Jesus Rose on the Third Day

Luke 23: 40 - 47 (NIV): 40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?" 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence. 44 He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms." 45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

    This was the day Jesus rose from the dead. It was that Sunday afternoon. He suddenly appeared in the room with the disciples, bending the laws of physics. He had a new body, but a body. He could be seen and touched, had the scars from his crucifixion, and he ate fish in front of them. He was no ghost, he had a body. So will we. 

    He said the Old Testament stated that he would suffer and rise on the third day. Can we find in the Old Testament such a prophecy? I want to show you four places where this is foretold:

    First, when Abraham was tested by God to see if he would sacrifice Isaac. Genesis 22 says "on the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance." This incident is symbolic of God sacrificing his son. Second, Ezra 6:15 says the temple was completed "on the third day of the month of Adar" This isn't very direct, but Jesus made it so when he said, "tear down this temple and I will rebuild it in three days." Third, Hosea 6:2 says, "After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence." Fourth, Jonah was in the fish for three days. Jesus said in Matthew 12 that this was a sign and that he would be in the ground for three days.

    The truth is there, but we sometimes have to look for it. All of these passages suddenly made sense when Jesus came back from the dead and showed his disciples the truth.