3 DAYS AND 3 NIGHTS --- 72 HOURS --- IN THE HEART OF THE EARTH
MATTHEW 12:40
ANOTHER SCRIPTURE TESTIFYING TO A WEDNESDAY CRUCIFIXION
[ i.e.., THERE ARE ONLY ABOUT 38 HOURS
BETWEEN FRIDAY'S DEATH AT 3 P.M.
AND SUNDAY'S RESURRECTION AT 6 P.M. ]
The LORD JESUS spent 3 days and 3 nights
in the heart of the earth, according to Scripture.
For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son+ of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. ~ Words of The LORD JESUS CHRIST , as recorded in Matthew 12:40
So... what was HE+ doing in the HEART OF THE EARTH
for 3 days and 3 nights ??
PREACHING!!!
1 PETER 3 ~
18 For CHRIST also hath once suffered for sins, the JUST+ for the unjust, that HE+ might bring us to GOD, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the SPIRIT:
19 By which [ HIS+ SPIRIT ] also HE+ went and PREACHED unto the spirits in prison; 20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of GOD waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
What was HE+ preaching?
HE+ was preaching the Good News !
What was the Good News?
There were LOTS of tidings of Good News to proclaim !
1. Death has no more dominion over HIM+.
2. HE+ is the firstborn from the dead.
3. Death shall have no more dominion over those in CHRIST. Thus, HE+ was the MESSIAH+ promised to the Old Testament Saints; they would readily believe in HIM+.
Hear His+ Words to the unbelieving Jews:
John 8: 51 Verily, verily, I+ say unto you, If a man keep My+ Saying, he shall never see death.
John 8: 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My+ Day: and he saw it, and was glad.
Remember His+ Transfiguration, and His+ conversation with Moses and Elijah:
Luke 9:30 And, behold, there talked with HIM+ two men, which were Moses and Elias: 31 who appeared in glory, and spake of His+ decease which HE+ should accomplish at Jerusalem.
Many “Righteous Dead” who died keeping the Covenants of the Old Testament would have REJOICED to hear His+ Preaching of the Salvation Message of His+ Atoning Death. They would have been among those held Captive in Abraham’s Bosom in the heart of the earth .
HE+ would be leading the Righteous Dead who were held captive in Abraham’s Bosom ( See Luke 16 ) OUT of the Center of the Earth unto the Glorious Kingdom of HIS+ Heavenly FATHER.
We are given a glimpse of some of the Great Activity which occurred on earth at the TIME of His+ Resurrection:
Matthew 27:52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, 53 And came out of the graves after His+ Resurrection, and went into the Holy City, and appeared unto many.
This may have occurred between the time of John 20:16 and Matthew 28:9 .
In John 20, HE+ appeared to Mary and told her NOT to touch HIM+ because HE+ “had not YET ascended to His+ FATHER” .
John 20:16 JESUS saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto HIM+, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. 17 JESUS saith unto her
Touch ME+ not; for I+ am not yet ascended to My+ FATHER: but go to My+ brethren, and say unto them, I+ ascend unto My+ FATHER, and your FATHER; and to My+ GOD, and your GOD. 18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen THE LORD, and that HE+ had spoken these things unto her.
And, Matthew 28 . . . as the Risen LORD appeared unto Mary Magdalene and the other Mary ( 28:1 ) …
Matthew 28:9 And as they went to tell His+ disciples, behold, JESUS met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held HIM+ by the feet, and worshipped HIM+.
These Old Testament Saints that were held in Abraham’s Bosom and all the Righteous Dead would be ready and joy-filled to have their abode MOVED into the Paradise of GOD in the ( 3rd ? ) Heaven.
Recall the Apostle Paul’s account about the Paradise of GOD in the Third Heaven:
2 Corinthians 12: 2 I knew a man in CHRIST above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: GOD knoweth;) such an one caught up to the Third Heaven.
3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: GOD knoweth;)
4 How that he was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
To whom did HE+ preach?
1. to the Dead
2. to all the Captivity, before HE+ moved them to the Paradise of GOD which is in Heaven ( instead of in the heart of the earth )
3. to the Patriarchs before the Flood
4. to the Righteous Dead who died in the Covenant of Abraham
5. to the Righteous Dead who kept the LAW of MOSES and observing the Passover Covenant all their days6. to John the Baptist and to the Repentant Thief on the Cross who died with HIM+
For it was impossible for Death to hold HIM+ !
HE+ broke the bonds of sin...
DEATH...
the curse laid upon all of us sons of Adam due to sin.
was now BROKEN .
The sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the [Mosaic] law.
Adonai, The LORD JESUS CHRIST,
was the fulfillment of the Law.
HE+ , a man, had no sin:
HE+ was the 2nd Adam !
The LORD JESUS CHRIST
choose obedience EVERY TIME
as HE+ walked through trials upon this earth.
In all things was HE+ tempted . . . tested . . .
yet without sin.
HE+, being a man, was born under the curse of death. HE+ would die as all human flesh dies.
This MAN+ won the battle between HIM+ and satan and "Death" died ! That old enemy, "Death," was swallowed up in Victory !
Death, the ultimate curse, could not hold HIM+ because it had no claim on HIM+ even though HE+ was the Son+ of man because HE+... yes, HE+ alone... had no sin!
The Good News ?
Death cannot hold HIS+ people either!
His+ people who have entered His+ covenant and are walking... dead to sin... but alive unto GOD, through CHRIST JESUS, our Risen LORD!
"Death" was .... and IS... swallowed up in Victory
... even for the smallest, tiniest Christian.
Do not be afraid of those who would kill the body... but be afraid of the ONE Who has the power to destroy both body and soul in Gehenna... the Second Death!
+ + +
Blessed be GOD: FATHER, SON+ , and HOLY SPIRIT!
And blessed be HIS+ Kingdom, forever and ever.
Amen.
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