RESURRECTED, WHICH DAY

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=145 BGCOLOR="#3366CC" TEXT="#080000" background="083ff483.gif"> <bR> <div> <A HREF="mailto: heislord@teacher.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto: heislord@teacher.com"><U><IMG SRC="1e1456e0.gif" border=0 width="69" height="110" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <div> Any Questions?  Just E-Mail Me.</div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="084ff483.gif"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#6666FF" FACE="Arial" ><B>HE IS LORD Ministries</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#663399" FACE="Times New Roman" >    </FONT> |    <B> </B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000BF" FACE="Times New Roman" ><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="HE IS LORD Ministries"><U><B>home</B></U></A></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BIBLE STUDIES AVAILABLE"><U>BIBLE STUDIES AVAILABLE</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id73.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="ABORTION"><U>ABORTION</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="THE APOCRYPHAL BOOKS"><U>THE APOCRYPHAL BOOKS</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BIBLICAL BAPTISM"><U>BIBLICAL BAPTISM</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id71.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BIBLE PERVERSIONS"><U>BIBLE [PER]VERSIONS</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id24.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="FOR HONEST CATHOLICS"><U>FOR HONEST CATHOLICS</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="CHRISTMAS AND THE LORD OF THE MOON"><U>CHRISTMAS AND THE LORD OF THE MOON</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="THE OLD AND NEW COVENANTS"><U>THE OLD AND NEW COVENANTS</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id76.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="CHRONOLOGICAL CHART"><U>CHRONOLOGICAL CHART</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id79.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="DANIEL CHAPTER TWO"><U>DANIEL CHAPTER TWO</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="THE TRUTH ABOUT DEATH"><U>THE TRUTH ABOUT DEATH</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id30.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="DINNING GODS WAY"><U>DINNING GOD'S WAY</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id32.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="EVOLUTION"><U>EVOLUTION</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id77.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="PROCLAIM A FAST"><U>PROCLAIM A FAST</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id37.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="THE HOLY SPIRIT"><U>THE HOLY SPIRIT</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id81.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="IS THERE AN INVESTIGATIVE JUDGMENT?"><U>IS THERE AN INVESTIGATIVE JUDGMENT?</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id40.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="THE RETURN OF ISRAEL"><U>THE RETURN OF ISRAEL</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id41.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="LETTER TO A JEHOVAHS WITNESS"><U>LETTER TO A JEHOVAH'S WITNESS</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id44.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="FOR JEWS TO CONSIDER"><U>FOR JEWS TO CONSIDER</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id47.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="THE MILLENNIUM"><U>THE MILLENNIUM</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id48.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="MORMONISM"><U>MORMONISM</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id49.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="MUSIC GODS WAY"><U>MUSIC GOD'S WAY</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id50.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="QUESTIONS FOR MUSLIMS"><U>QUESTIONS FOR MUSLIMS</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id72.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="NAMES"><U>NAMES</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id70.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED"><U>ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id54.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="PREREQUISITES FOR ANSWERED PRAYER"><U>PREREQUISITES FOR ANSWERED PRAYER</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id56.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="THE RAPTURE THEORY"><U>THE RAPTURE THEORY</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id78.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="REASONS TO BELIEVE"><U>REASONS TO BELIEVE</U></A>   |   <B>RESURRECTED, WHICH DAY</B>   |   <A HREF="id58.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="THE SUNDAY SABBATH"><U>THE SUNDAY SABBATH</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id59.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="UNDERSTANDING BIBLE SALVATION"><U>UNDERSTANDING BIBLE SALVATION</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id61.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="HOW TO BE BIBLICALLY SAVED"><U>HOW TO BE BIBLICALLY SAVED</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id75.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="SIGNS OF THE SECOND COMING"><U>SIGNS OF THE SECOND COMING</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id65.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="THE TEN COMMANDMENTS AND COMMON SENSE"><U>THE TEN COMMANDMENTS AND COMMON SENSE</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id80.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="TESTS OF A TRUE PROPHET"><U>TESTS OF A TRUE PROPHET</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id74.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="GODS TITHE"><U>GOD'S TITHE</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id68.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="THE GIFT OF TONGUES"><U>THE GIFT OF TONGUES</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id69.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BIBLICAL WINE"><U>BIBLICAL WINE</U></A></div> <div> <IMG SRC="085f0050.gif" border=0 width="496" height="5" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> RESURRECTED, WHICH DAY</div> <div> <I><B><U>On Which Day Was Christ Resurrected ?</U></B></I></div> <bR> <div> At the heart of the problem is an understanding of <B>Matthew 12:40</B> - Jesus speaking:  "three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."  In Luke 24:21 we are given a very clear statement that Christ rose on Sunday:  "But we trusted that it had been He which should have redeemed Israel:  and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done."  Here Cleopas states that Sunday<B> </B>(<B>see Luke 24:1</B>) is the THIRD DAY since Christ's crucifixion.</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="mailto: heislord@teacher.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto: heislord@teacher.com"><U><IMG SRC="19c3ed80.jpg" border=0 width="318" height="216" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <bR> <div> That Christ rose on SUNDAY is so clear I do not understand why we have to question this.  Let's read some texts.  <B>Mat. 28:1</B>:  "In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the <B>first day of the week</B>."  Mark 16:2:  "And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun."  Luke 24:1:  "Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre."  John 20:1:  "The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre."  Notice Matthews account clearly establishes the fact that the weekly Sabbath, not just the Passover Sabbath, was over.  Since "the first day of the week" is Sunday, we can know that it was upon this day of the week that Christ arose.  Luke also helps us out here in Chapter 24 by establishing Sunday as the resurrection, "the first day of the week," (verse one).  For in verse 13 he states "two of them went that same day" - indisputably SUNDAY!  Then comes verse 21 in which the Bible positively defines Sunday as being "the third day since these things were done."</div> <bR> <div> Let's take a closer look at Luke 23:56.  Verse 54 gives us the fact that the preparation day occurs before "the sabbath."  Now this preparation day was "that [very] day" in which the women then "returned and prepared spices and ointments;  <B>and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment</B>."  These are two days in succession to themselves.  To deny this is to deny that a preparation day takes place before any Sabbath (discussed later).  So when we continue on with the narrative we must not loose sight of the women's objective - which was to apply the "spices and ointments."  DON'T MISS THIS KEY POINT.  Friday becomes the "preparation" day [Luke 23:54], because God's commanded rest day is the seventh day "sabbath day according to the commandment [Luke 23:56];  because "Now upon the first day of the week [which is none other than Sunday, because], very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared."  THERE IT IS!  The spices were not administered because it was the Sabbath day, but when Saturday was over, "very early" on Sunday [Luke 24:1 "the first day of the week"] they came to perform their service.  This passage is confirmed by comparing it with Mark 16:1-2.  "And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint Him.  And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun."   Continuing on, even the angles point out the fact that Sunday, not Saturday, is "the third day" when Jesus would "rise again" (Luke 24:7). </div> <bR> <div> Is a “preparation day” needed before the “Sabbath” day?  The following texts all confirm that Friday, the sixth day, is the “preparation day” before the weekly Sabbath day:  Exo. 16:22-23; Num. 15:32-36; Mat. 27:62; Mark 15:42; Luke 23:54; John 19:14,31,42.  To <B>assume</B> that John 19:31 was any other day than Friday is absurd.  The Bible clearly states “it was the preparation” day, which could only be Friday.  The Romans adopted from the Jews the seven-day week we use today.  Prior to that time the Romans had used an eight-day week, known as “numdinum.”  When the Romans adopted the seven-day week, they decided to name each day of the week after the planet-god which allegedly controlled the day (Sunday for the Sun-god, Monday for the Moon-god, etc.).  The Jewish custom was to designate the days of the week by number (that is, first day, second day, etc.).  Only the sixth and seventh day had a name, namely, “Preparation” and “Sabbath.”  To than come along and same that the “preparation day” designated any other Biblical day other than Friday is absurd.  You also can not prove that there are any preparation days [plural] before any of the “Feasts of the Lord.”  Go to Leviticus Chapter 23 and find one.  Seek for one in Numbers or Deuteronomy and you will not find one.  Therefore, the only “preparation day” acceptable to the Bible student is Friday, the sixth day of the week.  Now let's read John 19:31 correctly.  “The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation [day, FRIDAY], that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day [the weekly Sabbath day, because remember, only Friday meets the Biblical requirements for being the “preparation” day], (for that sabbath day [would be] was an high day [because Passover was going to fall upon the weekly occurring sabbath day].  While we are on the subject of a preparation day, take note of the Biblical fact that God clearly identifies His weekly occurring Sabbaths as being separate from the “feasts of the Lord” Sabbaths (verse 1 in Leviticus Chapter 23).  We can know this from verse 3, but we are assured of this when we read verse 38:  “Beside the sabbaths of the Lord.”  Don't miss this point, for Christ - Who created the Sabbath day - felt it important enough to “<B>rest</B>” in the grave on the Sabbath day which He created, just as the women did (Luke 23:56) before they came to the sepulchre “upon the first day of the week” (Luke 24:1).</div> <bR> <div> Something that is quite often mis-understood is what a "<B>High Sabbath</B>" is.  A "<B>high day</B>," or better, "<B>High Sabbath</B>" is when one of the "holy convocations" or "Feast Days," (such as Passover), falls upon the weekly cycled Holy Sabbath day.  In other words, if the 14th of Abib falls upon a Saturday, that Saturday becomes a "High Sabbath."  But if the 14th of Abib falls upon any other week day, it still is a "holy convocation" and a "Sabbath" of rest;  but separate from the weekly occurring Sabbath which wold have made it a "High Sabbath."  To use Gen. 29:7 and its "high day" as the same meaning for the "high day" found in John 19:31 is Biblically unsound.  The "high day" of Gen. 29:7 means simply and literally "a day at its height;  broad daylight."  But not a "great day" in significance of authority as we find in John 19:31.  This pushes against the context of the verse, which is talking about "high noon," for why else would they be concerned about the welfare of "the cattle" and "the Sheep" to "water" and "feed" them?  If it were a "high day" in regard to a "Feast Day of the Lord." we would read about "the cattle" and "the sheep" as being prepared for sacrifice, not to be relieved from the heat of the day, just like the context of this verse gives us.  If you truly cross reference John 19:31, it will not take you to Gen. 29:7, but to Exo. 12:18 and Num. 28:16-18, which will keep us in line with the Passover Feast.</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="mailto: heislord@teacher.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto: heislord@teacher.com"><U><I><B><U><IMG SRC="2db04c30.jpg" border=0 width="260" height="195" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></B></I></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <I><B><U>THREE NIGHTS</U></B></I></div> <bR> <div> A multitude of scriptures support Christ as being "physically in the grave" for only two nights (Mat. 16:4,21; 17:23; 20:19; 26:61; 27:40,63; Mark 8:31; 10:34; 14:58; 15:29; Luke 9:22; 13:32; 18:33; 24:7; John 2:19-20, see also 2Ki. 18:9-10 & Luke 13:32-33).  I must admit that for Christ to be "physically in the grave" for only TWO NIGHTS does present traditional Christendom with a problem in regard to this text (Mat. 12:40).  The problem is the focal point of the verse under consideration.  We focus upon the problem of "three nights" and not upon the solution of "in the heart of the earth."  This is the key to understanding the verse correctly. </div> <bR> <div> In order for Jesus to be resurrected on Sunday morning, as MOST Bible scholars affirm, He would have to be "in the heart of the earth," Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.  But what does "in the heart of the earth" really encompass?  Since the "Feasts of the Lord" and the Sacrificial system - in particular the Passover - should point to, line up with, and collimate in the crucifixion of Christ, an important event to understand is:  WHEN EXACTLY WERE THE SINS OF THE WORLD PLACED UPON THE "LAMB OF GOD?"  </div> <bR> <div> The Levitical lamb was slain on the 14th day of the month of Abib, and then eaten "that night," meaning the 15th day (as in the Biblical reckoning of when a day begins, see Genesis Chapter One, "and the evening [begin of the day] and the morning were the _____ day").  This (the 14th day of Abib) can be found and studied in Lev. 23:5; Exo. 12:6; Num. 9:2-5; 26:16; Deu. 16:1-6; Eze. 45:21-22.  Just as the priest laid the sins of the congregation (Israel) upon the "unblemished" and "spotless" (sinless) lamb before it was to be sacrificed, so Christ, the "Lamb of God," took upon Himself "the sins of the whole world," (1 John 2:2) BEFORE He went to the cross.  It is argued that in John 12:1:  "Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany..." (from Jericho).  The Friday view would make six days earlier the weekly Holy Sabbath day, and on this day such a journey was legally out of the question for a devout Jew.  However, since the Passover meal was eaten on Friday evening, after sundown (making that Saturday), six days earlier would be Saturday night (or the end of the weekly Sabbath - Sunday), when Jesus began His journey to Jericho.  So back to our question - exactly when were the sins of the world placed upon Christ?</div> <bR> <div> Jesus Himself gives us this timing as being on Thursday evening in His statements referring to "<B>the hour</B>."  Matthew 26:45:  "Then cometh He to His disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest:  behold, <B>the hour</B> is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners."  Mark 14:41:  "And He cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, <B>the hour</B> is come;  behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners."  Luke 22:14:  "And when <B>the hour</B> was come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him."  John 16:32:  "Behold, <B>the hour</B> cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave Me alone:  and yet I Am not alone, because the Father is with Me."  John 17:1:  "These words spake Jesus, and lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, Father, <B>the hour</B> is come;  glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son also may glorify Thee."  It now becomes clear that Jesus began to fulfil the requirements of the sacrificial Lamb by taking upon Himself "the sins of the world" THURSDAY night.  And as the sacrificial Lamb He begins His journey "in the heart of the earth" for "three days and three nights."  Remember, Christ's "<B>hour</B>" had been planned since the <B>foundation of the world</B> (Rev. 13:8; see also Mat. 25:34; 1Co. 2:7; Eph. 1:4; Heb. 4:3; 9:26; 1Pe. 1:20).  He had anticipated His "hour" throughout His life on the earth (Isa. 53:10-11).  To Him, the "hour" of His death would be the "hour" He would bear the sins of the world.  Note also that Christ's "hour" of death, would also be His 'hour" of <B>glory</B>, for He would "glorify" His Father just as His Father would "glorify" Him.  We find this in Christ's prayer just before entering into the garden of Gethsemane (John 17:1; see also John 13:32).</div> <bR> <div> <B>No one should argue that Christ did not fulfil the conditions required for being the sacrificial Lamb</B>.  He was sinless and it would be at the point He took sin upon Himself that He, in essence, was condemned to die.  Just as we are condemned because "the wages of sin is death," Rom. 6:23.  It was thus Thursday night that was "the hour" when the sins were placed upon Christ, commencing the sacrificial service (Passover) on the 14th day of the month Abib, and the fulfillment of the "three days and three nights."  It is interesting to note that Christ celebrated the Passover meal on the 14th day of the month instead of the 15th, because He knew He would be in the tomb on the 15th.  Consider this also.  Why did Jesus choose the bread and wine instead of the flesh and blood of a lamb as the emblems of the new Passover?  Jesus knew His followers would no longer need to sacrifice a lamb at Passover and that their Passover Lamb "had been sacrificed," 1Co. 5:7.  The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, which began Thursday night, brought to an end to the sacrificial system, including that of the Passover lamb.  Had Christ chosen flesh and blood from a lamb to represent His atoning sacrifice, He would have perpetuated the sacrificial system which was designed to come to an end with His death on the Cross (Matt 27:51). By choosing instead the bread and wine (non-sacrificial elements of the Passover meal) as the emblems of His atoning death, Jesus detached the new Passover from the sacrificial system and transformed it into a fitting memorial of His redemption.  This radical transformation can be seen also, for example, in the cup of blessing of the paschal meal which becomes the cup of salvation:  "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ?  The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?"  1Co. 10:16. </div> <bR> <div> At this point someone might ask, Why don't we just go back into history astronomically and find which day did the 14th of the month of Abib fall upon?  <I><B>TWO REASONS</B></I>:  1) Not all Christians agree upon the exact year that Christ was crucified, even though the prophetic prophecies of Daniel clearly specify which year it was.  2) Most Bible commentators agree that we can not be certain which calendar was in use at that time in History.  Astronomers are divided as to 30AD or 31AD for the 14th of Abib falling on a Thursday or Friday of either year.  The question arises as to whether the Jews (or which Jews) were using the Roman Calendar, Armenian Calendar, or even if the Jewish Calendar was still being used.  Eclipses have not been able to be traced clearly enough to determine the days of 31AD.</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="mailto: heislord@teacher.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto: heislord@teacher.com"><U><IMG SRC="22532320.gif" border=0 width="50" height="50" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>