A friend of mine shared a song, “Clear the Stage” with me today. It seems to go along with the post, “Do You Ever Want More?” so I added the song link at the end of the post.
Great song, and lyrics are awesome. Post is below.
You’ll want to sit back and enjoy the symbolism and awesome detail our Creator and Savior has put into Sunday. While this post is lengthy, the biblical richness is incredible. The more I discovered, the more I was amazed by the grand detail of the Creator of the Universe and Author of our Salvation. Sunday is represented in the Bible by Creation Day 1 (where Light enters the darkness), Creation Day 3 (where seed-bearing plants are created and the day which the resurrection takes place), and The Day Which the Lord Has Made – Day 8!
FIRST, we need some background in various Scripture passages
Key Point: Humanity is in Darkness of Sin and LIGHT is symbolic of Salvation
Colossians 1:13-18
We read the astounding glory of our King Jesus. What we learn from those verses includes:
v. 13 He “Delivered us from darkness”
v. 15 He is the “firstborn of creation”
v. 16 “by Him all things were created in heaven and earth”
v. 18 “He is the head…the beginning, the firstborn from the dead that He may have preeminence.”
Then, in John 1:1-5
v. 1 He (the Word, which is Jesus) was “In the beginning”
v. 4 “in Him was life, and the life was the light of men.”
v. 5 “light shines in the darkness”
What do we learn from John’s Gospel about Jesus?
John 3:19-20
v. 19 “light has come into the world”
v. 19 “men loved darkness.”
v. 19 “men’s deeds were evil.”
What did we learn?
1. Light has come into the world.
2. Marked contrast between light and darkness.
3. Light is intended to save.
Genesis 1:1-10
v. 1 “In the beginning” – The Old Testament books in Hebrew are often named by the first or first few words of the book. So, in Hebrew verse one begins, “B’ Resheet” where…
* “B’ ” means “in” and
* “Resheet” means “beginning.”
* “Beginning” or as we say in English, “Genesis.” So, the name of the book in Hebrew is literally, “In the beginning.”
v. 2 What is viewed in the background of this verse? Darkness
v. 2 In the verse, what comes to the forefront?
* Spirit of God
* Waters
* Light
v. 4 “light…was good”
v. 4-8 God divided 2 times:
* v. 4 light from darkness (the Day ends with no statement of “good”)
* v. 7 waters from firmament (the Day ends with no statement of “good”)
v. 9 – 10 Day 3: God gathers the waters together and pronounces that gathering, “good” (v. 10). Day 3 also has something very special we will see later.
So, in Genesis 1: verses 5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31 All the days in those verses contain the phrase, “and the evening and the morning were the X day.” Not so for the 7th day. Why? Sabbatarians say it’s because humanity is supposed to observe the 7th day Sabbath. But, wait! What does the number 7 represent in the Bible? Completion or perfection, right? So, how do the two symbolisms of that 7th day compliment one another? Or do they? Hold that thought.
John 3:5
v. 5 “unless one is born of the water and Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God”
Pattern: Water -> Spirit -> comes to Light
Before we proceed any further, let’s talk about figures of speech, symbolism, and parables. This is something Jesus did often – He spoke this way so much He frustrated the disciples:
John 16:25, 29; 10:24; Matt 13:10-17; Isa. 6:10
NOTE: Jesus hid truth in symbolism, figures of speech, and parables.
Question: What is the first event in the Bible where people are saved by water? Genesis 7-9 (the great flood and Noah’s ark, right?)
1 Pet. 3:20-21
Peter says something striking in the New Testament about the flood: He says, 8 souls were saved through water.
v. 21 How were they saved? “Baptism (water)…through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
In regards to water: Is there another event in OT where people are saved through water? Exodus 14:13-14 (see also, 1 Cor 10:1-2 where Paul references Israel being “baptized” in the sea) Israel and Christians are in a sense saved through water, which God says to Israel, “Stand still and see the Salvation of the Lord!”
The Lord will fight for you
Remember what God proclaimed as “good” on Day 3? The waters were “gathered” together just as baptism waters gather God’s people together. That is incredibly “good.
“What number is connected with salvation in 1 Peter 3:20? The number 8.
Does the number 8 hold any special significance in the Bible?
John 7:37-39
Background – The Feast of Tabernacles was an 8-day Feast of Israel in the autumn of the year where Israel would gather together at Jerusalem and where God commanded them to rejoice (Lev. 23:40). God connects that celebration back to the Exodus (salvation by the Lord) for Israel to remember in Lev. 23:43.
The 8th Day of this Feast was a holy Sabbath rest. It occurred…
1. In the 7th month (the number 7 being symbolic of perfection and completion);
2. At the end of three 7-day weeks (symbolic of perfection three times; 3 being another number symbolic of God). It is important to note that in Hebrew there is no superlatives in the Hebrew language like we have in English. For example: in English to magnify the meaning of “great,” we would use the word, “greater.” To further magnify the word, “great” to its highest form, we would say, “greatest.” Hebrew does not contain superlatives like “great” then “greater” then “greatest.” To emphasize something, the word is repeated. For example, in Hebrew, the angels proclaim Holy, Holy, Holy 3x, which means, the greatest, instead of proclaiming, “Holy, Holier, Holiest.”
Water Drawing Ceremony
Taken from Jonathan Cahn’s Book of Mysteries, Day 55, 2016.
For seven days during the Feast of Tabernacles (FOT), the priest would go to the Pool of Siloam (where the blind man was sent to receive his sight – John 9:7-11). And on the 8th day the priest did the same. He would take a golden pitcher to the Pool of Siloam, draw it full of water, ascend the Temple Mount up to the altar and pour it out in a dramatic ritual. Cahn says, “The Water Drawing Ceremony was a central part of the Feast, as water, or the lack of it, was a matter of life and death in a middle eastern land.”
Cahn hearkens this event back to Isaiah 12:3 “With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation” where the word salvation in Hebrew is actually, “Yeshua,” or “Jesus.” “Wells” mean abundance! So, how much water did Jesus say in John 7:38 would proceed forth from one who is thirsty and comes to Him? Rivers, which are an abundant ongoing flow from the unseen (like God) source. Also, remember God required by command that the people were to rejoice at the FOT (Lev. 23:40). And for good reason!
RECAP: Thus, salvation through water begins with the 8 on Noah’s ark in the midst of God’s judgment and wrath on the earth.
* Water salvation is also tied to the prophetic declaration by God to Israel before He opens up the Red Sea: “The Lord is your salvation” (Ex 14:13)
* Water salvation is also tied to “The Lord will fight your battles.” (Ex. 14:14)
* Isaiah prophesies, “with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation” (or Yeshua).
* Jesus stands at the joyous 8th day of the Feast of Tabernacles at the Water Drawing Ceremony and offers His salvation to all people (Gentiles) who are thirsty for water (salvation)!
* John writes that Jesus spoke these words on that 8th day concerning the Holy Spirit (7:39)
* This is fascinating for numerous reasons.
1. The Old Testament prophet, Joel, foretold (2:28) that the Holy Spirit would be “poured out” like water so to empower the disciples to release the gospel upon the entire world (Luke 24:47). Jesus was sent to the House of Israel; the disciples to the world. Acts 1:8
2. The Spirit (symbolized by water) would bring life to a dry, dead, & thirsty world
3. The disciples had to wait until that pouring out and power would come (Luke 24:49).
4. What day did the Holy Spirit come? Pentecost
5. Another name for Pentecost is “Feast of Weeks” Why?
6. Lev. 23:15-16 Count 7 weeks of 7 days (completion of weeks, completion of days), specifically seven Sabbaths (rest periods). Then Pentecost occurs on…
7. What day does Pentecost always fall on? Sunday.
8. Pentecost reverses the curse of the divided languages at the Tower of Babel (the word, “Babel” or “Babylon” means, “confusion”) in Genesis 11:1-9, esp. 7 where humanity was commanded by God to scatter into all the earth and reproduce. But instead, the humans decide to remain together, defensively build a city, and build a tower to reach the heavens (where God is). In an act of merciful and gracious judgment, God divides the people’s unified language. The people then obey God’s command by scattering to the ends of the earth. At Pentecost, God performs a miracle to gather the diverse languages by the “pouring out” of His Spirit, thus gathering His people and disciples to scatter to the ends of the earth with the joyous great news of His salvation!!!
9. Pentecost is similar to the Year of Jubilee in the Old Testament law where every 50 years in Israel, any debts which people owed were forgiven. If any Israelite was a slave to another brother, the slave was freed. If anyone had lost land, they received it back. What rejoicing that would be for those in bondage!
10. But the specific point we’re making is not about all that. It is about Sunday.
“The New Day Which the LORD has Made!”
1. The Grain of Wheat (or Seed) – John 12:24
“Most assuredly (you can count on this truth), unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.” Here, Jesus speaks of His entrance into the darkness of the cursed ground. He will die, and it is implied (as a grain of wheat) that He will spring forth with life everlasting as the head (Col 1:18) of grain and produce an abundance of wheat.
2. Day 3 Genesis 1:11-12
Now, the reader might be quite skeptical of anything thing having to do with the resurrection here on Day 3. But on Day 3 in Genesis 1 what happened? God created seeds and trees that yield its fruit. This is important. In Genesis 1, Day 1 and Day 2 are not proclaimed to be “good.” Only the light in Genesis 1:4 is said to be “good.” Then on Day 3, “good” is mentioned twice! A double portion! Double the increase. Light is good, Dry land and water were good. And the seeds and trees (things which have seeds, die in the earth, and bring forth life) are pronounced as, “good” by God. This is the third day (see 3rd Day motif message at https://mmwise.com/2020/04/11/the-third-day-motif/).
So, when was Jesus “planted” in the ground? On the day in which man was created (Friday), also called “the Day of Man,” the 6th day. What did Jesus wear on His head? The crown of thorns (the curse of mankind) – Gen. 3:18 “Thorns and thistles (the ground) shall bring forth for you.” As part of the curse of man’s sins, the ground would bring forth thorns and thistles. On that sixth day, Jesus wore a crown of thorns on His head (meant to be a mockery, but it resulted in His glory for bearing God’s punishment of humanity).
Further Background about Friday (Day 6): Traditionally for Jewish families on Friday nights as the sun set in the west, a traditional Jewish Sabbath would begin with the mother of the family lighting a candle at sunset (the Light entering the World of Darkness to rest on the Sabbath in the grave in the ground as a Seed of wheat which would not only save mankind, but produce abundantly! Thus, Jesus said, “I am Lord of the Sabbath.” He was saying, “I am Lord over the RESTING of death!”
There is also a further connection between Day 1 and Day 3. The spring holy days. The Passover, Unleavened Bread, and Feast of Firstfruits all are commanded to be observed in the first month of Abib (aw-beeb’). The Hebrew word, Abib, is a masculine noun used in the OT and translated once as “fresh heads” and once as “fresh heads of grain.”
Hebrew calendar = lunar based (which is symbolic of Moses reflecting light of the true sun – Jesus Christ)
Roman calendar = solar based (the True Light or “Sun of Righteousness” shall arise with healing in His wings as Malachi refers to Him in Mal. 4:2)
3. Joel 2:23-24, 26 “Be glad then, you children of Zion, And rejoice in the LORD your God; for He has given you the former rain faithfully, And He will cause the rain to come down for you – the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. The threshing floors shall be full of wheat, And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil.”
Here in Joel, water is now in the context of rain – the former and latter of the calendar year. Rain (water) is a picture of life and revival. The Hebrew for “former” can be translated as “Teacher of Righteousness.” God has given that Teacher (Jesus) faithfully regardless of our sin and out of abundant grace.
Verse 24 What is produced? Wheat! How much? “Full of wheat!” What is Jesus known as? “The Bread of Life.” Bread in Bible times was made from wheat flour.
Verse 26 “You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied.” No more frustration, toil, and failure. The old man has passed away and the new creation has come. Jesus says, “Whoever eats My flesh (He is the bread of life) and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:54).
God’s work of perfection and completion would not be thwarted by humanity’s fall into sin. He would enter this sinful world and even become sin and “make a new day” bringing abundant life as a Teacher of Righteousness to those who would trust and believe in Him.
Although God rested on the 7th day, once humanity fell into sin, God went back to work again. How do we know that? Because when the Pharisees had a problem with Jesus healing on the Sabbath (the 7th day), Jesus responded with His mission, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working” (John 5:17).
The New Genesis (the 1st and the 8th)
During the Passover week, when Jesus dies – there is a 7-day Feast of Unleavened Bread which the Jews celebrated in the spring annually. The Sunday during that week (which always fell after the Sabbath) is called the Feast of Firstfruits (Lev. 23:10-11). So, what day did Jesus resurrect? Sunday. What Feast was it? The Feast of Firstfruits! What is the word in Hebrew for “firstfruits”?
As we described earlier, the first Hebrew words of the Bible is: B’ Resheet (“In the beginning”)? The Hebrew word for “day” is “Yom,” as in “Yom Kippur” (Day of Atonement). Well, the word for Day of Firstfruits is “Yom Resheet.” In other words, “Resheet” is the same word as the beginning in Genesis 1:1. As Jonathan Cahn says, “The day on which Messiah rose (Sunday) contains the exact same word that begins the Scriptures, the universe, and the creation. The day Messiah rose was ‘The Day of Genesis’ (a new creation). The resurrection IS the new Genesis.” Darkness was on the face of the deep (the tomb was dark). Jesus, the Light of the world, entered. And on the third day, our Savior came forth on that Sunday. In the same way, when we come to “the Light” our old man dies and we become a “new creation” in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). Old things have passed away (the physical week is complete. And behold “all things” are new for the Christian by the power of the resurrection symbolized by what is the 8th day (Sunday).
Day 103 (Jonathan Cahn’s Book of Mysteries about Sunday being Day 1)
4. Jesus Becomes the Firstfruit (the good Seed) of Many
Remember Col 1:15-19 where “firstfruit” is mentioned twice? Now you understand how Jesus became the Firstfruit of creation. But there is MUCH more! Firstfruits means “the first and best of the harvest.”
In the Mosaic law (in the Old Testament), firstfruit offerings were commanded by God. The people were to bring their first and best from their initial harvest, and that was used for the support of the Levitical priesthood. What day did the Levitical priesthood start? Lev. 9:1-6
* Lev. 9:1 Priesthood started “on the 8th day.”
* Ezek. 43:27 The LORD will accept us on the 8th day.
* Lev. 9:4,6 “The LORD will appear to you”
* Lev. 9:5 Before all the congregation on the 8th day
Up from the ground He arose on Sunday! 1 Cor. 15:20 “Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep (died).”
After literally and symbolically resting in the grave on the 7th day Sabbath, Jesus bursts forth as the first fruit (1st day symbolic of Light as in Genesis and the 8th day symbolic of Life in the Law and Prophets), thus, truly and fantastically becoming both the Alpha and the Omega! Jesus does this even in His entry into Jerusalem as He enters Jerusalem on Palm Sunday (the 1st day) and rises from the dead on the 8th Day (the Day of Firstfruits). Again, He demonstrates He is the Alpha and Omega.
Again, the Day of Firstfruits (wave sheaf) ALWAYS falls on the Sunday AFTER the Sabbath in the Passover week. Pentecost is also prophetically always on Sunday because it is the start (the birthday) of the NT church, which begins “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood” as Peter describes in 1 Pet. 2:9 . That’s why the wave sheaf is on Sunday. Jesus would logically RISE as the Seed (after His death) on the Day of Firstfruits (1 Cor. 15:20; Acts 26:23) since He is THE Firstfruit of all. It is the POWER of resurrection (victory over death). So, logically, the firstfruits gather on the 8th day, Sunday, the start of the royal priesthood!
This resurrection (bursting forth) was prophesied in Hosea 6:2-3 Notice what is recorded there –
Verse 2A: “After two days He will revive us.” In other words, Jesus enters the tomb on Friday evening before sunset (Day 1). Sabbath is Day 2. After two days (that would be Sunday), He will revive us (His people). – by the power of the resurrection, those who repent, believe, and trust in Jesus will experience a revival (from death to life; from sleep to awakening).
Verse 2B: “On the third day He will raise us up.” 3rd Day “raising up” is like a seed on the 3rd day of creation. Like Jesus, we have new life (a new creation). Old things have passed away, behold all things are new when we are born again!
Verse 2C: “That we may live in His sight” – John 3:3 “Unless one is born again (death to life) he cannot see (His sight) the kingdom of God.”
Verse 3C: “His going forth is established as the morning.” Jesus rises in the morning (before sun rise). Note: in Jewish reckoning of days, the day begins at sunset. So, Friday (Day 1) ended by Hebrew reckoning after Jesus was placed in the tomb. Saturday ended on our Saturday night at sunset. Jesus was raised before dawn on Sunday morning, “on the 3rd day” as the gospels proclaim.
Verse 3D: “He will come to us like the rain” (water, both latter and former, like Joel 2).
Isaiah 60:1-3 also prophesied this for the Gentiles. “Arise, shine!” Light! “Your light has come!” By the way, did you know science just in the last 5 years discovered that when the sperm impregnates the egg in a woman’s body, there is a tiny burst of light? That’s the first birth (of light). And the second birth is of Jesus’ light. “The glory of the Lord is risen upon you” and “The Lord will arise over you.” Glory is seen. Gentiles come to the light.
What does this say about our past?
* We, like Christ, are a new creation (firstfruit) “in Him, raised on the Feast of Firstfruits (Day 8, Sunday).
* Sunday: Day 8 (symbolic of resurrection Life) is also Day 1 (symbolic of Light entering the world on Day 1). As Jonathan Cahn says, In Hebrew Day 1 is “Yom Rishon” – the day “everything begins.” It comes after the Sabbath (perfection and completion; Lord of the Sabbath). “For all who reach their end, for all who let their old lives end in Messiah’s end, the resurrection is the beginning that comes after the end. Sunday commemorates creation, beginning and fruitfruits, all things new, all things old beginning with Yom Rishon.”
James 1:18 We (with Jesus) are a firstfruit of God’s creatures.
We’ve talked about a “Feast of Firstfruits” (Lev. 23:9-12).
Wave Sheaf
The wave sheaf offering is always on the Sunday during the Passover week, the priest would wave a sheaf of grain up toward heaven. When he would wave it on Sunday in the midst of the Passover, the day Jesus arose from the dead, the priest would wave it up and down (symbolic of North and South over the earth) and left and right (symbolic of East and West over the earth). Such motions incredibly make the sign of the cross upon which Jesus was crucified bringing Light and Life to the world during this Feast of Firstfruits.
5. Psalm 118:24 the Lord works to make a new day, the Lord’s Day! “We will rejoice and be glad in it.” Note the reference to joy again.
Background:
Psm. 118 is the last of 6 collective psalms (113-118) composed after the Exile called the Hallel. The unit is recited together during major Jewish holy days. Matthew records that after the Passover meal, the disciples (Matt 26:30) “And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” Scholars believe this hymn (Psm. 118) was the one sung that night. It would have been the last thing said in unity that Passover night. The verses are incredible. Read verses 21-29.
Binding the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar. The “Book of Mysteries” (Day 332) contains an incredible symbolic illustration of the horns of the finite space in the rectangular altar (118:27), and how the closed, finite spaced contained in the 4 corners of that altar is reversed in the cross of Jesus Christ to open into the 4 corners of the cross for an infinite opening to the entire world. As Jesus went to the tomb, the Lord was about to make a “new day.” Paul later calls it (to the Gentiles), “Today” (2 Cor. 6:2), as in “Today is the day of salvation.” And the writer of Hebrews (to the Jews) solemnly warns Israelite believers in the New Covenant (Heb 3:7-15) “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” Today is THE Day of Salvation! “This was the Lord’s doing; It is marvelous in our eyes” (Psm. 118:23). This “new day” was prophesied in Psm 118 to be created as symbolic in both “Today” (the day of salvation) and in the new day of worship, Sunday (the 1st, 3rd, and 8th day).
6. 8th (Shemini) & the Holy Spirit (oil = Shemen)
Birthday of the church was on Sunday, the 8th day, Pentecost. Not only does the number 8 have connections with water and firstfruits, but also with oil.
The Hebrew word for oil is Shemen. The substance of oil was used to “set apart” a person who was called by God. They were “anointed” with oil to recognize God’s calling or “God staking a claim” as Robert Bergen says. Ironically, the Hebrew word for oil (Shemen) is similar to the Hebrew word for eighth, which is Shemini. Thus, there is a connection between oil, Holy Spirit, and the number 8 in new life, new heavens, beyond full and overflowing, power to grow, expand and increase.
For God’s people who are “in Christ Jesus” (as Paul references 168 times in his 13 letters), the Holy Spirit are being conformed to the image of His Son as a new creation with godliness and holiness by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Much more could be said here that we have already mentioned – for example, the priesthood beginning on the 8th day in Leviticus and how priests were anointed with oil. But time and space is limited.
7. God’s Grace and Blessings in Symbolic Numbers Are Reversed in Divine Judgment
We have said that Sunday is represented by the numbers:
Day 1 Light enters;
Day 3 In OT the 3rd day motif is used for God’s deliverance of a nation or righteous person (Gen 22:4; 42:18; Ex 19:11, 16; Joshua 1:11; 2 Kings 20:5; Esther 5:1; Hos 6:2). In NT = Resurrection; and
Day 8: Born Again to New Life (eternal). Also, an octave in music (defined as “a musical interval embracing eight diatonic degrees.” The interval having a frequency (in physics) of twice the original (referred to as the “basic miracle of music” – Wikipedia). The inverse of an octave is unison.
It has been said that there is no truer science than math. If we apply math to the symbolism of numbers found in Sunday, does the Holy Spirit reveal anything with these three numbers (1, 3, and 8)? God is about addition and multiplication. In the book of Acts Luke records, “God *added* (with baptism) to the church daily” (Acts 2:41). Biblically, “multiplying” has to do with blessing (Gen. 1:28; 22:17; 26:3-4; Jer. 30:19; Acts 12:24; Heb. 6:14), while subtraction results in loss. Finally, division is a work of the flesh.
Addition: 1+3+8 = 12 has the biblical meaning of God’s power and authority. There are 12 tribes of Israel and 12 disciples. There were 12 unleavened cakes of bread in the temple which the priests were to change out every Sabbath day (Lev. 24:5-9). The New Jerusalem which descends out of heaven has 12 gates, each with an angel (Rev. 21:12).
Multiplication: 1x3x8 = 24 The number 24 is associated with the priesthood in the Bible – they served in 24 courses (1 Chronicles 23-24) and as mentioned there is no coincidence that the priesthood began on an 8th day (Lev. 9). In Luke 1:5 Zacharias was of the division of Abijah (based on 1 Chron 24), which was the 8th course. His son (John the Baptist – remember, he baptized with water) would announce in a dry wilderness the entrance of Light into the world. There are also 24 elders in Revelation.
Division 1/3 = .3333(to infinity) / 8 = .04166666667 (repeating number of man). Divide the 3 numbers and the result is .041666667, which is a number known to science. It is the 1/24th or 1-hour out of a full day. In science it is known as the “mitotic phase” of the human cell cycle and it takes approximately 1 hour or .041666667. “Cell division is the driving process of reproduction at the cellular level.” Mitosis is the phase of the cell cycle where the nucleus of a cell is divided into two nuclei with an equal amount of genetic material (DNA) in both the daughter nuclei. Mitosis is essential for the growth of cells and the replacement of worn-out cells.” www.byjus.com/biology/mitosis
Subtraction 1-3 = -2 – 8 = -10 (negative 10). The number 10 is viewed like 3, 7, and 12 as a complete and perfect number. It is made up of 4 (number of the physical creation) and 6 (number of man). 10 signifies testimony, law, responsibility, and completeness of order. The Passover lamb was selected on the 10th of the 1st month (as was Jesus). Day 10 of the 7th month = Day of Atonement. But the function of 10 when subtracting is a negative (judgment). What we want to examine is the complete judgment of God upon pagan Egypt so to free his people (God will divide and subtract His people from Egypt).
God’s judgments (condemnation and wrath) are the opposite of God’s blessings (life and light).
Furthermore, the 8th day motif is strikingly reversed with the 8th curse on Egypt under God’s divine judgment. That symbolism is simply stunning and striking. We have established that 8 represents “Born Again to New Life” (in Noah’s ark of 8 people through the water; the Last Great Day of the Feast of Tabernacles; fruitfulness with seeds; wave sheaf; and the start of the gospel and church on Sunday).
When the 10 plagues reach the 7th plague (Exodus 9:13-35), there is thunder, lightning (which is light in a quick, striking, electrifying manner) and hail (water – a means of grace in salvation – is hardened by freezing, which is the absence of heat or energy, symbols of God). God (represented by warmth and energy) is totally and completely (#7) rejected by Egypt. By the way, “absolute zero is the lowest temperature theoretically attainable (0 Kelvin or -459.67 F) where kinetic energy of atoms and molecules is minimal.” The result of such a judgment and rejection of God by the Egyptians is devastation.
The 8th Egyptian curse was the opposite of abundant life and reproduction – locusts would devour “every green plant” killing life and the green food sources for it – a clear reference to life in seeds being devoured as Jesus was the true seed planted in the grave and food (bread of life, think grain of wheat).
In another judgment of the Bible, in Joel 2:25, it is no coincidence that in the same section we looked at before about the former and latter rains, the prophet makes the prediction of God to His people, “So I (God) will restore to you (His people), the years that the swarming locust has eaten, The crawling locust, The consuming locust, And the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you.” For His people, in grace, God restores what the locusts have devoured from His people in His judgment.
The 9th plague then follows (darkness) reversing the Light (Genesis Day 1) to Life (Resurrection Day 8) spiritual chronology in God’s plan to death and darkness.
The tragic result then was the 10th plague – the death of the firstborn – the very first-born being who was intended to bring light and life to a family. Jesus being the firstborn bringing life while in the plague, the firstborn is killed by God’s judgment.
So, God reverses His plan of salvation into a curse. God’s plan was this:
1. Jesus (first born over all Creation);
Curse = 10th plague (death of firstborn).
2. Jesus brings light to the world in Day 1;
Curse = 9th plague (darkness)
3. Jesus brings life and fruitfulness Day 8.
Curse = locusts devours green plants and leaves (no pun intended) barrenness.
One final tidbit that doesn’t mean a whole lot, but interesting anyway. Remember in Revelation that the number of a man is 666. Man was created on the 6th day of the week and triple 6 would presumably be the ultimate or greatest “man” (a mark of the beast) in man’s fallen nature. Well, what number does Jesus have using Greek letters? In Greek, Jesus’ name sums up to 888 (heaven and eternity’s number).
IESOUS = Jesus
Iota = 10
Eta = 8
Sigma = 200
Omicron = 70
Upsilon = 400
Sigma = 200
Total = 888 (not 777, even though Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath). 888 is symbolic of never-ending (eternal) life, ongoing growth, reproduction and a HUGE harvest through the greatest Life-giver of all, Jesus Christ to whom is the kingdom, the power and all glory. Come Lord Jesus, Amen!
Posted in Uncategorized
My wife and I grew up in Herbert Armstrong’s Worldwide Church of God (WCG) for nearly 30 years. I am 55 years old now. WCG considered itself “God’s one true church” (for a great message about how to avoid the arrogance of claiming exclusivity by balancing those claims like Jesus did with grace, love, and mercy, click the link to hear Christian apologist, Michael Ramsden). I met my wife in 1983 at WCG’s Ambassador College in Pasadena, CA.
WCG leadership changed between 1986 and into the mid-1990’s. New leadership had asked area Christian leaders why WCG was considered by some Christians to be a cult. Their answers resulted in significant and dramatic WCG doctrinal changes in the early-to-mid-1990’s.
During the mid-1990’s, my wife and I’s lives were in an upheaval. Seven people we knew had died in an 18-month period, and we almost lost one of our twin daughters, Brittany. Many theological questions and much searching to see where God was, resulted in what I realized later was the empty, broken place I had heard in Christian testimonies. John MacArthur’s and Greg Laurie’s ministries on WMIT in Black Mountain, NC really helped us discover the truth of God’s word during that turbulent time. Because WCG considered itself the exclusive church with God’s truth, I discovered that the foundation of my faith was in a set of religious beliefs rather than fully resting in Jesus Christ.
WCG adamantly taught that Christmas and Easter were pagan holidays not to be observed by true Christians. To do so was considered mixing pagan worship with worship of God, and therefore sin (a bit about that later). Too many WCG families allowed those beliefs to tear Christian families and friends apart during WCG’s history. WCG observed God’s annual holy days in Leviticus 23, including the 8-day Feast of Tabernacles.
After exiting WCG, my wife and I saw things very differently about Christmas. My wife wanted to run as far away from the legalism in WCG and yet I did not want to put up a Christmas tree in our house. I knew the passages about the golden calf (Exodus 32), the Gentile Christmas tree (Jeremiah 10:1-5), and the warning of mixing of paganism into the worship of God (2 Kings 17). My mother-in-law visited during this time and warned me that leaving WCG would mean we would soon be putting up a Christmas tree. I adamantly disagreed. I was not going to put up a pagan Christmas tree. That much, I knew WCG had right.
In 1995 we were blessed with twin girls and in 1999, a son. Eventually with the children, there was inevitable conflict in our house every December. I am thankful that it was my wife who finally decided to turn me over to the Lord with the issue of Christmas and yield in submission with humility as 1 Peter 3 describes.
Through this time, God was calling us to serve in overseas missions. In early 2013, my sister, D’Etta, called me excitedly and said that she had been reading Isaiah 55 and she felt strongly that we would be leaving for the mission field with great joy. She was so impacted by this insight, I noted what she said and recorded the passage (in the picture to the left) and her comments in my journal.
That year there was no significant joy. We moved our family to Uganda that year, but often while there, God seemed silent, distant, and Michelle and I continued to experience conflict and argue. We returned to America in mid-2014 due to lack of funding. The Isaiah 55 Scripture passage had long left my memory.
In 2015 we sold our house, Michelle and I went into marriage counseling due to conflict, and our daughter, Alexis, got married. As we waited for God to move, in November 2016 I happened across Isaiah 55 and began studying the part about the word of God going throughout the earth like rain producing seed and bread. A phrase caught my attention, “all the trees of the field” are clapping their hands (55:12). What did that mean? The context speaks of the Creator’s magnificent power and work, which are much higher than the understanding and work of men. That power and work results in the creation glorifying and praising God, just as the shepherds went away from meeting the Christ child in Luke 2:20 glorifying and praising God (but I’m getting ahead of myself).
The two trees mentioned there (Isaiah 55:13), the myrtle and the cypress (or juniper) replace the thorn and the brier. As I studied this passage in depth, I discovered the myrtle tree, a fragrant deciduous tree, was used in worship by Israel at the Feast of Tabernacles (an 8-day joyous feast of celebration, Nehemiah 8:15). The cypress is an evergreen fir tree used by Gentiles in pagan worship, but Gentile worship when converted in the New Testament turns to love, serve, obey, and worship the one true God and away from idolatry (Acts 28:28; 1 Corinthians 10:31). It dawned on me that the Gentiles (a few centuries after Jesus was resurrected) began using the evergreen tree for celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ! When coming to faith in Jesus Christ, Gentiles stopped worshiping the creation and began worshiping the Creator. Certainly these Gentiles used trees in their worship of Jesus just as Israel had done at the Feast of Tabernacles. For them, Jesus was very much like the evergreen tree (Hosea 14:8). This passage in Isaiah 55:12-13 was prophetic: one tree represents the Jews (the myrtle, Neh. 8:15); and the other tree the Gentiles (the evergreen fir, Hosea 14:8) as a prophecy of the coming unity in the new covenant of Jew and Gentile under the Lordship of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:14). The glory then goes to the LORD for a name (Psalm 96:12; Isa. 55:13). Wow!
After this insight around Thanksgiving in November, I agreed to put up a Christmas tree in our house. What happened after that yielding was incredible. I caught a deeper glimpse of the gospel. Every Christmas song I heard in December that year which spoke of the coming of Christ as a baby, literally brought me to tears – sometimes sobbing with amazement that a holy God would enter a sinful world so that sinners could have light and life with Him forever. Jesus came for pagan Gentiles in their sin.
After 30 years of legalism, I certainly understand Christians are to repent of sin and not stay in it. Yet now I see this issue as one of Christian freedom and conscience (Col. 2:16-17). God’s holiness hates paganism and false idolatrous worship. God’s amazing love in Christ pleases Him to bruise Him for our sake that we may be sons of the living God. I hope and trust I will never get over that love and His mercy. For mercy triumphs over judgment (James 2:13). There was great healing and finally *PEACE* in our family as we together worshipped Jesus’ coming to save the world.
But God was not finished. In the summer of 2017, I planned to go with our youth to a Christian summer camp. We were to leave for the beach on an early Monday morning in July. The preceding Sunday our pastor gave a sermon on Psalm 90. He said that this psalm was always read by the Jews the night before the Feast of Tabernacles started – a feast where celebration and rejoicing was commanded. It is a psalm of repentance, God’s presence, God’s sovereignty and ending with joy and His beauty. The sermon impacted me greatly.
On the next day, we left for the beach with the youth. As we made the 5-hour drive, I began to talk to our pastor’s wife and a mutual friend in the van about our history in WCG and observing the Feast of Tabernacles for more than 25 years. We talked about how I finally put up a Christmas tree the previous December in 2016. When we arrived at the youth camp, the camp opened that evening at 7 PM to my shock and surprise with Christmas carols in July! Their theme that year (in the summer) was the coming of Jesus Christ. Seven Christmas trees lined the stage! As we sang Christmas carols in July, those leading the singing on stage asked everyone to raise their hands in clapping, joyful singing, and shouts of praise to God. No one in the auditorium but the two people in the van with me knew what God was doing.
I broke into tears of joy as I realized this was the fulfillment of the Scripture in Isaiah 55:12-13 my sister, D’Etta, had shared in 2013. As we saw in yesterday’s post, the Bible uses trees as a symbol of people. Because of the cross (a tree, 1 Peter 2:24 ESV) we were leaving for the mission field in Uganda in September with peace in our marriage and “trees” (the people) on stage were rejoicing and clapping their hands before the LORD. We truly went out with peace and joy. The thorn and brier (Genesis 3:18, the thorn and brier are symbolic of what the work and toil of humanity produces; that is, personal and relational pain and suffering by symbolically cutting and drawing blood because those thorns are a result of humanity’s carnal sin nature) in Isaiah 55 are being replaced with trees of worship (blown by the winds of the Spirit). Jesus used the metaphor of wheat in John 12, but a tree metaphor is similar, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24). He dies by bearing the sin and “work of men” and the result is life and reproduction. “And it SHALL be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off” (Isa. 55:13).
One final note. Today, some people argue that observance of Christmas is not commanded in the Bible. That is true. I just want to leave you with this: the shepherds received no command of God in the story to go see the Christ-child. They simply received a “good news” (a spiritual insight about Jesus’ birth) invitation which was joyous. And because of the invitation and revelation (insight) about Jesus, they decide to go see Jesus (2:15). The great joy is brighter than the duty of a commandment. God does not force people to come to Him for salvation or to worship. Motivation from an invitation and revelation of good news is greater than motivation by duty (Luke 17:5-10). It is always your choice.
What was the result of receiving the good news and making the decision to spend time with Jesus? “Glorifying and praising God” (Luke 2:1-20). That is what happens when a poor person meets the living Jesus Christ. They know they are now rich beyond measure. Their life has radically changed (2 Cor 5:17). This is where the gospel has impact in a sinful, pagan, and worldly setting. When followers and believers in Jesus Christ announce the “good news” (gospel) like the angels did, those with a right heart will respond and glorify the One, true God. All these days – whether Christmas, Easter, or the “appointed days” from Leviticus 23 – are not nearly as powerful as the proclaiming of the gospel of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 2:2). When we yield and submit to the gospel, and learn that principle, there is great power to radically and fully change lives as God brings people to repentance. May we all continue to learn the depths of His love and motivation (this is what Paul prayed for the mature churches in Ephesus, Eph. 3:18-19).
So, my mother-in-law was right – we did eventually put up a Christmas tree. But, wow! What a journey Jesus took us through. My love for Him has deepened, and I would never have thought in 10,000 years that would have happened. “But God…” (Eph. 2:4)!!! This time of year listen for those stories (some people call them testimonies) which praise and glorify Jesus and God, not out of a sense of duty and cold observance like a slave or servant, but one out of simple love and joy for revelation of Jesus. That is what good news from God can do to a person – create a life story of radical change which results in glorifying and praising God for His work, His gifts and His love. Your choice.
Seek and pursue passionately for the peace and joy in the unity of the Holy Spirit under Jesus Christ. For that PEACE in Christ, for that JOY and celebration, I thank God for sending His one and only Son in humility as a baby born to grow, take on our sin, die, and be resurrected for our salvation – all unearned! Wow! My heart is drawn more to Him and His love for Gentile pagans like myself. I cannot wait to see Him and worship Him face-to-face.
Merry Christmas!
Posted in Uncategorized
Through our series this week, we have seen some pagan and sinful things. No doubt, when God became flesh, He often taught in figures of speech (John 16:25). One of those methods was parables, which we saw in a previous post. Jesus did this so much that the disciples seem to become a bit frustrated with Him and asked Him to speak plainly (John 16:29).
While the Bible is filled with real, literal stories, it is also full of beautiful and perfect symbolism. One of those symbols threaded throughout God’s word is the tree. Consider:
Genesis begins with two trees (Gen. 2:9):
1. The tree of life;
2. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Revelation closes the Bible with the tree of life bearing 12 fruits in the new earth (Rev. 22:2).
Biblical trees symbolize humanity
1. The righteous
2. Israel as a cultivated olive tree (Rom. 11:17-20)
3. Gentiles
Amid the biblical story is the greatest tree – the centrality of the rugged tree to which our Savior was nailed (1 Pet. 2:24).
Trees of celebration and worship
1. Israel was commanded to rejoice for 8 days at the Feast of Tabernacles and use boughs of various trees in their worship! (Lev. 23:40). These boughs are known as “LuLav” branches (pictured below) and were waved during the reading of the Hallel (Psm. 113-118) at the Feast of Tabernacles.
2. Gentiles used evergreen trees in their pagan worship (Jer. 10:1-5; 17:2).
So, what do evergreen trees have to do with Jesus Christ in worship? The somewhat surprising answer is found in that prophet’s writings who married a prostitute, Hosea. Surely, God’s people would have condemned such a marriage of a prophet of God. Yet God commanded Hosea to marry a prostitute.
In Hosea’s incredible oracles we find that God turns away from Israel because of their incessant prostitution. He promises sovereignly and insistently to cause *all* of Israel’s joy (mirth) to cease, as well as all of Israel’s appointed feasts and sabbaths” to cease (Hos. 2:11). Appointed feasts (God’s commanded set times) were called both “His feasts” (Lev. 23) and “your feasts” or “your appointed feasts” (Num. 10:10; 15:3; 29:39; Hos. 9:5; Amos 5:21; 8:10; Nah. 1:15; Mal. 2:3) and John called these feasts, “Jewish” (John 5:1; 6:4; 19:42). These appointed and commanded feasts cease while God turns to the pagan Gentiles.
The eleven disciples were joyfully commissioned (Matt. 28:19-20; Luke 24:46-49) to take the gospel message to the world (Acts 1:8), which eventually became the work and ministry of Gentile believers because of Jewish confusion, arguing and rejection (Acts 28:23-29).
And as a prophetic sign and symbol of that truth of God’s people welcoming the entire world into the presence of God, Solomon’s second temple was constructed with cypress (evergreen) doors (1 Kings 6:34) a symbol of the Gentile believers, with olive wood as the posts, like a tree (1 Kings 6:33; Rom. 11:17)! In fact, Solomon hired Hiram, king of Tyre, who was mixed race (mother from the tribe of Naphtali and father a Gentile man of Tyre – 1 Kings 7:14) to construct the temple (1 Kings 5:1-8).
These “appointed feasts and Sabbaths” would “cease” or “be forgotten” in Zion, i.e., “the church” (Lamentations 2:6) since Israel had prostituted herself to the nations (Isa. 1:13-14). Now, with the coming of Jesus, God would turn away from a command-motivation (duty) and move to the heart-motivation (love and joy).
Hosea describes this incredible love like a marriage, not commandment-keeping, “And it shall be, in that day, says the LORD, That you will call Me, My Husband, And no longer call Me, My Master” (Hos. 2:16). Hosea continues, “For I (God) will take from her (His bride’s) mouth the names of the Baals…I will betroth you to Me forever in righteousness and justice, in lovingkindness and mercy; I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness” (Hos. 2:17, 19-20) because from their hearts Jesus will come from their lips and mouths.
God will do this! This is why if you believe the celebrating or not celebrating of Christmas entitles or earns you salvation, you have missed the message of the gospel. God performs heart surgery on those who search for Him, find Him and believe in Him. As a result, He accomplishes their salvation. This is why Christians refer people to Christ and the gospel (the power and wisdom of God, 1 Cor. 1:24) rather than to the 10 commandments, Sabbath, or the Bible’s appointed holy days. Notice how Paul does this in his biblical letters. He normally emphasizes Jesus Christ first and foremost, and then by the end of his letter calls people in that power to obedience.
In God’s beautiful story of grace, God turns to the Gentiles as He promised He would (Psm. 9:9-10; 86:9-10; 138:4-5; Jer. 16:19; 23:20; Heb. 1:2; Mal. 1:11) and seems to hint at a promise that He will revive Israel again in the future and possibly with God’s original feasts (Rom. 11: Zech. 12:10; 14:16). But Jesus tells His people, He is like “the green cypress” (an evergreen) tree (Hosea 14:8).
Just as Luke 2 describes, when the shepherds on that night were met by an angel proclaiming good news (gospel) of joy of the birth of Jesus, the shepherds were not commanded to go to Jesus. The communication of good news was simply proclaimed, and they in turn chose to go find Jesus. Similarly today, Christmas is not commanded. It is a story with an invitation, like a parable. The true story of Jesus’ birth contains a jewel, a nugget, a treasure that is more valuable than the entire temporary world. The Christmas story is one of a relational, resurrected and undying connection between a holy and righteous God (who has nothing to do with pagans, sin, Gentiles or any unholy people), yet in the midst of our deep darkness, spiritual death, selfish, idolatrous, pagan, sinful hearts God’s Light and Life of the world comes to rescue, secure, and save those in need. And those who go to Him receive life, healing, light, and radical change. They cannot help but speak and tell of Jesus, proclaiming the good news of His coming to rescue sinners.
This is the message of Christmas, which is the New Testament gospel message in the form of a true story, except the date of Jesus’ birth as no one knows exactly what day or date Jesus was born. There is nothing wrong with using fictional elements of a story to get a point across, especially when the celebration is not commanded. The gospel is that pagans and sinners are turned by the power of God’s grace in Jesus Christ into righteous saints who will live and abide forever in the Son of God. Humbled by the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ, they seek to live for Him and serve Him in great joy by His strength and motivation.
Merry Christmas! Praise to Jesus Christ throughout the entire world! May He be your joy and reason you worship the One true God in Him and in His name.
Posted in Uncategorized
“For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures…” [1]
Thus wrote the apostle Paul, using the phrase, “according to the Scriptures” twice. The Scriptures alone are our guide and rule for daily living. Paul was clearly referring to the Old Testament (OT) Scriptures which were the only “Scriptures” the earliest church read. Today, ask almost any mature Christian for OT references to Jesus dying for our sins, and it may result in answers such as Isaiah 53, Psalm 22, the sacrificial system, Passover, etc. However, ask the same individuals for OT references which support Jesus rising on the third day, and perhaps some may answer with only one passage, Jesus’ sign of His resurrection – that of Jonah being in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights (Matt. 12:40). While that is true, there are numerous other Scriptures to which Paul is referring when he writes in 1 Cor 15, “(Messiah) rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.”
While it is impossible to know with certainty what exact Scriptures Paul was referencing in the OT, it will be demonstrated in this essay that the anticipation and prediction of Messiah’s third day resurrection occurs in at least four OT passages: Gen. 3:15; Gen. 22:1-18; Hosea 6:1-3; and Exod. 19:1-24. This third-day motif begins in Genesis and continues in the law and the prophets. The motif seems to be mystically connected to these and other passages of Scripture in which the Messiah is anticipated, prefigured or suggested. So, what do the OT Scriptures reveal about Jesus being resurrected on the third day?
Prior to going through these passages, it would be helpful to provide some essential background. To begin, understanding what a motif is will be beneficial before proceeding further. A simple definition of motif can be, a recurring idea, feature, dominant theme, pattern or design especially in an artistic or literary work. Thus, in the OT, the reader should see a pattern or dominant theme running through the Old Testament. Next, does the OT even make references to bodily resurrections after physical death? For a list of these passages, see the endnote below. [2] Also as further background, it is significant to understand that the third day motif in the OT was even recognized by early second century Jewish scholars. C. Marvin Pate writes, “Jewish interpreters as far back as the Midrashim (second century AD in written texts but probably earlier in oral form) have claimed that the third day motif is used in the Old Testament for God’s deliverance of Israel or a righteous person.” [3] Another crucial factor to consider is Biblical interpretation. To respect the text and what God through His Spirit is saying, the reader must conform to the text, not force the text to conform to what the reader desires the text to mean. A trustworthy method of hermeneutics (the word, hermeneutics simply means a method of interpreting the Bible) is to interpret the OT the way Jesus instructed others to interpret it. Utilizing the method Jesus gave will be a reliable and trustworthy method for OT interpretation. His primary method as revealed in Scripture is that the OT reader must (absolutely must) read those OT Scriptures as they speak of Him. In fact, He said that plainly and clearly on at least three occasions (see Luke 24:25-27, 44-45; John 5:39). To further emphasize this point, after His resurrection, Jesus tells the two people on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24 that to fail to interpret the OT without understanding all those Scriptures were written about Him, is to be: 1. Foolish; and 2. Slow to believe (Luke 24:25). Finally for our background sketch, Jesus Himself regularly made references to His life-giving, third day resurrection, both directly and mnemonically, that is, using language in an intentionally illustrative way of communication to help the listener remember. For example, He clearly and directly identified the sign of the OT prophet Jonah being in the belly of the fish for “three days and three nights” as a sign of His resurrection. [4] That phrase helps the listener (in a world where writing was used less than today) remember or memorize the point Jesus is getting across. Another example Jesus used was that He also referred to His body as a temple, claiming to raise it up in three days. [5] So convincingly did He speak this way, that even the Pharisees and chief priests were concerned something was going to happen after the third day (Matt. 27:63). One reference in particular Jesus made about death will help us transition to the goal of our purview of the OT Scriptures. Jesus strongly implied about Himself, if “a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies…it produces much grain.” [6] The inference here is clear – His coming death He vividly described as a seed, which would produce much fruit or life.
Genesis 3:15 & 1:11-13
Accordingly, where might one find a reference to seed, death and life in the OT? Certainly, one place to start is the beginning, in the Garden of Eden. After the fall of Adam and Eve into sin (and death), when God pronounces judgment on the serpent, a promise of a coming “Seed” [7] is made by our LORD. This reference is commonly accepted as a Messianic prophecy (the protoevangelium – the first declaration of the gospel in the Bible) which instills hope and life for humanity in the midst of a statement of God’s judgment against the serpent.
Both the seed reference which Jesus gives in John 12:24 and the Seed reference in Gen. 3:15 may not initially connect directly to a third day reference for the reader until one realizes the fact that in the creation narrative, this cycle of reproduction itself (death and life in a seed) begins with seed-bearing plants and trees which bear fruit originating on the third day of creation. [8] The significance of this third day is further magnified and contrasted in the broader context of Genesis 1. For God divides on Days 1 and 2 (i.e., light from darkness and the firmament from the waters). God does not call the first two days, “good.” On Day 3, rather than dividing, God gathers water, sets up a reproductive cycle and calls both “good.” This statement of “good” is significant. Prior to this reference, the only “good” thing was the light (1:4). So, Day 3 contains the next two references to God’s declaration, “it was good.” Thus far, the reader understands what is “good” is light (1:4), gathering the water (1:10) and the seed cycle of reproduction (1:12). This is simply remarkable. When read carefully along with Jesus’ statement in John 12:24, the learner can begin to see that the Creator is communicating a design and pattern that is “good,” and includes some intricate detail into His creation and literary work. Fresh new life begins on day three when the Spirit inspires Moses to introduce and emphasize seed-bearing plants which produce life after entering the ground and dying. Thus, Jesus’ statement about Him being a seed which will produce much grain and fruit takes on deeper meaning in the context of the creative day 3.
If the reader only had that piece of information, it would not be sufficient to directly connect to a third day resurrection. It is simply mystical. In other words, there seems to be, perhaps, some connection with Messiah and the gospel illustration of a Seed or seed entering the ground and bringing forth resurrected life and new fruit. Does the “goodness” of the third day hold significance?
Genesis 22
Thinking about the promise of the Seed, the question then arises, from where will this promised “Seed” come? Later, in Genesis 15:1-4, the LORD God reveals Himself to childless Abraham and promises a son. While this son is not the promised Seed, a miracle does happen with this child’s birth after a long period of waiting. After Isaac is born (Gen. 21), God tells Abraham to sacrifice his “only son Isaac, whom you love” on a mountain in Moriah. [9] Abraham takes his son, Isaac, and others on a journey to Moriah. They arrive on the third day (Gen. 22:4). When the boy Isaac asks his father where the lamb is for sacrifice, Abraham in faith answers, “God will provide for Himself the lamb.” [10] Because of the statement in Hebrews 11, we know Messiah was prefigured in this text. Abraham believed “God was able to raise him [Isaac, the son of promise] up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.” [11] The author of Genesis tells us that Abraham sees and presumably arrives at the place of sacrifice on the third day of his journey. As Abraham is about to slay Isaac, God intervenes and provides a ram [12] for the sacrifice instead.
Surely this would have been a deeply emotional event since as a father, Abraham had waited years for his son of promise. He is so deeply impacted by the substitutionary sacrifice that verse 14 records that he names the place, Yahweh Yireh (The-LORD-Will-Provide). God provided a ram in Isaac’s place on the third day, and Abraham called the name of the place, “The-Lord-Will-Provide.” Again, the third day motif is clearly connected with an anticipation and prediction of the future Lamb of God which God will provide, Messiah.
Adam Clarke in his commentary quotes Henry Ainsworth on this passage about the third day, “’As the number Seven,’ says Mr. Ainsworth, ‘is of especial use in Scripture because of the Sabbath day, Genesis 2:2, so Three is a mystical number because of Christ’s rising from the dead the third day…’” [13] The point here being that the passage in Genesis 22 is Messianic, and that passage is joined with a third day motif – both Isaac and Jesus would arise to life, “on the third day.” [14]
Hosea 6:1-3
A third passage from the OT anticipating and predicting Messiah is found in the prophecy of Hosea. He writes insightfully, “Come, and let us return to the LORD; For He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up, (2) After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up, That we may live in His sight!” [15] Scholars debate whether this passage is a direct prophetic reference to Messiah’s resurrection. In the last paragraph of chapter 27, Mark F. Rooker in The World and the Word writes that Hosea 6:2 “may possibly be a reference to Jesus’ resurrection if in fact the nation is a type of the Messiah and represented by Him (1 Cor 15:4).” [16] C. Marvin Pate quotes Craig A. Evans who is more definitive, “The allusion of this passage [Hos. 6:2] in all probability derives from Jesus himself and not from the evangelist or early tradents searching for a scriptural warrant [for Jesus’ resurrection].” [17] Pate states, “we concur” with Evans’ conclusion. The references to healing us, reviving us, raising us up on the third day in order to live with Him (eternal life) certainly seems (in our present hindsight view of history) to point to our Lord’s resurrection with a third day reference. Additionally in 6:3, the prophet alludes to His “going forth” being established “as the morning” which is indicative of a morning resurrection.
Exodus 19
While there are other third day motif passages in the OT, [18] the final Scripture this essay will highlight is Exodus 19 where the law was given to Moses and Israel at Mount Sinai. The contextual message of this chapter is rich in symbolism, comparisons and contrasts with Jesus’ resurrection and carries significant weight for the gospel. Tim Keller, when preaching a message on Exodus 19, establishes a very good argument that the gospel is found here at the giving of the law: 1. God’s undeserved grace (saving acts of the Lord – verse 4); 2. Response of obedience (v. 5a); and 3. Blessing of obedience (v. 5b-6a). [19] Keller quotes commentator, J. Alec Motyer, as writing, “The sequence of these central elements (in verses 4, 5 and 6) is extremely important for understanding the whole Bible. Nothing must ever be allowed to upset this formula.” [20] So, a crucial hermeneutical point should be made here: in light of Jesus being full of grace and truth (John 1:14, 17), at the very giving of the law which came through Moses, the gospel of grace is firmly established first (19:4).
Later in chapter 19, the third day motif appears four times in three verses (11, 15 and 16). The emphasis of the first three references is a warning to the people to “be ready” for the LORD who will “come down” upon Mount Sinai on the third day. The final third day reference (verse 16) begins a description of the glorious phenomena preceding the LORD’s appearance in verse 18. Amazingly, most commentators researched make no connection with a third day resurrection. [21] Yet on the third day God clearly demonstrated to both Israel in the OT and to His disciples in the NT a visible and powerful display of His glory – the holy untouchable God in a theophany warning His people to stay away when first coming down on the mountain, and then His incarnate Son arising out of the grave in glorious display to be seen while encouraging His people (like Thomas) to touch Him in faith. The similarities seem to be an amazing representation of the shared message of God’s grace and holiness contrasted between the two covenants. There are other mystical, glorious contrasts and similarities Matthew describes, which are a bit beyond our purview. [22] Whether the passage specifically points to a third day resurrection might be questioned. However, it greatly encourages this writer to see a glorious display in both testaments anticipating Messiah in the Old Testament and especially in connection with a third-day motif.
Even the writer of Hebrews follows the pattern of Jesus’ hermeneutical principle by exhorting “the Hebrews” (as well as any reader) with contrasts between Mount Sinai (which represents fear, darkness and death) and Mount Zion (which represents a festal gathering or assembly, heavenly descriptions, and “the city of the living God”) (Heb. 12:18-25).
The third day, Sunday, when Jesus was resurrected, was a Hebrew holy day, the Day of Firstfruits [23]. What significance does this have? Well, when the Bible begins in Genesis, the first word in Genesis 1:1-3 reads, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (2) The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. (3) Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.”
In Hebrew the first word of Genesis 1:1 is (בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית) B’Resheet (or another English spelling is B’reshith) [24]. The B is simply a preposition which means, “In.” The Hebrew word, Resheet, means “genesis” or “beginning.” So, in English we read B’Resheet as, “In genesis,” or “In the beginning.” So, what is the Day of Firstfruits called in Hebrew? Answer: Yom Resheet. Yom in Hebrew means “Day.” So, the Day of Firstfruits is literally translated as, “Day of Beginning.” That was the day that Jesus rose from the dead. Think about it – just like Genesis, God said, “Let there be light!” And from the dark, cold and void grave, the Light of the World (Jesus) came breaking forth from the tomb. He was the new beginning, the firstfruit – the power of both light and life. The resurrected Jesus is the first new creation, being completely and fully born again on the first day (Sunday), which is also ironically the eighth day.
The number 7 is symbolic for perfection or completion. So, the number eight then, is a new beginning. Combine the above reality with the number 8 (eighth day) in the Old Testament where 8 represents “new beginnings.” For example, in Leviticus 9:1 on the 8th day the LORD appeared to Moses and Aaron (9:4) and He began the priestly ministry – just as Jesus begins His High Priestly ministry as the resurrected intercessor for mankind.
The first time eighth day is used is in Exodus 22:30 (also Lev. 22:27) when your young “oxen and your sheep” are to be given to the LORD on the eighth day after remaining with its mother for seven days. This act is a symbolic foreshadowing of Jesus being raised from the dead to the Father on Sunday. One might ask about why the animal was to be burned on the 8th day as Jesus certainly was not burned. This concept comes from Genesis 22 (mentioned earlier) when God asked Abraham on the third day to sacrifice His one and only son (see endnote 12-14).
A Hebrew boy was circumcised on the eighth day (Lev 12:3). Lepers, after cleansing, were to offer a sacrifice on the 8th day (Lev 14:10, 23), symbolizing the unclean leper being cleansed at the door of the tabernacle through Jesus. Thus, the church – the true spiritual tabernacle – would be ready to be birthed on Pentecost (Sunday) as a “new beginning” for the unity of the firstfruits. For these reasons and more, Christians today gather for worship on Sunday. It is representative of Jesus’ resurrection and our new beginnings or being a new creation in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17-19).
The number significance does not end there. Early church fathers knew of this significance and wrote about it, but rarely have people today researched it. Most people would rather remain with their old traditions that they were taught than really study what God’s word teaches. In one of his devotions, Jonathan Cahn draws a special comparison between the sixth day (Friday), when the first Adam was created. The day of man. That first Adam sinned. His works from the curse would result in the ground producing thorns and thistles – which bring pain, suffering, division, broken relationships and blood. How many churches suffer from divisions? Paul says that is a work of the flesh and those people who have a pattern of division within their churches cannot enter the kingdom of God (Gal. 5:20-21). The good news is that on what is today referred to as “Good Friday” (“good” because Jesus was reconciling the world to Himself), Jesus accepted our sin. It is the day the Son of Man was scourged, rejected and cursed and a twisted crown of thorns (symbolic of man’s twisted and perverted works of sin) was placed as a mockery on the head of the Creator who created the first Adam. Jesus wore it as His glory. He died for you.
Jonathan Cahn also tells us about the curtain in the temple. In Exodus 26:31 God tells Moses to make veil (6-inch thick curtain in the 2nd temple) “woven of blue and purple and scarlet (red) yarn and fine linen thread. It shall be woven with an artistic design of cherubim” (type of angel which guarded the tree of life – Genesis 3:24). The colors are always mentioned in that order: blue, purple, red. When we look to heavens on a clear day we see bright blue. The Hebrew word Adam (man) comes from the Hebrew word for “red.” Scarlet red is also symbolic of sin and guilt. It is fascinating that purple is not a thread by itself, but made up of both blue and scarlet threads tightly woven together. God (in heaven, blue) and man (red clay on earth with sin) combined together in Christ who wore along with the crown of thorns, the purple robe. Blue, Purple, Scarlet was the temple curtain until it was torn into from top to bottom when Jesus died on the cross (Matthew 27:51). His resurrection combines within us, the temple of God – Man (Day 6), Jesus (our rest on the Sabbath, Day 7) and Jesus resurrected as God (Day 8). Blue, Purple, Red. We now are that temple of God. The colors are combined in us through the power of the resurrection – Blue (God in heaven), Purple (Jesus – the God man), Crimson or Scarlet (Sin of Man). Some interesting symbolism with the numbers:
Friday + Saturday + Sunday 6+7+8 = 21, which is also 7×3 (i.e, Perfection x 3 = Trinity)
The numbers for Sunday (1+3+8) = 12, which is the numbers 2 and 1 reversed, as well as the number of the disciples, the tribes of Israel and pillars in the new Jerusalem.
Jesus said He did this for the joy which was set before Him. What kind of love and joy is this? To die for the worst of us? He bore our sin and shame for pagan, sinful humanity, for you. This Friday was the day the 2nd Adam is cursed so that Jesus can bring reconciliation (that is the heart of the cross) with joy, peace, unity, love and eternal life to all who will put their faith and trust in Him. The greatest news ever! That reconciliation is a gathering through the death of the Seed to reproduce life and fruit. That act is beautiful, perfect, pure love, and it demands a reciprocal response – believe Him completely, die to self and let those past beliefs go. Fully put your trust in Jesus and you will find peace, joy and security, along with eternal life. Jesus says He who believes in Me has passed from death to life! How can we ignore such a sacrifice? By His power in us we can love! By His power in us we can be conformed to Him to lay down our lives for others!
[1] 1 Cor. 15:3-4 (NKJV). It should be noted that some scholars point to certain phrases in 1 Corinthians 15 as evidence that the letter was written by Paul less than 20 years after the resurrection. For example, some of the “over five hundred brethren” who had seen the risen Christ at one time were still alive and could be inquired for their testimony (1 Cor. 15:6).
[2] Some reference the sparing of Isaac, Abraham’s son, from his sacrifice as a “resurrection” from certain death had God not intervened. This passage will be considered later in this essay.
“For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh shall I see God” (Job 19:25-26).
One reference about Messiah: Ps. 16:10 (NKJV). “For You (God) will not leave my soul in Sheol [the abode of the dead], Nor will You allow Your Holy One [Messiah] to see [undergo] corruption.”
“But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave (Sheol), For He shall receive me. Selah (Ps. 49:15).
Two references about resurrection in general: Isa. 26:19 (NKJV). “Your dead shall live…they shall arise…the earth shall cast out the dead.” Dan. 12:2 (NKJV). “…many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt.”
“For man goes to his eternal home. Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, And the spirit shall return to God who gave it” (Eccles. 12:5e, 7).
The prophet Ezekiel’s vision of the dry bones coming to life (Ezek. 37:1-10).
“I will ransom them from the power of the grave (Sheol); I will redeem them from death. O Death, I will be your plagues! O Grave, I will be your destruction…” (Hosea 13:14).
Additionally, both Elijah (1 Kings 17:17-22) and Elisha (2 Kings 4:32-35; 13:20-21) miraculously raise dead bodies.
Finally, some see Jonah’s release from the large fish to be a type of a resurrection to which Jesus also refers (Jonah 2:6).
[3] C. Marvin Pate, 40 Questions About the Historical Jesus (Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 2015), 343. See for example, “Palestinian Sandhedrin” 97A; “Babylonian Rosh Hashanah” 31A; “Palestinian Berakoth” 5.2; “Palestinian Sanhedrin” 11.6; “Midrash Rabbah” Esther 9.2 (on Esther 5:1); Genesis 56.1 (on Gen 22:4); Deuteronomy 7.6 (on Deut 26:12); Pirke de Rabbi Eleizer 51 (73b-74a).
[4] Matt. 12:39-40 (NKJV). It is worthy to note that Biblical scholars strongly debate whether Jesus was in the grave for 72 hours (i.e., a literal three days and three nights). C. Marvin Pate posits his answer in Question #38 in his book, 40 Questions. Additionally, Jonathan Cahn (a Messianic Jew and thus a believer in Christ who is from the tribe of Levi) provides various Biblical devotional insight in his popular book, The Book of Mysteries (see Day 47 and Day 124 amongst others). The three days / three nights controversy is addressed in Appendix 1 of this essay.
[5] John 2:19 (NKJV).
[6] John 12:24 (NKJV).
[7] Gen. 3:15 (NKJV).
[8] Gen. 1:11-13 (NKJV).
[9] Gen. 22:2 (NKJV). Jonathan Cahn in his insightful devotional book mentions that this is the first occurrence of the word “love” in the Bible. He also compares the requested sacrifice of Isaac, “whom you love” with the NT passage of God’s sacrifice of His Son, “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son” in John 3:16. Interestingly, the word, “love” is not used in the Garden of Eden, but first used in relation to the child of promise.
Jonathan Cahn, The Book of Mysteries (Charisma House Book Group: Lake Mary, FL, 2016), Day 79.
[10] Gen. 22:8 (NKJV).
[11] Heb. 11:19 (NKJV).
[12] It is important to note that to Abraham God provided a “ram” (Heb, “ʹayil” #H352), not a lamb. But in the future He would provide a “Lamb” for the sins of the world. This is significant as Abraham responded to Isaac’s question, “father…where is the lamb (or goat; Heb, “śey śȇy” #H7716) for a burnt offering?” Additionally, after the event happened on the third day, Abraham named the mountain, “The-Lord-Will-Provide,” not, “The-Lord-Has-(or Did) Provide” (past tense). Clearly, there was verbalized hope in yet a coming “lamb” to be a perfect sacrifice. Whether Abraham realized the significance or not of his naming of the mountain is inconsequential. The name he gave it became prophetic, as Mount Moriah eventually becomes Jerusalem where the “Lamb of God” was slain and sacrificed and then rose again the third day. In contrast, Abraham burned with fire the ram, perhaps prophetically picturing the ultimate conclusion of man’s imperfect offerings compared to God’s perfect Lamb which would give eternal life. In the Bible this is the beginning of the hell doctrine since the ram, caught in a thicket (symbolic of the entanglement and result of man’s works – see Genesis 3:17-18) was burned in fire. When Jesus is raised to life, wicked men who do not believe and trust in Him (representative of the ram caught in the thicket of his works) will be eternally separated from God through burning in hell as a just judgment for their sin and rejection of God’s sacrifice of His Son.
[13] Adam Clarke, “Genesis 22:4,” in Adam Clarke’s Commentary on the Old Testament (Parson’s Technology, Inc., Electronic Edition STEP Files, 1999). Clarke includes additional significant comments by Ainsworth about the third day motif throughout the OT. Ainsworth’s entire comments are attached in Appendix 4 of this essay (below).
[14] There are other Messianic comparisons in the story of Genesis 22 including the fact that Abraham saddled a donkey, the very same animal on which Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Additionally, Abraham lays the wood for the sacrifice upon his son, Isaac, just as Jesus bore His own wooden cross on His back and carried it to His place of sacrifice. Surely, as Abraham raises the knife to kill his son, Isaac must be thinking why his father would forsake him like this. Similarly, as Jesus was nailed to the wooden cross, He cries out, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?” Finally, it is this place where Abraham offers Isaac that both Jews and Muslims claim is where the temple mount is today in Jerusalem.
[15] Hosea 6:1-2 (NKJV).
[16] Eugene Merrill, Mark F. Rooker and Michael A. Grisanti, The World and the Word: An Introduction to the Old Testament (B&H Publishing Group: Nashville, TN, 2011), Chapter 27, Kindle location 14845.
[17] Pate, 40 Questions, 345.
[18] Other interesting Messianic references also occur about the resurrection and the third day. A search for the phrase, “third day” in the Old Testament reveals more than thirty references each in the KJV and NKJV. New Testament references are listed in Appendix 2 and Appendix 3 of this essay. OT examples of this include:
Genesis 42:18 Joseph releases his brothers from prison on the third day.
Joshua 1:11 “Pass through the camp and command the people, saying, ‘Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you will cross over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess.’”
2 Kings 20:5 “Return and tell Hezekiah the leader of My people, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord.”
Esther 4:16; 5:1 “Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shusan and fast for me; nether eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.” (5:1) “Now it happened on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, across from the king’s house, while the king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, facing the entrance of the house.” Esther is requesting corporate fasting for three days – either night OR day. This is not 72 hours. Additionally, she went in to the king on the third day. In other words, she didn’t wait until 72 hours was complete.
[19] Tim Keller, On the Mountain: The Terrifying and Beckoning God 2012 TGC Women’s Conference. Published March 24, 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rACtcpKA2vk, (accessed March 3, 2019).
[20] Keller, On the Mountain, 13:35 min mark.
[21] Richard Patterson, in a paper on the third day motif, categorizes the third day phrase in Exodus 19 under the heading, “Special Spiritual Activity.” He describes the motif as pointing to “actions and matters that take place on a spiritual dimension,” as well as “distinctive” and “unique” things pointing to “important things to follow.”
Richard Patterson and Michael Travers, The Third Day Motif, https://bible.org/seriespage/3-use-three-bible (accessed April 16, 2019), Article 3, under heading “Special Spiritual Activity.”
[22] These are listed in Appendix 5 in this essay (below).
[23] I am indebted again to Jonathan Cahn for his beautiful insight into “The Day of Neogenesis” taken again from The Book of Mysteries, Day 300. The comparisons between Creation Day 1 and Resurrection Day are entirely his.
[24] The custom of the Near East, according to my Old Testament professor, Dr. Alan Moseley, was to title a book by the first word of the book. Thus, the book of Exodus in Hebrew is not “Exodus,” but in Hebrew it is, ve-eleh shemoth, translated into English would be “And These Are the Names” because that is the first words of that book in Hebrew. The book of “Exodus” was given its current name as we know it by today when the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the OT) was translated. Exodus means “exit” or “departure.”
Cahn, Jonathan. The Book of Mysteries. Lake Mary, FL: Charisma House Book Group. 2016.
Clarke, Adam. “Genesis 22:4.” Adam Clarke’s Commentary on the Old Testament, Electronic Ed. STEP Files, for Parsons Technology, Inc., QuickVerse, 1999.
Craig, William Lane. Jonah & Jesus: Three Days and Nights? YouTube Channel: drcraigvideos published March 24, 2017. Accessed April 21, 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83ajEwGrJaw
The Holy Bible, New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1983.
Keller, Tim. On the Mountain: The Terrifying and Beckoning God. 2012 TGC Women’s Conference. Published March 24, 2014. Accessed March 3, 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rACtcpKA2vk.
Kostenberger, Andreas J. and Patterson, Richard D. For the Love of God’s Word, Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications. 2015.
Merrill, Eugene; Rooker, Mark F.; Grisanti, Michael A. The World and the Word: An Introduction to the Old Testament. B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition, 2011.
Pate, C. Marvin. 40 Questions About the Historical Jesus. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 2015.
Patterson, Richard, and Travers, Michael. “Article 3.” The Third Day Motif. Accessed April 16, 2019. https://bible.org/seriespage/3-use-three-bible.
Are the “Three Days and Three Nights” Referred to by Jesus to be Understood as 72 Hours?
There are a few significant factors we need to consider when interpreting any Scripture:
1. We must approach God’s word carefully, humbly and respectfully. Kostenberger and Patterson explain it this way, “There is therefore an important ethical dimension in [Biblical] interpretation. We should engage in interpretation responsibly, displaying respect for the text and its author. The ‘golden rule’ of interpretation requires that we extend the same courtesy to any text or author that we would want others to extend to our statements or writings (Matt 7:21). This calls for respect not only for the intentions of the human authors of Scripture but ultimately for God who chose to reveal himself through the Bible by his Holy Spirit.”
2. We need to know (at least a little) something about “the third day” as presented in both the Old and New Testaments (see Scriptures in Appendices 2 and 3).
3. We need to know something about the Jewish mindset and Hebrew language before interpreting the passage.
4. We need to utilize a literal hermeneutic interpretation of Scripture. A “literal hermeneutic” simply means, “that a biblical text is to be interpreted according to the ‘plain meaning’ conveyed by its grammatical construction and historical context. The literal meaning is held to correspond to the intention of the authors.” This interpretation seeks to respect the author’s and Spirit’s intent of the passage under review.
5. Finally, there is a blessing when utilizing these steps. Jesus clearly stated that truth sets a person free (John 8:32). Will we permit and submit to allowing the Bible interpreting the Bible? Or will we put our own western, American or 21st century views and reckoning into the Scripture as we read it? We must read it as the Spirit intended it.
Let’s first look at the language Jesus used in the New Testament. Jesus used various literary devices to get His point across or to make things easy to remember for an oral audience. Only a few examples of these literary devices are listed below:
A. Similie (uses “like” or “as”): Matt 24:27 “For as the lightning comes from the east to the west…”
B. Metaphor – Matt 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth…” The 7 “I AM” statements in John.
C. Synecdoche – part is substituted for the whole. For example, Matt 6:11 “Give us this day, our daily bread.” We’re not praying just for bread, but our daily provisions of food or other things. In Rom 10:15 Paul wrote, “how beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news…” It is not just the evangelists’ literal feet that are beautiful.
D. Idioms – are a group of words established by usage as having a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words. For example, “sleep” is an idiom used in the Bible for death; “breathing his last” is used as an idiom for dying in Acts 5:5. Another example is Malachi 1:2-3 God “hates” Esau, but loves Jacob. Perhaps the idea of “hate” here is an idiom. It is difficult to say with 100% accuracy in this example. Idioms are not to be interpreted literally.
E. Exaggeration – Jesus often used exaggeration to make a teaching point – “gouging out” your eye for lusting. Matt 26:52 “all (see next paragraph for a brief discussion on the word, “all”) who take up the sword will perish by the sword.” Is that 100%? It is exaggerated for effect. It helps people remember. Jesus says, for example, in Mark 13:1-2 “…not one stone will be left on another” (referring to the coming destruction of the temple), does that literally mean not one stone? It probably means “utter destruction.” How else would you say it? “99.6% of this temple will be destroyed.” Jesus seems to be using exaggeration to get His point across.
Another more challenging reference is when the word, “all” is used. Does the word “all” always literally mean 100% all? Luke 2:1 “all the world be registered.” That simply could not be taken literally – “all” the world? It was a literary device used by Luke to refer to only the Roman world. Or, Matt 2:3; 3:5 “all of Jerusalem was troubled…” does not mean every last citizen in Jerusalem was troubled. On the other hand, the word, “all” certainly can literally mean in some contexts, 100% all.
There are other literary devices used not only in the gospels but throughout the Bible. The parables themselves are a fascinating study.
Second, let’s consider how the Old Testament Hebrew language uses the third day. There is a clear pattern of God’s victory and release for His people on the third day. In this paper we have been reviewing a third day motif in the Old Testament. An interpreter should look at all the phrases in the Old Testament where “third day” is found. How is the motif and language used? As stated above in the paper (prior to footnote #3) Jewish interpreters are aware of a third day motif. It is clear that on the third day freedom, healing, release from prison, and victory are part of God’s story. According to Jewish writing and thought, a rigid 72 hours did not need to be completed prior to God’s deliverance, healing or victory. That assumption of third day continues into the New Testament.
Finally, Christian apologist, William Lane Craig, follows these steps above. He has a concise but sufficient answer for this question. His answer can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83ajEwGrJaw. Points are summarized below. I have added words for clarity and set my words off with brackets [ ].
“Obviously, there were not 3 days and 3 nights between Friday and Sunday morning [as we reckon time]. This [phrase, “three days and three nights] is an idiom in Jewish language that is variously expressed. Sometimes [the Bible] will say, “Jesus rose after three days.” More often it will say that Jesus rose, “on the third day.” And in Jewish reckoning the day begins at sundown at 6 o’clock. So, if Jesus is placed in the tomb on Friday afternoon before sundown, before 6, and then He was in the grave on Saturday. Then rose sometime after 6 pm on Saturday or Sunday morning, that [resurrection] is on the third day according to Jewish reckoning. Indeed, if Jesus were interred at 4 o’clock on Friday and raised at 7 o’clock Saturday night, the Jew would say He was raised on the third day.”
“So, these expressions are simply Jewish idioms which are drawn from the Old Testament expressing the time of Jesus’ resurrection. I think it is an indirect reference to the time of the women’s visit. It was on the third day, after the crucifixion, that the women came and found the tomb empty. So, naturally, the resurrection itself came to be dated on the third day [Luke 24:21 clarifies Sunday as “the third day”]. It’s simply an idiom to pick up the Jonah story, that Jesus like Jonah was in the ground for three days and three nights. It shouldn’t be pressed for literality. It’s an idiom. The use of the third day motif is a theologically significant motif. When you look at how that phrase is used in the OT, again and again, it’s on the third day that God delivers Israel from distress. The third day is God’s deliverance and victor. So, calling the date of the resurrection “on the third day” is a way of saying this is God’s day of deliverance and victory.
In conclusion, it is difficult to see how the “three days and three nights” can be taken literally with the overwhelming evidence of the third day motif in the OT, as well as the overwhelming descriptors carrying over into the New Testament, “on the third day,” “within three days,” “in three days” or similar language, and finally, the abundance of literary devices Jesus used in the gospels. Jesus often spoke in such language that even the disciples grew weary of it and asked Him to speak plainly (Matt. 13:10; John 16:25, 29). So, the “three days and three nights” in Matt 12 does not literally mean 72 hours. Given our research, not only does the phrase mean parts of three days, but that one phrase interpreted literally as 72 hours makes numerous other passages difficult to interpret (Luke 24:21 and any passage which states “on the third day” or “the third day”).
Regardless of these notes, literary devices do NOTHING to compromise the validity and truth of the Bible as God-inspired. In fact, God’s creativity and poetic use of language in places in the Bible accentuates His abilities to hide truth, create a literary masterpiece, and sovereignly bring His words to pass, all while glorifying Himself.
New Testament References to “Three Days”
The phrase “three days” occurs 17 times in these verses in the NKJV and 19 times in KJV (KJV adds two passages in Revelation chapter 11:9, 11 which refer to the two witnesses).
1. Matt 12:40 “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”
2. Matt 15:32 referring to the multitudes being without food.
3. Matt 26:61 “…and said, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.’””
4. Matt 27:40 “…and saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.””
5. Matt 27:63 “saying [to Pilate], “Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise.’”
6. Mark 8:2 referring to the multitudes being without food.
7. Mark 8:31 “And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.”
8. Mark 14:58 “We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.’””
9. Mark 15:29 “And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who destroy the temple and build it in three days,”
10. Luke 2:46 after three days Jesus as a child was in the temple.
11. John 2:19 “Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.””
12. John 2:20 “Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”
13. – 17. The remaining five references are in Acts and have nothing to do with the resurrection.
New Testament References to the “Third Day”
“The third day” is a phrase used in the New Testament especially of Jesus’ death and resurrection. A search of the New Testament for the phrase, “third day” reveals 16 passages each in KJV and NKJV. All but two of the 16 passages in the NT refer to Jesus’ resurrection on the third day. One other one (John 2:1) refers to a wedding day in Cana of Galilee where Jesus’ first miracle occurred, turning the water into wine. It can be argued that this specific “third day” miracle was also a precursor to His third day resurrection when joy would be brought to the full and Jesus would inaugurate His wedding with the Church body.
1. Matt 16:21 “From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.”
2. Matt 17:23 “…and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up.” And they were exceedingly sorrowful.”
3. Matt 20:19 “…and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again.”
4. Matt 27:64 “Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’ So the last deception will be worse than the first.”
5. Mark 9:31 “For He taught His disciples and said to them, “The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And after He is killed, He will rise the third day.””
6. Mark 10:34 ““…and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.””
7. Luke 9:22 “…saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.”
8. Luke 13:32 “And He said to them, “Go, tell that fox [Herod], ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.’”
9. Luke 18:33 “They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.”
10. Luke 24:7 “…saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’”
11. Luke 24:21 “But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today (Sunday) is the third day since these things happened.”
12. Luke 24:46 “Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day,“
13. John 2:1-4 “On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. 3 And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.””
14. Acts (written by Luke) 10:40 “Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly,”
15. Acts 27:19 refers to Paul’s shipwreck.
16. 1 Cor 15:4 “…and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,”
The Third Day
“As the number Seven,” says Mr. Ainsworth, “is of especial use in Scripture because of the Sabbath day, Genesis 2:2, so Three is a mystical number because of Christ’s rising from the dead the third day, Matthew 17:23; 1 Corinthians 15:4; as he was crucified the third hour after noon, Mark 15:25: and Isaac, as he was a figure of Christ, in being the only son of his father, and not spared but offered for a sacrifice, Romans 8:32, so in sundry particulars he resembled our Lord: the third day Isaac was to be offered up, so it was the third day in which Christ also was to be perfected, Luke 13:32; Isaac carried the wood for the burnt-offering, Genesis 22:6, so Christ carried the tree whereon he died, John 19:17; the binding of Isaac, Genesis 21:9, was also typical, so Christ was bound, Matthew 27:2. “In the following remarkable cases this number also occurs. Moses desired to go three days’ journey in the wilderness to sacrifice, Exodus 5:3; and they traveled three days in it before they found water, Exodus 15:22; and three days’ journey the ark of the covenant went before them, to search out a resting place, Numbers 10:33; by the third day the people were to be ready to receive God’s law, Exodus 19:11; and after three days to pass over Jordan into Canaan, Joshua 1:14; the third day Esther put on the apparel of the kingdom, Esther 5:1; on the third day Hezekiah, being recovered from his illness, went up to the house of the Lord, 2 Kings 20:5; on the third day, the prophet said, God will raise us up and we shall live before him, Hosea 6:2; and on the third day, as well as on the seventh, the unclean person was to purify himself, Numbers 19:12: with many other memorable things which the Scripture speaks concerning the third day, and not without mystery. See Genesis 40:12, 13; 42:17, 18; Jonah 1:17; Joshua 2:16; unto which we may add a Jew’s testimony in Bereshith Rabba, in a comment on this place: There are many Three Days mentioned in the Holy Scripture, of which one is the resurrection of the Messiah.”—Ainsworth.
The Gospel Writer, Matthew, Contrasts and Compares Similar Events Between the Giving of the Law and the Resurrection
Matthew intentionally uses various descriptions throughout his gospel to show that Jesus is fulfilling Moses as “the new Moses.” These descriptions between Matthew’s gospel account of the resurrection and the giving of the law are not accidental, but rather are part of Matthew’s intention to support his idea that Jesus is the new Moses. This subject is better covered in, 40 Questions about The Historical Jesus by C. Marvin Pate, p.267 (see question #28 – “What Is the Main Message of Matthew about Jesus?”). Below are some the comparisons between Exodus 19 and Matthew’s resurrection account.
Exodus 19:11 “And let them be ready for the third day. For on the third day the LORD will come down upon Mt Sinai in the sight of all the people.” Now this was strange because in the Ancient Near East (ANE) every city of significant size had a ziggurat (pyramids with steps) in the city in which the pagan priest would climb the stairs to the top of the ziggurat to offer sacrifices and earn favor with the gods. A demonstration of the works of man to sacrifice, appease and call out to pagan gods.
Mt. Sinai is a ziggurat in the wilderness where Moses went up, but God came down. In all other religions, mankind goes up to earn favor with pagan gods, but here the one true God warns Moses and the people He is coming down.
1. A. Giving of the Law – Exodus 19:11, 20 Then the LORD came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain on the third day in the sight of all the people.
1.B. Resurrection – the LORD was crucified and seen by all and then arose and was seen by people on the third day (Luke 24:19, 21).
2.A. Law – Exodus 19:12, 23 “You shall set bounds for the people all around, saying, ‘Take heed to yourselves that you do not go up to the mountain or touch its base. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.'” When the law came down, it set boundaries and brought death with it. “Set bounds around the mountain!”
2.B. Resurrection – Before Jesus was raised from the dead, men made the tomb secure, sealed the stone (setting boundaries) and set the guard (Matt 27:66). When Jesus arose, He conquered our enemy (death) once and for all! It was Roman guards who became like dead men (Matt 28:4). After Jesus arose, dead people arose from their graves (Matt 27:52) and liberty and freedom from death and sin came (Gal 5:1, 13).
3.A. Law – Exodus 19:13 “Not a hand shall touch him (the person that touches the mountain in any way), but he shall surely be stoned or shot with an arrow, whether man or beast, he shall not live.”
3.B. Resurrection – When Mary was crying in the garden at the tomb, the risen Jesus spoke to her!!! When considering the holiness of God contrasted through the lens of the law, this is amazing! “Mary!” She had such an intimate relationship with Jesus, she recognized His voice immediately! “Rabboni!” She saw the risen Christ in the Garden by the tomb when Jesus (probably politely and gently) told Mary not to cling to Him for He had not yet ascended to His Father. (John 20:15-16) “And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, ‘Rejoice!’ [which is contrasted to the natural fear in Exodus and when seeing a risen Jesus] And they came and held Him by the feet (contrast that to not touching the base of the mountain) and worshiped Him” (Matt 28:9). Jesus allowed the touching (He told Thomas to put his hand in His side and do it while believing). We can now approach God! What great, awesome and joyful news!
4.A. Law – Exodus 19:10, 14 “Then the LORD said Moses, ‘Go to the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes.'” v. 14 “Then Moses went down from the mountain to the people and sanctified the people, and they washed their clothes.”
4. B. Resurrection – At the resurrection, the clothing of the descended angel was “as white as snow” (Matt 28:3). The fine linen (clean and bright) is given (a gift) to the saints. “The linen is the righteous acts of the saints” (Rev 19:8). This linen is imputed righteous works (“which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” – Eph 2:10b) as a result of grace through faith for the saints, not our own doing. It’s one reason the church at Sardis has filthy garments, because their works were not perfect (i.e. they trusted in their own works and obedience to the law), thus dirtying the clean and bright (righteous robes) of Jesus Christ. Jesus warns these people in His church who “defile their garments” with self-effort law and obedience instead of obeying from a heart of love from Him (1 John 4:19-21) to, “Repent! and you shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.” The only way to be worthy is to be counted worthy by God. These in Sardis have a name that they’re alive, but they are about to die because they trust their obedience more than trusting Jesus Christ. Repent! He who overcomes (the self and its Pharisaical works of the law which Paul said was like dung – Phil 3:7-8), that overcomer SHALL (no stronger legal term than that) be clothed in white garments.” (Rev 3:1-5)
5.A. Law – Exodus 19:16 “Then it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the trumpet was very loud, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled.”
5.B. Resurrection – The giving of the law brought death and FEAR. While there was fear by the disciples at the tomb, the perfect love of Jesus Christ casts out fear (1 John 4:18). The angels and Jesus commanded the women and disciples to REJOICE!!! Matthew describes the descended angel’s countenance as “like lightning.”
Posted in Uncategorized
In Uganda poverty and suffering is rampant. UN statistics place 50% of the nation below the UN poverty level. One of the most asked questions is, “If God 
exists, why is there suffering and evil in the world?” William Lane Craig was asked this question at the University of Iowa. His response is quoted below. I have read it again and again and hope you find it as insightful as I did. I have emphasized in bold certain segments that were meaningful to me.
WL Craig’s answer:
“There are so many things one would like to say about this profound question (of evil and suffering). Let me just add a couple points. I think one of the reasons we tend to find the problem of suffering and evil in the world so intractable, is 
because we just sort of naturally assume that if God exists, then His purpose in life for us must be human happiness in this life. That God’s purpose is to make us happy. And the suffering and the gratuitous pain in this life don’t seem to contribute to that end.”
“But you see on a Christian world and life view that assumption is false. The purpose of life is not human happiness as such, but rather the knowledge of God, which in the end will lead to ultimate human fulfillment and happiness. And there are many evils and sufferings in this life, which I think are utterly gratuitous with respect to producing human happiness, but which may not be gratuitous with respect to producing a deeper knowledge of God either on the part of the sufferer or on the part of those around him.”
“And I strongly suspect that it may well be the case that only in a world involving a great deal of gratuitous natural and moral evil that the maximum number of people would come freely to a knowledge of God and His salvation. And I say this not simply by faith, but really on the empirical basis of the demographics of the world today. If you read around the world where the Gospel is increasing and multiplying at its most rapid rates, there is almost a 1:1 correlation with countries where intense suffering is 
occurring. And where the growth of the church is moribund, and the church is flabby and the growth rates are flat, is in the west where we are so comfortable and so content. But the countries like El Salvador, China, Ethiopia, countries in Africa – where the Gospel is growing at amazing rates – it is precisely in those countries where intense moral and natural suffering has occurred.”
“So I think that we constantly need to keep in mind that God’s purposes in life are much broader than what is merely conducive to our happiness. His ultimate purposes are to establish the Kingdom of God. And what we suffer should always be seen in light of that greater overarching purpose.”
“That leads me to a second comment that I want to make. That our suffering always needs to be seen, I believe, in light of the cross. Because God shows us in the cross that He is not a distant or grounded(?) Being or impersonal Creator who cooly sits by and watches us suffer. When people ask, when they go through intense suffering, ‘Where is God?’ then we ought to point them to the cross and say, ‘There is God.’ God is a God who enters into our world of suffering, and takes upon Himself the unimaginable suffering of bearing the penalty of the sins of the whole world, even though He was completely innocent. If anyone could complain of the problem of innocent suffering, it would have been Jesus of Nazareth. And though He was innocent, He took upon Himself the death penalty of sin that you and I deserved. And therefore seen in light of the cross the problem of evil takes on an entirely different perspective. 
When we see His suffering we now realize that the problem is not how God could justify Himself to us. The problem is how I, filled with wickedness and sin and morally guilty before God can be justified before Him. And I believe that when we look at the cross, we can say to ourselves as we go through times of suffering, ‘If God would go to that extent, if His love would carry Him to those depths for me, then surely out of my love for Him I can bear this burden that He has asked me to bear through this short life that I am enduring now.’ And I believe that this can give us the grace and strength to endure what God calls upon us to endure during this life.”
My comments:
In Uganda, too often, the “answer” to life’s problems becomes money. But as we know in the States, money will not bring ultimate fulfillment or happiness. Good grief, how shaky is the world’s financial system? One hint of trouble, and the markets are negatively affected. The world’s financial system seems to have the strength of iron, yet the fragility and frailty of clay.
Equip Uganda seeks to provide real answers and fulfillment in life by providing physical answers to life’s needs, as well as the ultimate spiritual answer to life, that of the Truth, found in no one else but Jesus Christ. The answers are not quick and easy answers. But they are answers that bring ultimate fulfilling satisfaction and contentment.
Posted in Beliefs, Lifestyle Changes
Tagged abuse, benevolent God, Christian world view, fulfillment, happiness, hurt, kingdom of God, money, pain, poverty, purpose, satisfaction, Truth, Uganda, why evil, why suffering
Two young men forced to the street. Challenged to respond and work. With God’s motivation and blessing, they succeed, learning responsibility, putting God first and other lessons.
Webster defines the word, “success” as, “an event that accomplishes its intended purpose.” How sweet it is when a person you’re relating with and teaching succeeds – accomplishing the intended purpose.
Raza and Daijon (not their real names) are two Karamojong brothers I met one particular Saturday outside of Masese III slum while Michelle was assisting in leading a community Bible study in Masese. Raza is 19 and Daijon is 18.
The Karamojong people are an ethnic group of what Wikipedia calls “agro-pastoral herders” who live in northeastern Uganda, occupying about one-tenth of the country. Articles on-line and Ugandans generally consider the K’jongs to
Karamojong Woman – no copyright found.
be uncivilized, primitive, obstinate and fierce as evidenced by their cattle rustling, primitive conditions, solving conflicts with force and perhaps even the long-standing tribal tradition of achieving manhood and marriage by the young male taking on his desired bride in a wrestling match. If he wins, he achieves manhood and the opportunity to enter into dowry negotiations with the female’s father. If he loses, it is said he marries a person outside the K’jong tribe.
Because of these traits, practices and other issues, there is a well-known Ugandan saying, which was uttered by the first president of Uganda in the 1960’s, which set the tone for how Ugandans view the K’jong. The saying goes like this, “We shall not wait for the Karamojong to develop.” Thus Ugandans separated and excluded or “cast out” these tribal peoples from the rest of Ugandan society. Even in Christian churches in Uganda, derogatory comments can be heard about K’jong.
These two brothers I met on a Saturday about seven months ago had traveled with their parents in 2000 to the big town of Jinja from northeastern Uganda, seeking to break out of village life and seeking an education and improved living. Eight years later, and little progress, the boys’ parents died of disease. Life was difficult, and at 13 and 12 years old the boys shifted to their grandmother’s care.
Education had been paid by the parents. Now education would be even more of a challenge. Public education for Ugandans is not cheap. The average income of a Ugandan is $500 per year. A school year consists of three terms, and the parents or children are expected to pay school fees of $80 – $150 per child per term, or $240 – $450 per child per year.
When I met Raza and Daijon around October of 2013 they had been out of school for a few years – no funds. They had completed the US equivalent of freshmen in high school.
On the Saturdays we were able to meet I spent some time with the brothers challenging them, asking about their faith and home life. They seemed spiritually connected to Jesus, at least for teenage boys.
Then at Christmas break the grandmother decided to return with the boys to the village in northern Uganda, basically to return for the remainder of her life. Raza and Daijon were taken to the village and then just before school started in Jinja they were sent back to stay with another family. After getting some assistance they started their sophomore year (Senior 2) in January of this year.
I started meeting again with these two once their first school term finished. The last day of April, I received a phone call from Daijon. I could tell something wasn’t right. He only asked me if I would be at Masese on Saturday. I assured him I would. The next night I got a phone call from Daijon telling me he and Raza had nowhere to stay. They had been “chased from the house where they were staying” and now were sleeping outside for the night. I sympathized with him and talked to my teammate, Jeremy who has worked in Masese for five years. He suggested since they were of age (18 is an adult in Uganda), they needed to come up with a plan to get off the street. Jeremy prayed with me that things would work out and that God would lead.
So early Saturday evening I took Jeremy’s advice and prayed with Raza and 
Daijon. Then asked them what their plan was as the sun was just starting to set on the horizon. Their plan was simple – for me to find them a place to stay. Although I did feel some responsibility, I was determined to take the more challenging road and put the problem back to them. So I asked them what they thought God wanted them to do.
The typical teenage response followed, shrugged shoulder and a “no idea” kind of look. So we started talking and I helped them walk through their options – some I had come up with prior to the conversation. At the end of the discussion, the options were not so encouraging. They either return to the village in the north (and I would pay their transport) or they start the task of working for a living, perhaps buying and re-selling food or other items here in Jinja. They did not want to return to the village. So I gave each of them the equivalent of $4.00 US and told them I expected when I showed up the following Saturday that they will have added to the $4.00 (10,000 shillings), not just spent it. I illustrated what I was doing by explaining Jesus’ parable of the talents and how the workers were to bring back an increase. They said they understood. We also prayed that the woman who was housing them (who chased them away) would have her heart soften and let them back in. These two young men said she would not soften her heart, but I encouraged them to pray and seek God.
When I returned yesterday (Saturday), Raza showed up. Normally when he sees me he always smiles, and yesterday was no different. He’s the quiet one of the two. Daijon talks constantly. I asked how this past week went. He was happy to report that the lady let them back in! This woman has no legal responsibility to these boys that I know. Plus these two young men are adults. This really surprised me, but then again, we had prayed about it.
Raza said he had taken his 10,000 shillings, went to Jinja and bought two small chickens for 5,000 shillings each. He returned to his community and sold them for 7,000 shillings each. He had 14,000 shillings in his pocket, which he showed me after I asked to see it.
The confidence on Raza’s face was clear. I was thrilled. I shared with Raza how to set aside the money he has for capital, use it to buy more chickens or other items he can sell and how to use his profits, including taking part of the profit and giving it to others in need, as God commands us to do.
We talked about schooling the remainder of the year and I asked Raza if it were possible would he want the funds for school to go toward his business or toward schooling. I fully expected him to say he would prefer the money for business, but he didn’t. He wants to complete his education and is concerned he will not finish it.
Michelle at a Jack Fruit tree on the Nile River.
Daijon did not make the meeting. He thought since it had rained earlier in the day I would not come. But I found today (Sunday) when I called Daijon that he had bought four jack fruit (see photo) for 10,000 shillings and sold each for 500 shillings profit, a gain of 2,000 shillings.
What an encouragement, not just to me, but to these two young men. Raza was beaming. We prayed a
Jack Fruit Inside
prayer of thanksgiving to God and asked God to continue encouraging them. I hope this success will be an encouragement to them to work and not respond like so many do in the slum to feel defeated and oppressed. If you feel led by God to contribute to Raza and Daijon’s schooling for this year so they can finish their sophomore year, they will need 200,000 shillings (about $80 US) each for two terms (or $320 US total). You can send the money to Equip and earmark for Wise ministry funds. Thanks for your prayers for these guys.
———–
Update 5/17/2014: I was able to talk to both Raza and Daijon this evening. Raza bought more chickens and sold them, although he said the supplier raised the price by 1,000 shillings each, cutting into his profit. I advised him on how to handle that. Daijon made another 3,000 shillings this week selling jack fruit. Raza was so happy. He is really encouraged. And I am, too. Praise God! Also, I have a letter from him I hope to scan and post in the near future.
Posted in Stories
As mentioned in the previous blog, tragedy happens often here in Uganda. Today as Michelle and I traveled to Jinja on a 4-lane highway with traffic going about 50 – 55 mph, a toddler was crossing the two lanes of traffic ahead of us – in the middle of the two lanes!! I saw the kid first with both hands extended in the air to balance herself. I started blowing the horn – no response. Michelle asked, “Is that a baby in the road?”
This is the road from which Michelle rescued the toddler, although at a different location. There is normally quite a bit of traffic on it.
Our hearts were pounding! Fear gripped us as I considered the gravity of situation and whether we would witness an horrific accident and a gruesome death. Praise God no traffic was behind us. As I stopped in the fast lane, Michelle unbuckled and jumped out of her seat even before I fully stopped, and onto the highway, risking her own life. I continuously glanced from the baby, to Michelle and to my rear view mirror, as Michelle swept the toddler off her feet and carried her to safety. Now rescued, I could pull our vehicle off the road to safety.
My heart was pounding! Michelle searched for the mother, who was at a nearby landscaping market, shopping and chatting with the owner, oblivious to the horrendous situation that could potentially have unfolded. Praise God we were there. A man on a boda (motorcycle) driving the wrong way on the road, began chastising the mother. There’s irony there.
Praise God for His Grace Shown in Jesus Christ!!!
God’s grace covers our own daily neglect of our responsibilities. We should be focused on our struggling spiritual life, but we are too often busy and involved in the day-to-day transactions of the world to even notice or take care. Often God graciously swoops in through a kind act of mercy and covers us, rescuing us from the dangers of sin.
Michelle and I both came close to crying. We have not experienced such a potential for disaster, and it stayed with us for miles down the road. We just praise God for His grace and protection, allowing us to rescue a baby who might have been killed.
The source (beginning) of the Nile River is just a few minutes from where we stay here outside Jinja.
Mark standing at Bujagali Falls on the Nile River, just a few miles north of the Nile’s source, Lake Victoria.
The Nile is a powerful river that flows more than 1,600 miles north from Uganda through Sudan and Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea. The river is deep, wide and long.
Anna Poindexter, a single young lady from Colorado mentioned at our home church gathering this afternoon how she was standing by the mighty Nile when the Spirit brought to her mind how God’s love is like the Nile – deep, wide, and long with a continuous, unending source. She asked, “Where does that water come from?”
She’s right. Paul writes to the Ephesians in 1:7-8 In (Jesus) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence..”
Grace in and of itself is…well…gracious. But notice the words, “riches” and “abound.” When I think of riches I think back to my childhood when I read comic books, especially the unlimited supply of wealth like Scrooge McDuck (Donald Duck’s uncle) had in the rooms in his house and swimming pool.
The idea of riches comes from my childhood days when I read comic books. Used legally from Free ClipArt.
Remember those pictures? The coins and money were literally piled in his pool like water and filled his rooms. God is so rich and He wants to share His wealth! His riches are not just shared with us, they abound – plenteous and copious amounts!
As I mentioned in the previous blog (below), Jesus is our source of strength. So many times I want to err back to trusting in my obedience instead of trusting and resting in Jesus Christ, the very source of our strength.
The Nile water just keeps flowing continually – I saw it again today. The source of our strength, like the Nile, is the riches of God’s grace, love and mercy found in His Son Jesus Christ! How awesome is that? It’s so awesome it gives a dead person LIFE that springs up eternally!
Posted in Beliefs, Lifestyle Changes
Tagged God, grace, Jesus, love, mercy, power, rivers of living water, source of strength, weak
The way to be eternally secure is to cleave to, trust, rely on and have faith in (believe in) Jesus Christ! The way to be eternally insecure is to cleave to, trust in, rely on and have faith in anything else, even one’s obedience to God’s perfect law. The latter will fail a person. The first will secure a person. His name, Jesus, means God is salvation.
When I trust in my obedience to God’s law I fail to see my own terrible lack and deficiency, my own disobedience. I fail (come short of, be deficient in, cease to be furnished with, be cut off from the supply) in life by focusing on the idolatrous illusion of my own obedience to the detriment of my Savior, Jesus Christ. When I trust in my obedience to God’s law I am blinded to the miserable, pitiful decay, lack and deficiency of my own need – the very reason Jesus died. Therefore when I trust in my obedience to God’s law and commandments, my obedience is idolatrously exalted and the Source, the very Source of Life is relegated to an inferior position.
To believe in (be habitually, routinely committed to) Jesus Christ is to trust (assured resting of the mind in the veracity, integrity, justice or other sound principle of another person; confidence; reliance) in Jesus Christ (i.e. God) for my salvation. One path to failure in salvation is to trust and believe my obedience to God’s perfect commands or commandments will save me. My obedience will fail me because I am human. The source of life is not obedience. The source of my eternal life is none other than Jesus Christ, who judicially declares me justified, sanctified and to be glorified.
To be saved then starts with a simple belief in Jesus Christ (John 1:12) which over time will grow to a confident assurance (strong belief) and absolute resolved single-minded purpose and determination in Jesus Christ first and foremost, above everything else and to then obey out of thanksgiving for what God has done. As we grow we learn to not just to obey because of His gifts or His blessings, but in all assaults and barrages of lies and deceit from the enemies, in all of physical life’s circumstances we grow in Him through good times, as well as terrible suffering.
To God be the glory – He is the source of our salvation!
Update (3-21-14):
John 11:5 (Amplified Bible) “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus [They were His dear friends, and He held them in loving esteem.]”
When I read this verse this morning, it occured to me, I don’t view Jesus in the same way as Martha, Mary (her sister) and Lazarus did. That’s tragic. Why is that?
As I thought and prayed about that, it occurred to me that I still struggle in my view of God. I still see Him too often as a Being who is watching my every move to catch when I disobey so He can correct it. Do we really think thoughts like mine were the thoughts of Martha, Mary & Lazarus toward Jesus?
It’s their relationship with Jesus that better proclaims the beauty of the Gospel – God coming into His creation to build a relationship with fallen sinners, even an intimate friendship. Friends and even marriage partners don’t worry about obedience, it’s more about respect for one another. They don’t fret about obedience because obedience is not the focus of the relationship. It’s deeper than obedience, love and gratitude toward the other person are the focus. The focus of obedience is on the self.
Now certainly disciplines, “ought to’s,” and even at times “commands” are part of love. But aren’t commands and obedience more of a framework, rather than a way of life? Doesn’t the question from Jesus, “If you love Me, you will keep my commandments?” a question targeted more toward those who are immature or are children than a mature friend?
Obedience certainly is clearly addressed in the New Testament, but it seems to me (and I need more time to process this and would appreciate feedback here), that obedience issues in the New Testament relate more often to non-believers and to immature believers who need warning about going astray, using grace as a license, and taking God far too casually, etc.
Think of it: “a friend of Jesus – one who is free.” It’s a relationship concept that I trust we all desire to have with Jesus, instead of a slave relationship (which involves oppression, not freedom). That friend relationship is not to mature to a trust in obedience, but should mature into a strong relationship of trust in Jesus, the One who died for us. He’s the object of our desire, right? Or is the object obedience? I think Jesus is the object. For “a slave (a person oppressed to obey and keep commandments, who points to his obedience as to whether he is worthy enough) does not abide in the house forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:35-36). Free to be a child, a maturing believer, a dear friend and eventually an intimate spouse of the King – in His very house relating to and with Him.
Wises In Jinja, Uganda 