Three Days and Three Nights - Why Not Three Nights and Three Days? Isn't order important?

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Created 5927± 05 08 2023 [2007-07-23]

Updated 5929± 02 22 2025 [2009-05-18]

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The Sign of Jonah!

“Three Days and Three Nights”

Why Not “Three Nights and Three Days?”

Isn’t Order and Timing of the Essence?

Abstract:

According to biblical time reckoning there were indeed “three days and three nights” when Yeshua was a subject of the State, i.e. in the whale’s belly, the belly of the Beast (cf. Revelation 12:4!) This period began when Judas sold Yeshua some time subsequent to the beginning of the eve of the Third Day of the week [Monday night after dark] and ended at the beginning of the process of crucifixion. The first partial night is not counted, but is a so called access period. The light part of the Sixth Day is not counted either as it is not a full day.

Come to think about it, considering that we have here two separate and quite remarkable 72 hour periods constituting Jonah’s sign: One 72 hour period pointing forwards in time, “three days and three nights” (sun rise 3^rd Day – sun rise 6^th Day,) and another one pointing backwards in time, again “three days and three nights” (counting backwards from resurrection at sun set 3^rd Day – burial at sun set of the 6^th Day:) What is the focal point? What in deed is the Sign of Jonah? The first period ends at sun rise on the Sixth Day [Friday] morning, the second begins (ends) at the beginning of the Seventh Day at sunset: What’s in between? It’s the Preparation Day, is it not? But, isn’t that reminiscent of that 1888 message appropriately named Righteousness by Faith? And isn’t that message all about walking the Way, step by little step, under the guidance of our very personal Saviour?: Christ our Righteousness? It is, is it not? So, are we being marked, characterized, by that sign? Am I? Isn’t this a chief characteristic of God’s true Sons and Daughters? And isn’t that sign very intimately tied to the 7^th Day Sabbath, the very beginning of it? To be ready in time to receive the blessings…

So when did all this begin? Judas sold Yeshua on the eve of the Third Day (Monday night,) did he not? Jeshua was released out of the tomb on the eve of the Third Day, was he not? One week! Seven days! What happened “in the middle of that week?” Yeshua was being brought to his crucifixion, was he not?! What did Daniel say in his prophecy?:

Dan 9:27 KJV And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

And when did these seven days begin? On the Fourteenth Day of the Moon! (Cf. “ordinances:” Jeremiah 31:35-36!) Again, that is Preparation Day, is it not? It is! So, the beginning is about Preparation, the focal point is about Preparation Day… and at both ends there is Mary with spices and ointment! What is that all about?

The significance of this sign – as the one and only sign given us – should be awesome, while certainly given to each and all of us as a warning from a most loving Father and Creator of all lest we all end up dead by our own undoing, whether slowly and surely by our own ignorant habits, or more rapidly by any other means.

Here’s a thought: If I identify with the one “in the midst of the week” and if I am surrounded by a uterine wall of Mary: Who is calling me to “Come out of her, ye my people!?”

Here’s another: If I am being the One in the middle: First, for a little time (3 days and 3 nights; 3x3 months &c.,) being intimately one with my mother, then, as it may appear, I am on my own for a little while (sunrise to sunset; a life on my own,) and things don’t seem to go quite as I may wish they would, yet, at last there is hope to be found when I am buried alone with none but my father and Creator… And then what!?

And a third: Father & Mother: The foundation of every family, resulting in life, offspring, joy, me…

Considerations:

I have long been wondering about the exact order of the wording – days before nights - found in Matthew 12:40 (cf. Matt. 16:4; Luke 11:29-30:)

Matthew 12:40 KJV For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly;

so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

One important stimulus to this entire New Testament chronology study is that of Dr. Lorraine Day who first showed me a count of three twenty four hour periods from the time when Judas sold Yeshua into the jurisdiction of men until the time of Yeshua’s burial in the tomb. However, notice that her counting is different from what I perceive. Quoting from her article “Was Jesus REALLY Resurrected on Sunday?” (cache):

- - - - - - Beginning of quote - - - - - -

NOW LET'S PUT IT ALL TOGETHER!

1) The "three days and three nights" are literal 24-hour time periods and

2) they begin on Tuesday night, the first betrayal by Judas (2 days before the Passover) and end on Friday night.
Tuesday night, Wednesday night, Thursday night = 3 nights.
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday = 3 days.

3) Jesus was NOT dead during that time (heart of the earth), just as Jonah was not dead during his 3 days and 3 nights in the whale's belly. Jesus was in the "heart of the earth" (surrounded by the inhabitants of the earth, unable to escape), because His doom was set!

4) He died at 3:00 P.M. Friday afternoon, was placed in the tomb BEFORE sundown, but was resurrected immediately AFTER sundown at the very beginning of the 7th day Sabbath (Friday evening). (By the way, God didn't need the angels to roll away the stone for His resurrection, but humans needed that to happen so they could look in and see that Jesus was gone.)

Additional confirming evidence.

a) Isaac (a type of Christ) was to be sacrificed by Abraham on Mt. Moriah. It took 3 days to get there (Genesis 22:4,8) During that time, Isaac was alive but (as far as Abraham knew) Isaac's doom was set!

b) The Passover lamb was to be taken and held ALIVE, but unable to escape, for 3-4 days before it was sacrificed, from the 10th to the 14th day. (Exodus 12:3) Like Jesus, the authentic Passover lamb, it was alive but it's doom was set!

When the Passover lamb was sacrificed and prepared for the Passover meal, it was to be eaten and NONE was to be left until morning. Jesus, the Passover Lamb, was also NOT left in the tomb until morning. Exodus 12:10

5) Jesus died at 3:00 P.M. Friday afternoon and He was placed in the tomb right before sundown Friday night. And He was resurrected right AFTER sundown at the beginning of the Seventh day Sabbath (Sabbath was, and is, from sundown Friday night to sundown Saturday night), so His body "did NOT see corruption!"

6) His resurrection occurred on SABBATON the Seventh day Sabbath - as would be expected because the Seventh day Sabbath is God's DAY throughout the ENTIRE Bible in both the Old and New Testament.

7) The Seventh day Sabbath was declared holy by God at the end of Creation week (see Genesis 2:1-4) and has been God's holy day ever since.
Also, Jesus was resurrected at the beginning of the Seventh-day Sabbath, which symbolically looks forward to the millennial "Sabbath Rest."

- - - - - - End of quote - - - - - -

After communicating with Dr. Lorraine Day again yesterday re this matter, it came to me early this morning while I was yet in bed that considering that:

1. It seems clear that Judas sold Yeshua after the beginning of the Third Day [after nightfall on Monday night];

2. Biblical time reckoning is consistently using accession periods preceding but not included in the subsequent complete time periods being reckoned;

3. There are six, not three, periods of time named in Matthew 12:40 and that the order of those time periods as named must be of some significance;

4. Considering the dark portion of the Third Day, after Judas sold Yeshua, as an accession period, I do indeed find that the first complete time period (of the six named in Matt. 12:40) is day, not night;

5. Accordingly, the given time period, “three days and three nights,” ends at dawn on the Sixth Day;

6. It’s been my experience that whenever a prisoner is being transferred from one place to another he is being aroused from his sleep very early, usually at, or even before, dawn;

7. Yeshua repeatedly used the term “lifted up” (John 3:14; 8:28; 12:32, 34; (13:18) ) in reference to an event usually associated with the crucifixion, an event which may, however, well include more than just the actual raising of the cross upon which Yeshua had been nailed. For instance, those words may pertain also to raising Yeshua up from his last night of rest prior to the crucifixion on the Sixth Day, and, yes, even to Judas’ selling of Yeshua, i.e. Judas’ “lift[ing] up his heel against” Yeshua:

Joh 3:14 KJV And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

Joh 8:28 KJV Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

Joh 12:32 KJV And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

Joh 12:34 KJV The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth forever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?

Joh 13:18 KJV I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.

Cf. also:

Luk 21:28 KJV And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh,

I find that there are indeed exactly “three [full] days and three [full] nights,” in that order from the time that Yeshua was sold until he was being crucified. I find it very characteristic that this specified time period references man’s futile efforts of solving a problem, i.e. beginning with Judas’ action and ending with the crowning event of crucifixion and death.

Once man’s efforts were ended, Yeshua’s body was once more back in his Creator’s domain and jurisdiction and another 72 hour period begins, this time beginning with the dark portion in accord with God’s reckoning of time. Interestingly, the accession period preceding sunset on that Sixth Day, consisted of another distinct and separate light period preceded by a darkness lasting three hours that still remains astronomically unexplained (Matt. 27:45; Mark 15:33; Luke 23:44.) Thus God’s time reckoning relative to this event begins with a complete period of light regardless of from what end you start counting the time!

Thus, just as pointed out by Dr. Lorraine Day, the key event referenced by the terms “in the whale's belly” and “in the heart of the earth” in Matthew 12:40 is Yeshua’s being subject to the arbitration of men, not primarily the time spent in the grave.

So what may be one important lesson for each of us out of this study?:

Well, for me at least it is that putting my trust in men, that is delegating my authority to a State or to a Government elected by each participating voter, whether by ballot or otherwise, is futile and leading eventually only to suffering and death. Do you see that? For me this means renouncing my allegiance, i.e. citizenship, to every man made State, and, yes, even my formal memberships in every church organized, i.e. registered, under such a State.

Like Yeshua, we too, when left to our own wits at the end of the rope, may feel at first forsaken by our heavenly Father, but in the end He alone is the only One who is able to perfectly resolve the problem and save us out of the mire.

Mat 27:46 KJV And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Mar 15:34 KJV And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Isn’t it about time for each of us to heed the message of the Fourth Angel in Revelation 18:4:

Rev 18:4 KJV And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

Notice also the lessons inherent in the fact that on the very next morning, on the weekly Sabbath morning, the Waving of the First Fruits was to take place per the instructions of Yahweh! What lessons may we draw from this event? E.g. in re to the processes our Creator uses for restoration and for granting us new life?

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