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Then, in I Corinthians 15:4, "he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:"
Now WHERE, in the Old Testament (the "Scriptures" during Yeshua's day) do we find a
prophecy that Yeshua would suffer and be raised from the dead on the third day? The closest to be
found is Hosea 6:1-3, which reads:
Come, and let us return unto YEHOVAH: for He hath torn, and He will heal us; He hath
smitten, and He will bind us up. AFTER TWO DAYS He will revive us: IN THE THIRD
DAY he will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight. Then shall we know, if we follow
on to know YEHOVAH: His going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come
unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.
The disciples were "torn," and "smitten" with grief, and after two days their grief was
turned to joy when Yeshua was resurrected on the third day. Apart from this, the commands con-
cerning the sacrifices -- especially that of the Passover lamb and the offering of the "firstfruits" --
typified the death and resurrection of Yeshua. The commands concerning what might remain of any
sacrifice on the third day clearly pointed to the resurrection ON THE THIRD DAY -- JUST OVER
36 HOURS!
Christ the First Fruits
We find written in I Corinthians 15:20-23:
But now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept. For
since BY MAN [Adam] came death, by MAN [Christ -- Yeshua] came also the resurrec-
tion of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But
every MAN [including Christ] in his own order: CHRIST THE FIRST FRUITS; after-
ward they that are Christ's at his coming.
On the day following the Passover -- the 16th day of the Jewish month of Nisan -- a unique
celebration took place. On that day the high priest entered the Temple with a sheaf of new grain --
the first of the year. He waved the sheaf of grain (actually flour made from the grain of the sheaf)
before the veil in the Temple, in recognition of YEHOVAH'S blessing in the year's harvest. UNTIL
THAT SHEAF OF GRAIN WAS OFFERED BEFORE YEHOVAH IN THE TEMPLE, NO
GRAIN COULD BE HARVESTED. Until this sheaf was offered, the Israelites were to eat of the
grain from the previous year's harvest. As soon as this sheaf was offered, the sickle was put to the
fields of standing ripened grain.
In John 12:23-24, calling himself "a grain of wheat," Yeshua said, "The hour is come, that
the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into
the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit."
The festivals appointed by YEHOVAH were given as acted prophecies of the great events
in the plan of salvation. They foreshadowed the work of YEHOVAH God and His Messiah.
EVERY FULFILLMENT OF THE TYPE MUST TAKE PLACE "AT THE TIME APPOINTED."
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