Recall what the Lord Jesus Christ told the multitudes in Matthew 5:18: “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” Most of us looking at Hebrew characters, would not even notice a jot or a tittle. We would probably see it is a small ink blot and think nothing of it. The reference Jesus uses here, emphasizes that He came to fulfill every single last detail of the law and that nothing would remain incomplete. With regards to the three days and three nights, it also applies.
In a previous post, we looked at the different statements of “the third day”, “after three days”, and “three days and three nights” and how they all must describe the same scenario.
We also looked at the Sabbath day connection and the following question: “How is it possible for the women to buy the spices AFTER the Sabbath (Mark 16:1) AND prepare the spices BEFORE the Sabbath (Luke 23:56)?
And observed that the apparent contradiction of the buying and preparing of spices with relation to the Sabbath can be easily resolved.
If you have not done so, I recommend that you review the Three Days and Three Nights: According to the Scriptures before continuing.
If you have not done so, I recommend that you review the Three Days and Three Nights: The Women Hold the Key before continuing.
If you have not done so, I recommend that you review the Three Days and Three Nights: A Spicy Solution before continuing.
The Death and the Feast of Passover
When you look at the details of the last day of the life of Jesus Christ, you will find that, in His death, He fulfilled, in every detail, the death of the Pascal Lamb. On the 14th day of the first month, “between the two afternoons” (or 3pm), the Lord Jesus Christ gave up the ghost. This event occurred at the very moment the lamb of the Passover was being sacrificed by the Priests. See this detailed study on the Feast of the Passover (link pending).
A series of prophecies were fulfilled at that very moment, giving evidence, that the death of Jesus Christ, was not a random event, but the fulfillment of a plan prepared before the world began.
- Abraham speaking to Isaac: “And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.” Genesis 22:8
- Jehovah speaking to Moses and Aaron: “Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: and ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.” Exodus 12:5 – 6 and “And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you,” Exodus 12:16
- John the Baptist speaking to the multitudes: “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” John 1:29
A future post will take a detailed look at this amazing connection between the selection of the Lamb on the 10th of the first month, to the sacrificing of the lamb on the 14th of the first month and it’s significance with relation to the entering of Jesus Christ to Jerusalem and His crucifixion.
The Burial and the Feast of Unleavened Bread
The Feast of Unleavened Bread began at sundown of the 14th day of the first month. It literally begins on the heals of the sacrificing of the Passover lamb and is referred to as the second day of the Passover.
In the Scriptures, leaven speaks of sin. In the celebration of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, there was to be no leaven found in the home, the leaven was taken out. When Jesus died, He took our sins, and died for our sins, and “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalms 103:12.
Having died for our sins, Jesus was buried at sundown on the 14th which corresponds to the beginning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. For those who believe in His work as the Lamb of God, they are buried with Him and dead to sin.
A future post will take a detailed look at this amazing connection between the beginning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread on the 15th of the month and the burial of Jesus Christ. It will also take a look at the intricate relationship between the first two Feasts established by Jehovah.
The Resurrection and the Feast of First fruits
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is celebrated by believers around the world. This memorial takes place on the first day of the week as a remembrance that Jesus rose from the dead after dying for our sins. “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.” 1 Corinthians 11:26
The Feast of First fruits was to be celebrated on the day following the day of rest that followed the celebration of the Passover. In other words, the first day of the week after the Passover is when it was celebrated (our Sunday). Paul makes reference to this Feast in describing the resurrection of Jesus Christ “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept.” 1 Corinthians 15:20.
A future post will take a detailed look at the fascinating connection between the Feast of First fruits and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The Knock Out: a Three Punch Combo
I don’t think that you are surprised to find out how accurately the Scriptures prophesied the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, nor how accurately Jesus Christ fulfilled what was prophesied of Him in His death, burial and resurrection.
In the last week of His life and through to His resurrection, the Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled not one, nor only two, but three of the Feasts of Jehovah to the letter.
- Feast of Passover: Jesus dies as the Passover Lamb
- Feast of Unleavened Bread: Jesus is buried having died for our sins
- Feast of Firstfruits: Jesus has risen from the dead
But there is still more. The last post in this series will look at which day of the week Jesus died, and the moment of His resurrection.
Action Point: fulfilled prophecy to the jot and tittle
- Download and print the Three Days and Three Nights PDF Chart summary
- What do you think? Did Jesus fulfill the Three Days and Three Nights prophecy?
- Click here: Three Days and Three Nights: Literally, Three Days and Three Nights, to continue with this study.
You make me feel sober and this post quickly remind me the time i totally surrender my life to “JESUS”
Dying on the cross of Calvary made the prophesie come true. The bible little out words will not go unfilled. I inferred this quote from your post “Abraham speaking to Isaac: “And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.” Genesis 22:8” This make JESUS fulfil what Father has sent him to do. That even comprises my eveangelism today. Jesus came to this world with sin, live unsin life, died for man’s sin , rise at the third day, he went to heaven, and that same Jesus is coming back to come and take his beloving ones. I pray at the last day You and I will not miss is, we will be rapturable. Thank you for this undiluted Word of God.
Amen. I am so glad that you understood the gospel message and came to know Jesus as your Saviour and that now you are busy evangelizing using the unadulterated gospel. So encouraging to hear.
Keep living for Him until He calls us to partake of that blessed hope!!!
Amazing how Jesus Christ came to fulfill the Law with His birth, death, burial and resurrection. This brings us to the 7 Feasts of Israel, of which the first 4 (springtime feasts) have already been fulfilled in the New Testament while the remaining 3 are yet to be fulfilled (fall feasts).
By the way, are you aware that Matthew 5:17-18 is interpreted differently by Christians of different denominations? Some Christians use Matthew 5:18 to argue that Jesus already fulfilled the Law, referring to the OT Law, and so any of the commands in the OT are not binding on the believers today because we are now living under grace. While others go back to Matthew 5:17 to support their claim that Christians today are still obligated to keep the OT Law, such as the Sabbath observance. What’s your take on this?
The Old Testament provides lots of foreshadowing of the coming of Christ and the Feasts of Jehovah are certainly among the most thought provoking and detailed accounts of what was to come (and as you allude to, what is yet to come).
I am aware of the different interpretations of Matthew 5:17 – 18 and I would like to consider with you this perspective.
Why was the law given? Paul helps us to understand that “through the law comes knowledge of sin” Romans 3:23. Not one human being can be saved through keeping the law, because no one can do it. The law actually helps us to understand that we are sinners before God.
What does it mean when it says that Jesus “fulfilled the law”? It simply means that He did what no other human being could ever do. He kept it ALL, the entire law, every jot and tittle. In this way Jesus was identified as the Messiah, as the one who “committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.” 1 Peter 2:22. The one who could be made sin for us and pay the price of our salvation.
The whole discussion about whether or not to keep the OT laws is a different topic than what is covered in Matthew 5 and Paul deals extensively with this issue in Romans and Galatians and the author of Hebrews also touches on it.
This topic will have to be covered in a future post because it is quite extensive but I do thank you very much for bringing it up. I will leave you with this: Peter at the Jerusalem council in Acts 15:10 – 11 said: “Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.”
Awesome, Jesus leaved according to his calling and I love that he told everything to his followers, from his betrayal, crucification and ressurection. He fulfilled everything. Thank you so much for a comprehensive explanation of the three days and three nights, just felt great reading your article. May God bless you
I’m glad you appreciated the post. I plan on writing many more that touch on other interesting aspects of Scripture.