messiah’s death
was three days before Firstfruits.
