Why 3 days?

[William H.]

I am aware of what we are told happened during the three days(where Christ was and what he was doing) following the crusifixtion, but why 3 days? Why not 2 or 4 or some other number. I am also aware that 3 days and nights is the Sign of Jonah Matt.12:39-40/ Jon.1:17/ but why 3 days? I would be interested in any and all responces weather they have to do with the concept of the Spirit or Physical body.

I embrace the scriptures that say to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord and that at physical death one the flesh goes to dust and the spirit goes to the spirit realm. Are we to gather that this process takes 3 days?

Also note that Rev.11:7 again 3 (and a half) days after the two witnesses are slayed the change takes place.

Jesus ministered for 3 years.

 

3.5 +3.5 = 7 (spiritual completeness)

3= completeness

 

Eitherway, Glad Christ came as Savior. I dont need such a sign to believe in Yesua. But I do think there maybe some significance to Matt.12:39-40 that i maybe missing

 

But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: 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.

_________________________

 

Do you think we can or should relate 2 Cor.5:7-10 and Ecc.12:6-7  to these three days??? For we know to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. at what instant does the spirit depart from the body? when the breath is gone out? Keeping in mind that Christ was transfigured and even his flesh did not see corruption. So were theses three days not to be compared to any events of a random passing over, seeing as Christ was performing Holy victories and acts of God as the annointed one during this time? If this 3 days is only to be compared to Jonah and Yeshua what is the significance of 3 within the message

https://levendwater.org/companion/append156.html

https://levendwater.org/companion/append148.html

https://levendwater.org/companion/append144.html

(hours https://levendwater.org/companion/append165.html ) 

[alphafemale]

Wow I just looked up the signifigance of the number three as it occurs in the bible. I am so so bad with biblical numerics. But why 3--why did God choose the 3 people to be a witness? Anyone else know?

[alphafemale]

Ah I stand corrected--it reads 2 OR 3 witnesses. Sorry for the mis info.

Jesus himself used it in Matthew 18:15-20, where he instructed the disciples on how to settle a dispute in the church. The unrepentant sinning brother must be confronted with witnesses so that the judgment against him is assured to be just: "so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses" (v. 16). The church can have such confidence in judgment with corroborating evidence.

[Dave Pedersen]

Hi.

 

There may also be some correlation between the 3 1/2 years being half the time of the tribulation. This time of tribulation could be understood as a time of being in the grave, under the general jurisdiction of Death. Three and a half being half of seven, half of spiritual completeness is half of the salvation process. The other half being the resurrection unto life. Christ not only died for us but by his resurrection we share in His life as Paul taught. A seed must be planted (die, be buried) before new life springs forth. All must stand before Death and prevail according to faith in the trustworthiness of the Almighty. And so we see the release of Satan out of the pit for a short season (3 1/2 months or years?) at the end of the millennium.

 

The blood and the body. Communion. By His blood shed we are forgiven and by His body broken we are healed. By His death we are dead unto sin and by His life we live. Together this constitutes seven.

 

**

 

Another thought is the fact that 3 1/2 days is composed of seven half day periods. Beginning at sundown the first seventh is darkness and then light and dark alternating. So then there are four (Earthly) dark segments surrounding three (Godly) light segments. Even under such a thorough dark advantage (death) the light prevails. Spiritually complete proof of the supremacy of Light.

 

 

[Isabel A]

The 3 days are written in 1 Peter 3:19-20.  The Lord went to the place where all the souls were waiting, He preached the word and those who accepted him as Lord and Saviour were released.  He also went as a herald to announce His triumph.  In your  Companion Bible check appendixes 194 and 144.

[William H.]

 

"This time of tribulation could be understood as a time of being in the grave, under the general jurisdiction of Death."

-Seems that way to me also Dave!

I embrace to be absent from the body is to be present with The Lord (2 Cor.5:8) and that at physical death the spirit seperates from the flesh (Ecc.12:6-7), yet it seems we are given more info on this transition with the 3.5 days.

I too see some "correlation between the 3 1/2 years being half the time of the tribulation."

I find it rather interesting that there is mention of

1) 3.5 days between crusifixtion and ascension (of which Isabela documents victories of Yeshua Christ that took place at this time!)

2) 3.5 days that the two witnesses lay slayed prior to Messiah's return.

3) 3.5 days in Dan.9:27 (half of the week/ in the midst of) and that 3.5 is half of 7 -spritual completeness. /

Thanks for the reply everyone!

 

[Isabel A]

I think the only answer to "3 days"  is  resurrection.  Point 2)  the 2 witnesses resurrected 3.5 days (Rev.11:11)  before the return of our Lord.  Point 3) the 3.5 days of Dan 9:27 refer to the tribulation period that will take place before the return of our Lord. (This period was shortened (Mat. 24.22)  to 5 months, Rev. 9:5).

The 3.5 days have nothing to do with being absent from the body and present to the Lord.  This occurs instantly, when the spirit leaves the body immediately returns to the Father (Ecc.12.7). We cannot be under jurisdiction of death (Satan is death) because we are children of God, we are children of light not of darkness (Eph. 5.8).

[William H.]

I agree that At The Instant that the spirit leaves the flesh it returns to God.

2 Cor.5:8/(Ecc.12:6-7) Heb.9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

(we know we cant prevent those who have already passed over, and we are given a picture of a seperation in the spirit realm even before the first resurrection/ which is a judgement yet not a final judgement)

 

When it comes to That Transition (for each individual) I am careful not to inject before the act. Example: the heart can stop and the body live more than an instant longer, one can stop breathing and live more than an instant longer. (in these situations the instant of seperation of flesh and spirit has yet to happen) / After this instant Does take place I must agree that our Spirit isn't one with the flesh nor under Its jurisdiction, but rather abides where God sees fit, unto the great white throne judgement.

I do see that all will take part of the Physical death not sure if I insist on the term "jurisdiction" but  I am interested in the "Transition"!

______

I agree the time of the locust (army) is 5 months /Rev.9:5,10 (1st woe).

I also agree that The time shall be shortened for the elects sake Matt.24:22/ Mk.13:20.

 

[Dave Pedersen]

I thought it best to clarify why I drew a parallel between the tribulation and the 3 1/2 days although there remains also some confusion about whether the time discussed is 3 days or 3 1/2 days.

 

I was thinking about what Paul taught in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 beginning with verse 12:

 

 ¹²Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?

 ¹³But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:

 ¹⁴And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

 ¹⁵Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.

 ¹⁶For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:

 ¹⁷And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.

 ¹⁸Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.

 ¹⁹If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

 ²⁰But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

 ²¹For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

 ²²For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

 ²³But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

 ²⁴Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.

 ²⁵For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.

 ²⁶The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

 ²⁷For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.

 ²⁸And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

 ²⁹Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?

 ³⁰And why stand we in jeopardy every hour?

 ³¹I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

 ³²If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.

 ³³Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.

 ³⁴Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.

 ³⁵But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?

 ³⁶Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:

 ³⁷And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:

 ³⁸But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.

 ³⁹All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.

 ⁴⁰There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.

 ⁴¹There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.

 ⁴²So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:

 ⁴³It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:

 ⁴⁴It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

 ⁴⁵And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

 ⁴⁶Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

 ⁴⁷The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.

 ⁴⁸As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.

 ⁴⁹And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

 ⁵⁰Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

 ⁵¹Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

 ⁵²In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

 ⁵³For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

 ⁵⁴So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

 ⁵⁵O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

 ⁵⁶The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

 ⁵⁷But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

 ⁵⁸Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

 

**

 

Now then according to this explanation resurrection is a two part process. Just as there are two halves to the number seven being the possible meaning of 3 1/2. This of course is just a supposition as to the meaning of 3 1/2 but since when doubled the sum is seven and when halved as the scriptures in various places do mark the half of seven it seems there is a direct connection between 3 1/2 and seven scripturally.

 

As Paul taught there must be the death before there can be the new birth and this coincides with the 3 1/2 days in the tomb.. or is it simply three days in the tomb? Well then we see the two witnesses lay dead three and one half days and the initial question was about any possible meaning of 3 days and also 3 1/2 days.

 

The meanings are not the same for the numbers are different. As for the 3 1/2 days perhaps there is some meaning here in recognizing there must be death before there is life for all who pass through the womb.

 

The phrase "under the jurisdiction of death" is actually not what I said I said "under the general jurisdiction of death". Perhaps it was a poor choice of words.

 

Is there a correlation between the 3 1/2 years of the tribulation and the 3 1/2 days of the bodies of the slain witnesses? Maybe, maybe not. Since they are both associated with death I thought it helpful to mention that shared similarity. Facts of biblical events do seem to be rich with multifold meaning for those who wish to seek it out but then we cannot fly off on the wings of our own imagination. This is where the idea of a second witness, a second biblical witness is helpful and prudent to search out. Perhaps the 15th chapter of 1 Corinthians can serve as a second witness. Perhaps not.

 

 

 

[His_Will]

Dave I certainly dont want to misrepresent your posts with focussing on the terminology of  "jurisdiction of death" and the ways that could be able to be viewed, I too shall take that in general and believe you are in fact giving me a sense of progress in consideration of the subject seeing as you seem to be covering all (or many) angles that have been an interest to me.

At this point i feel comfortable with where the discussion has gone (even though I dont rule out the possiblity of future revelations/ and further discussion). 

Yes 1 Cor.15:12-58 is a must! Thanks for encouraging me to read it in its completeness here!

[William H.]

http://www.facebook.com/donboy65#!/notes/bryce-henderson/what-does-...

[Dave Pedersen]

Hi Brock I don't think I have an account there. Don't really want one either so I can't read the contents of your link.