When Did Jesus Come Back

When Was Jesus Christ Crucified and Resurrected? : Did He Really Die on Good Friday and Come Back to Life on Easter Sunday?

For the record, at this time, I’m in the Holy Land. I’m republishing some articles about life in Jesus’ day because I have a hectic travel schedule. If you read (or reread) them, I hope you will find them to be as entertaining as I found them to be. It is a surprising amount of work to figure out what people wore in Jesus’ time. The way people dress in the Middle East today, for starters, leads us to make a lot of generalizations. According to our observations, the typical form of clothing there now (veils for the women, long robes for both men and women) appears very traditional and ancient to us; as a result, we believe that this is how the people of Jesus’ time dressed.

Due to two fundamental issues, this dilemma has arisen.

Secondly, because Jewish artists seldom if ever included human beings in their works of art, we have nothing that can be compared to the Egyptian wall frescoes or the ancient Greek and Roman artwork that has been discovered.

The descriptions are inadequate at best, and they do not offer a clear picture of what is taking place.

Traditionally, a tunic was a one-piece garment that was belted at the waist and included a hole for the head and two holes for the arms.
I imagined the inner garment to be long and loose-fitting, similar to a loose-fitting T-shirt or kimono.
Inner tunics made of sackcloth or camel hair were worn by some as a penitential measure on occasion.
1 Samuel 19:24, Isaiah 20:2–4 describe a man who is just wearing this inner garment as being “naked.” Under the inner clothing, there was nothing at all worn (except by Essene men, who wore a close-fitting loincloth).
In the past, it was wrapped around the inside and/or outside of the clothing.
Put on your belt, as the biblical idiom “gird up your loins” intended to free up your lower legs so that you could work or walk more easily.
Originally, it was made of a square or oblong piece of fabric with a hole cut out in the middle for the head.

Wearing a tunic served as a protective covering; individuals did not go out in public unless they were wearing some kind of outer tunic.

It was customary to wear a belt to pull in the outer tunic because it was so big and flowing.

With a buckle, a bag or purse was frequently connected to the belt for convenience.

The cloak is a shroud of mystery.

The sleeves of a cloak might be added or removed depending on the design.

Wooden soles were attached to leather straps, which were used to secure the shoes in place.

Men and women dressed similarly in terms of the fundamentals.

The inner garment for women was substantially the same as the one for males in terms of construction.

Although the outer garment was tightened with a belt that was comparable to that worn by males, the ornamentation on the belt was unique to this outfit (and usually more elaborately).

In addition, a lady may choose to wear an apron over her outer clothing in order to preserve it and make it easier for her to carry items.

I’m not going to say anything about it.

The synagogue and the Temple were undoubtedly places where they were worn (cf1 Cor 11:15).

The fact that Jewish women wore them all the time, especially at home, is less obvious.

In Roman Judea (i.e., the southern part of the country surrounding Jerusalem, Jericho, and Bethlehem), it appears that Jewish women used hairnets, as evidenced by specimens found at places such as Masada.

Other accounts describe the head covering as a length of fabric wrapped around the shoulders that could be pulled over the head and fastened at the forehead, with the ends dropping over the shoulders, as being common for both men and women.

A pair of earrings and a bracelet are presented to Rebecca in the Bible, which is the first time jewelry for women is mentioned (Genesis: 24:22).

An extensive depiction of the stylishly decorated lady of the Old Testament is found in Isaiah 3:16-23, which may be found in the Bible’s Book of Isaiah.

They may occasionally sport nose jewelry and/or wear a necklace, although this is not commonplace.

They were frequently worn above the elbow by royal women, though.

In addition to bracelets, anklets were also popular among women.

It was custom made for some anklets that when worn, they would make a tinkling or melodious sound as the woman moved about.

A long time ago, they were far less frequent than they are now.

But because any mutilation of the body was outlawed under the rule, no holes could be made in the ears or nose to accommodate such decorations.

Small gems on or around the nose– Although there is some evidence of Jewish women wearing small diamonds on or around their noses, there is no indication that this practice was common.

Jewelry was worn on the fingers as well as the toes, as evidenced by the presence of rings.

Henna was used to colour the nails of Jewish women’s fingers and toes, according to certain sources.

In biblical times, frankincense and myrrh, as well as aloes, nard, cinnamon, and saffron, were all common sources of fragrance.

Long and braided hairstyles were the norm for Jewish ladies of the time. A comb and a hairpin were also mentioned in the Talmud, indicating that Jewish women used them. It appears that they shunned the more ornate hairstyles that were popular among Greek and Assyrian ladies.

Two Sabbaths mentioned

Take note of the events described in Luke 23. Luke 23:46-53 tells the story of Jesus’ death and burial, which took place in haste because of the approaching Sabbath, which began at sundown that evening. The Bible says in Luke 23:54, “That day was the Preparation, and the Sabbath was drawing nigh.” Many have thought that the weekly Sabbath is being referenced here, and that Jesus was killed on a Friday as a result of this assumption. However, according to John 19:31, the impending Sabbath “was a high day”—not the weekly Sabbath (which runs from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset), but the first day of Unleavened Bread, which is one of God’s yearly high, or Sabbath, days (as opposed to the weekly Sabbath) (Exodus 12:16-17;Leviticus 23:6-7).

This high-day Sabbath was observed on Wednesday night and Thursday because, according to Luke 23:56, after witnessing Christ’s corpse being deposited in the tomb shortly before sunset, the women “returned and prepared spices and aromatic oils” in preparation for the final preparation of the body for burial.

As recorded in Mark’s account, “Now when the Sabbath had passed, Mary Magdalene and her sister Mary the mother of James, and Salome went out and bought spices, so that they may come and anoint Him” (Matthew 26:35).
The ladies had to wait until the end of this yearly “high day” Sabbath before they could go out and purchase and prepare the spices that would be used for anointing Jesus’ body.
This second Sabbath stated in the Gospel reports corresponds to the ordinary weekly Sabbath, which is celebrated from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset every week.
The first, according to John 19:31, was a “high day”—the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which happened on a Thursday in the year A.D.
The second, according to John 19:31, was a “low day.” The second was the weekly Sabbath on the seventh day of the week.

Sign of the Messiah

“While it was still dark,” according to John 20:1, after the ladies had had their normal weekly Sabbath rest, they went to Jesus’ tomb on the first day of the week, Sunday, and discovered that He had already been raised (Matthew 28:1-6;Mark 16:2-6;Luke 24:1-3). It becomes evident when we look at the specifics in all four Gospel texts that the picture is painted in black and white. Jesus was killed and entombed late on Wednesday afternoon, shortly before the Jewish Sabbath began at sunset the same evening.

The Lord Jesus Christ was buried in the tomb from the evening of Wednesday until the evening of Saturday, when He rose from the dead.

It couldn’t have happened on Sunday morning since when Mary Magdalene arrived at the tomb that morning before daylight, “when it was still dark,” she saw the stone had been moved away and the tomb had been left vacant.

Exactly three days and three nights after He was laid in the tomb, Jesus resurrected from the dead.

We recommend that you read our pamphlet, Jesus Christ: The Real Story, for further information.

The Case for Christ: What’s the evidence for the resurrection?

Strobel, a writer for the Chicago Tribune and a Yale Law School graduate, wrote “The Case for Christ: A Journalist’s Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus” in 1998, which was released in English and Spanish. Strobel had previously been an atheist, but after his wife’s conversion to evangelical Christianity, he felt obligated to challenge some of the central Christian claims about Jesus. While the historicity of Jesus’ resurrection was the most important of these assertions, additional claims included the belief in Jesus as the actual Son of God and the veracity of the New Testament literature, among others.

It went on to become one of the most widely read and widely distributed works of Christian apologetic (that is, a defense of the rationality and correctness of Christianity) in history.

The film makes an attempt to present a persuasive argument for the historical accuracy of Jesus’ resurrection.

Are all of Strobel’s arguments relevant?

According to the film’s producers, the evidence supporting the historicity of Jesus’ resurrection is the film’s core subject. Several of its arguments, on the other hand, are not immediately applicable to this situation. According to Strobel, the fact that there are over 5,000 Greek copies of the New Testament in existence, which is significantly more than any other ancient literature, is a significant point in his argument. He does this in order to show that we may be reasonably certain that the original forms of the New Testament books have been faithfully conveyed.

There are fewer than ten papyrus texts from the second century that have survived, and many of them are extremely fragmented.

If these second-century copies are true, all we have left are first-century documents claiming that Jesus was risen from the grave, which isn’t very encouraging.

What do the New Testament writings prove?

One of the most important arguments in the film is drawn from the New Testament book known as First Corinthians, which was written by the Apostle Paul to a group of Christians in Corinth in order to resolve conflicts that had developed in their society. Paul is believed to have written this letter in the year 52, around 20 years after the death of Jesus. In 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, Paul provides a list of the persons who have seen the resurrected Jesus in their lives. The New Testament is a book of scripture that was written in the first century AD.

Many academics think that Paul is referring from a far older Christian faith, which may have formed only a few years after Jesus’ death and was adopted by the church.

Indeed, many New Testament scholars would agree that some of Jesus’ disciples believed they had seen him alive only a few weeks or months after his death, and that this belief was supported by other witnesses.

It is not uncommon for people to experience visions of their deceased relatives: Thirteen percent of those polled in a research of over 20,000 people claimed to have seen the dead.

To put it another way, sightings of the rising Jesus are not nearly as uncommon as Strobel would have us believe they are.

A miracle or not?

But what about the 500 persons who witnessed Jesus’ resurrection at the same time? First and foremost, biblical scholars are baffled as to what incident Paul is alluding to in this passage. The “day of Pentecost” (Acts 2:1) is said to be a reference to the Holy Spirit bestowing miraculous abilities on members of the Christian community in Jerusalem, allowing them to communicate in languages that were previously unknown to them. However, according to one major researcher, this incident was added to the list of resurrection appearances by Paul, and the origins of the event remain unclear.

Second, even if Paul is reporting truthfully, his claims are no more credible than those of vast numbers of individuals who claim to have witnessed an apparition of the Virgin Mary or a UFO.
The fact that Jesus’ tomb was empty on Easter morning, according to Strobel, is the greatest explanation for this event.
There is substantial evidence to suggest that the Romans did not generally remove victims from crosses after they had died in battle.
But even if we believe that the tomb was indeed empty that morning, what evidence do we have that it was a miracle rather than the corpse of Christ being moved for unknown reasons?

Who are the experts?

The question is what happened to the 500 persons who witnessed the resurrected Christ at the same moment. In the first place, biblical experts are completely baffled as to what incident Paul is alluding to in this passage. The “day of Pentecost” (Acts 2:1) is said to be a reference to the Holy Spirit bestowing miraculous abilities on members of the Christian community in Jerusalem, allowing them to communicate in languages that they were previously unable to communicate in. The origins of this occurrence, according to one renowned researcher, are obscure, and it was likely added to the list of resurrection appearances by Paul.

Second, even if Paul is reporting truthfully, his claims are no more credible than those of vast numbers of individuals who claim to have witnessed an apparition of the Virgin Mary or a UFO.
Strobel also contends that the resurrection is the most reasonable explanation for the fact that Jesus’ tomb was empty on Easter morning.
There is substantial evidence to suggest that the Romans did not typically remove victims from crosses after they had died in combat.
What evidence is there, even if we assume that the tomb was truly empty that morning, that it was a miracle and not simply that Christ’s body had been moved for unknown reasons?

Miraculous events are, by definition, extremely improbable, and there is no reason to believe that one has occurred when other explanations are far more plausible.

No compelling evidence

The Easter Cross is a symbol of hope and resurrection. Artist Sharon’s Art4TheGlryOfGod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. According to Strobel, if he had polled experts at public institutions, private colleges and universities (many of which have religious affiliations), or denominational seminaries, the results of his poll would have been very different. Many Christian apologists, like Lee Strobel, assert that the primary reason secular scholars do not acknowledge the historicity of the resurrection is because they have a “anti-supernatural prejudice,” which is consistent with what Strobel says in the statement above.

Although some Christians believe in miracles, I believe that apologists such as Gary Habermas are equally as anti-supernaturalist when it comes to miraculous claims involving later Catholic saints or miracles from non-Christian religious traditions that occur after the beginning of Christian history.

While such astonishing claims abound in the world today, I believe that “The Case for Christ” has failed to give persuasive proof that Jesus’ resurrection was historically accurate.

On What Day Did Jesus Rise?

The May/June 2016 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review is available online. Biblical Perspectives is a weekly column. Staff of the Biblical Archaeology Society On November 16, 20217, there were 106861 views. What day did Jesus resurrect from the dead? Is it better to wait three days or to wait until the third day? During his Biblical Views column, “It’s About Time—Easter Time,” which appeared in the May/June 2016 edition of Biblical Archaeology Review, Ben Witherington III explores this subject in further depth.

—Ed.

“It’s About Time—Easter Time”

Anachronism is a hazard that arises when reading ancient books like the Bible in the twenty-first century. By this I mean that we risk introducing damaging current notions and expectations into our readings. This challenge becomes much more serious when dealing with old manuscripts, which have significant historical significance and are thus difficult to interpret. What day did Jesus resurrect from the dead? Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome visited Jesus’ tomb on Easter morning to anoint his corpse (Mark 16:1–2), as shown in Henry Osawa Tanner’s painting “The Three Marys” (1910).

To provide an example, we are a people who are fascinated with time — and with accuracy when it comes to time — to the millisecond level.
When it came to the passage of time, they did not stress over accuracy.
Jesus promised that he would rise from the dead “after three days,” according to certain sources.
In fact, the time reference should be avoided entirely.

In Mark 8:31, on the other hand, Jesus declares, “The Son of Man will rise from the dead after three days.” In John 2:19, he refers to the same event as taking place “in three days,” and the Gospel authors tell us that Jesus used the term “on the third day” on a number of occasions (see, e.g., Matthew 16:21; 17:23; 20:19; Luke 24:46).

While it is feasible that both forecasts will be incorrect, is it really possible that both will be correct?
Furthermore, the term “after three days” in the New Testament might simply indicate “after a time” or “after a few days” without any obvious specificity other than to hint that multiple days, in this case portions of three days, would be engaged in the event.
“Come to me again after three days,” says the Bible’s Second Chronicles 10:5, 12.
According to my interpretation, the term “after three days” is a more generic or imprecise way of expressing, but “on the third day” is a little more particular (albeit it still doesn’t tell us when it is on the third day).

When it comes to time, these books were not written in a way that would suit our present high expectations.

Become a Member ofBiblical Archaeology SocietyNow and Get More Than Half Off the Regular Price of the All-AccessPass!

With an All-Access pass, you may access more than 9,000 articles from the Biblical Archaeology Society’s extensive collection, as well as much more. We must recognize that most of the time references in the New Testament are not precise, and we must give the ancient author the freedom to be general when he wants to be general and more specific when he wants to be more specific. This is one of the keys to understanding how the New Testament interprets time references. When you find both types of references to the time span between Jesus’ death and resurrection in the same book by the same author, and in some cases even within close proximity to each other, it is reasonable to conclude that these texts were not written in accordance with our modern exacting expectations when it comes to time references.

I believe it is past time for us to accord these ancient authors the respect they deserve and to read them with a knowledge of the standards they followed when writing ancient history or ancient biography, rather than imposing our later genre norms on them, as we have done in the past.
This article has been updated.
Ben Witherington III is the Amos Professor of New Testament for Doctoral Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky and a member of the doctoral faculty of St.
He received his bachelor’s degree from Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky.

Notes:

Read Ben Witherington III, Reading and Learning the Bible, for assistance in understanding how to read the Bible in light of its original settings (Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press, 2014).

April 3, AD 33: Why We Believe We Can Know the Exact Date Jesus Died

In our book, The Final Days of Jesus: The Most Important Week of the Most Important Person Who Ever Lived, Justin Taylor and I make an educated guess as to the date of Jesus’ crucifixion, but we do not argue for or against it. For a variety of factors, virtually all academics think that Jesus was executed in the spring of either AD 30 or AD 33, with the majority preferring the former. As a result of the astronomical data, the alternatives are reduced to AD 27, 30, 33, or 34). However, we would want to present our case for the date of Friday, April 3, AD 33, as the precise day on which Christ died in our place as atonement for our sins.

However, this does not rule out the possibility of understanding or importance.

No one makes this argument more forcefully than Luke, the Gentile physician who became a historian and inspired recorder of early Christianity.

The Year John the Baptist’s Ministry Began

In Luke’s account, John the Baptist began his public ministry soon before Jesus did, and the author provides us with a historical reference point for when the Baptist’s ministry began: “in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar’s reign.” (See Luke 3:16). It is known from ancient Roman history that Tiberius succeeded Augustus as emperor on August 19, AD 14 and was approved by the Roman Senate on the same day. He reigned until the year AD 37. “The fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar’s reign” appears to be a straightforward date, but there are some ambiguities, beginning with when one begins the calculation.

Most likely, Tiberius’ reign was measured from the day he assumed office in AD 14 or from the first day of January of the following year, AD 15 (whichever came first).

So John the Baptist’s ministry began anywhere between the middle of AD 28 and the beginning of AD 29.

The Year Jesus’s Ministry Began

Because the Gospels appear to suggest that Jesus began his ministry not long after John, the most likely date for Jesus’ baptism would be late in AD 28 at the absolute earliest, according to the calculations above. Nevertheless, it seems more likely that it occurred somewhere around the first half of the year AD 29, because a few months had probably gone between the beginning of John’s career and the beginning of Jesus’ ministry (and the year AD 30 is the latest possible date). As a result, Jesus’ career must have began somewhere between the end of AD 28 and the beginning of AD 30 at the earliest.

The most plausible dates for Jesus’ birth are 6 or 5 BC, which means he would have been roughly thirty-two to thirty-four years old in late AD 28 to early AD 30. This comes well within the range of “about thirty years of age.”

The Length of Jesus’s Ministry

To determine how long Jesus’ public ministry lasted, we must first determine how long Jesus’ public ministry lasted. If Jesus’ public ministry lasted two or more years, it appears that the spring of AD 30 cannot be considered as a plausible date for the crucifixion. The Gospel of John records that Jesus attended at least three (perhaps four) Passovers, which were held once a year in the spring and were as follows:

To determine how long Jesus’ public ministry lasted, we must first determine how long Jesus’ public ministry lasted. If Jesus’ public ministry lasted two or more years, it would appear that the spring of AD 30 is out of the question as a viable time for the crucifixion. Jesus attended at least three (and maybe four) Passovers, which were held once a year in the spring, according to the Gospel of John.

Jesus Was Crucified on the Day of Preparation for the Passover

This would make a date of a.d. 30 all but impossible as the date of Jesus’ crucifixion, even if there were only three Passovers observed. Based on Luke 3:1, the earliest possible date for the beginning of Jesus’ career is late in the first century AD. The first of these Passovers (which occurred at the beginning of Jesus’ career; John 2:13) would fall on Nisan 15 in the year 29 (since Nisan is in March/April, around the beginning of a year), making it the first Passover in the year 29. A.D. 30 would be the earliest possible date for the second event, while a.D.

If Jesus’ ministry corresponded with at least three Passovers, and if the first Passover occurred in AD 29, then suggests that he could not have been executed in ad 30, as is often believed today.

Then the Passovers in the book of John would take place on the dates listed below.

April 2	Nissan 14	Thursday (Wednesday nightfall to Thursday nightfall)	Day of Passover preparation	Last Supper
April 3	Nissan 15	Friday (Thursday nightfall to Friday nightfall)	Passover; Feast of Unleavened Bread, begins	Crucifixion
April 4	Nissan 16	Saturday (Friday nightfall to Saturday nightfall)	Sabbath
April 5	Nissan 17	Sunday (Saturday nightfall to Sunday nightfall)	First day of the week	Resurrection

Conclusion

The computations in the preceding section may look difficult, but in a nutshell, the reasoning goes as follows:

HISTORICAL INFORMATION	YEAR
Beginning of Tiberius’s reign	AD 14
Fifteenth year of Tiberius’s reign:Beginning of John the Baptist’s ministry	AD 28
A few months later:Beginning of Jesus’s ministry	AD 29
Minimum three-year duration of Jesus’ ministry:Most likely date of Jesus’s crucifixion	AD 33 (April 3)

While this is, in our opinion, the most plausible scenario, it should be noted that many people think Jesus was killed in the year AD 30, rather than the year AD 33, as we have said. If, on the other hand, the beginning of Tiberius’ rule is set at the year AD 14, it becomes nearly difficult to fit fifteen years of Tiberius’ reign and three years of Jesus’ ministry between AD 14 and AD 30, as is the case. As a result, some have speculated that Tiberius and Augustus shared co-regency (combined rule) during the last few years of Augustus’ reign.

As a result, we believe that Jesus was most likely crucified on April 3, AD 33, as previously stated.

Because of this, when we celebrate Easter and walk with Jesus every day of the year, we may be certain that our faith is founded not just on subjective personal confidence, but also on solid historical evidence, which makes our faith a perfectly rational faith.

Crossway’s executive vice president and publisher for books, Justin Taylor, holds this position. Andreas Köstenberger and he have written a book together called The Final Days of Jesus: The Most Important Week in the Life of the Most Important Person Who Ever Lived (Crossway, 2014).

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Derek Hiebert contributed to this article. 1 year ago today

Why did Jesus Rise on the Third Day?

As a matter of tradition, Christians have commemorated the resurrection of Jesus Christ on a Sunday, three days following the commemoration of his crucifixion on Good Friday. This three-day chronology is based on a number of allusions in the New Testament to the Old Testament. Many times, Jesus foretold it, and the apostles included it in their delivery of the gospel message as well (see footnote references). However, why did Jesus’ resurrection take place three days after his death is a mystery.

Is the third day only a coincidental, insignificant element put on to the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection?

The Third Day Matters

Timing is extremely important for Jesus and his apostles because it has significant theological ramifications. When it comes to biblical story, the three-day timeframe is important because it represents the one-of-a-kind day on which God creates new life and activates his covenant with mankind. How did the writers of the New Testament get at this conclusion? After all, the Hebrew Scriptures have a constant “third day” design pattern, which Jesus and the New Testament authors are using as a model.

The Third Day Pattern in the Hebrew Bible

The passages Jonah 1:17 and Hosea 6:1-2 in the Hebrew Scriptures are among the clearest illustrations of third-day resurrection in the whole Bible. Jesus used Jonah’s three days in the belly of the huge fish as a metaphor for his own three days in the belly of the great fish. The prophet Hosea predicted that God’s reviving operation for Israel would take place on the third day. While these are important passages to study, the pattern of resurrection on the third day is established far earlier in the tale of Jesus.

The creation narrative in Genesis 1 and Abraham’s test in Genesis 22 both begin to develop a pattern of new life emerging on the third day.

The First “Resurrection”

What is the location of the initial glimpse into the three-day significance? The first page of the Bible. The creation story in Genesis 1 is written in the style of a poetry, with repeated declarations and parallelism between events. Within the rhythm of these repeats, two events in the creation tale stand out as particularly noteworthy, each occurring at a three-day interval and occurring at different points in the narrative. During the first “third day,” God creates dry ground and enables flora to emerge from the soil, including plants that produce seeds as well as trees that give fruit for human use (1:11-13).

The second “third day” event occurs on the sixth day of creation, when God produces animals and human beings for the first time (1:24).

Humans were produced from the dust of the earth, according to what we learn later in the book (2:7).

Take note of the parallels between humans and trees: both are newly generated from the ground (2:7, 9), both carry seeds and produce fruit (1:11, 28; 3:15), and both are made in this manner on the third day of creation.

One thing that distinguishes people from other animals, however, is that they are created in God’s image, and that God enters into a covenant with human beings, blessing and instructing them in their behavior.

A Pattern Emerges

There are three major characteristics of the “third day” events in Genesis 1 that serve as a template for subsequent events:

There are three major characteristics of the “third day” events in Genesis 1 that serve as a template for future occurrences:

It is impossible to emphasize the significance of this picture and pattern, since it serves as a precedent for future resurrections to come.

Abraham’s Test on the Third Day

Is there any other place where this pattern can be found? Abraham is put to the test by God in yet another “third day” occurrence, which is one of the most interesting events in all of Scripture (Genesis 22:1-19). When God commands Abraham to present his only son Isaac as a burned offering on a mountain, the Bible states that Abraham spotted the location from a distance on the third day and proceeded to complete the test (22:4). God wants Abraham to learn to put his confidence in him when it comes to the covenant and the blessing of offspring in this scenario.

The connection to the “third day” concept is established in this passage by a strikingly dramatic act of atonement on the part of God, in which he substitutes a ram for Isaac (22:13-14).

On the third day, we notice the same trend as we did on the first:

God working to bring fresh life, in this case to Isaac by his life being spared and to Abraham with the return of his son (22:11-14). (Genesis 22:17-18) God confirms his bond with Abraham, using language and ideas identical with Genesis 1:28
(22:2, 14) This event takes place on the summit of a mountain.

Israel’s Third Day at Sinai

At a critical moment in the Bible’s narrative, we discover still another occurrence taking place on the third day. With his people just delivered from decades of tyranny in Egypt, Yahweh is on the verge of entering into another covenant with Israel, this time on a mountaintop (Exodus 19:2-3). God makes it clear that he will descend to Mount Sinai in the presence of all of the people on the “third day” mentioned above. This time is a test for Israel, just as it was for Abraham. Their preparations for entering into covenant with God are to be completed by the “third day,” when they will be ready (Exodus 19:9-16).

As a result of what we’ve seen so far with “third day,” we should have come to assume a specific pattern, which we’ve now witnessed yet another time:

It is God who brings about new life for his people — in this case, new identity for Israel — just as he did at the creation and with Abraham and Isaac (19:4-6)
God enters into covenant with his people, specifically Israel (19:4-6)
God accomplishes all of this on a mountain (19:2)
And God accomplishes all of this on a mountain (19:2).

And that is exactly what we see in the tale! The rest of Israel’s experience in the Hebrew Scriptures, on the other hand, is defined by rebellion and disbelief, as well as a failure to fulfill their half of the agreement. This leads us back to the prophetic texts that refer to the third day, such as Hosea and Jonah, which we discussed before.

Hosea’s Hope, Jonah’s ‘Resurrection’

By returning to these prophets, we get a more complete picture of the “third day” and the tremendous imagery of resurrection that it evokes, as well as its relationship to God’s covenant with Abraham. A typical prophetic phrase for repentance toward covenant integrity is “return to Yahweh,” which Hosea uses to exhort Israel to do, and he also provides them hope in the form of resurrection language (Hosea 6:1-2). This restoration to the covenant will be marked by a renewal of life, as well as our resurrection as a people into the life of Yahweh, which will take place on the “third day,” in accordance with our pattern.

In many respects, the story of Jonah and his failure is a metaphor for the story of Israel. God, on the other hand, does not give up on him or his people. In the third day, he vomits Jonah out of the fish, bringing him back to life in one of the most bizarre “resurrections” recorded in the Bible.

Jesus Predicts a Third Day Resurrection

By returning to these prophets, we get a more complete picture of the “third day” and the tremendous imagery of resurrection that it evokes, as well as its relationship to God’s covenant with Israel. A typical prophetic phrase for repentance toward covenant integrity is “return to Yahweh,” which Hosea uses to exhort Israel to do, and he also offers them hope by utilizing the language of resurrection (Hosea 6:1-2). For us, a return to the covenant signifies the renewal of life, the resurrection as a people into Yahweh’s life, which will take place on the “third day,” according to the pattern we have set for ourselves.

Many ways, Jonah’s failure and the collapse of Israel are representative of the nation.

In the third day, he vomits Jonah out of the fish, bringing him back to life in one of the most remarkable “resurrections” in all of biblical history.

Specifically, God raises fresh life from the earth (tomb), in this case, Jesus. God acts to bring about the new covenant via Jesus’ atoning death and resurrection, which in this case is for the benefit of everyone who believe in him. The act of atonement performed by Jesus takes place on a hill.

With the imagery of new life coming up from the earth in Genesis 1-2 on the third day, combined with the connection to the divine covenant found throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, the imagery of Jesus’ resurrection paints a striking picture of the theological importance of his resurrection. The significance of Jesus’ resurrection is underscored even further on the third day. It is the culmination of God’s mission of new life and covenant, which has been brilliantly represented since the beginning of time, and which will culminate in the future resurrection of Jesus’ disciples and the restoration of the entire universe at the conclusion of time.

So what does this mean for us?

This year, as we commemorate the resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday, we are not just carrying on a centuries-old tradition. We are engaged in a profoundly important theology centered on the third day, with all of the implications of God’s redeeming work that it entails, at this time. The design pattern for the third day serves as a reminder that God has begun the process of reviving individuals to new life and bringing them into his covenant partnership with them. What role are we going to play in it today?

When Is Jesus Coming Back? Is it Soon?

In one popular argument to Christianity, non-Christians assert that because Christians think Jesus is returning soon and that He has not returned, it follows that He will not return at all. Today, many people associate the phrase “coming soon” with the act of driving through the drive-thru at their favorite fast-food restaurant. They thus believe that Jesus will return in a short period of time when asked the question “Is Jesus coming back soon?” When Jesus talked of His return, He used the word “soon” rather than the word “immediately,” implying that He would return in the near future.

“Come, Lord Jesus,” the choir sings.

When Is the ‘Soon’ for Jesus’ Return

In one popular argument to Christianity, non-Christians assert that because Christians think Jesus is returning soon and that He has not returned, it follows that Jesus will not return at all. Many people today associate the phrase “coming soon” with the act of driving through the drive-thru at their preferred fast-food restaurant. They thus believe that Jesus will return in a short period of time when asked the question “Is Jesus returning soon?” Rather of saying “immediately,” Jesus talked in terms of “soon,” implying that He would return in a matter of time.

“Surely, I am coming soon,” Jesus declares in Revelation 22:20. “Amen,” John concludes with a bow. “Come, Lord Jesus,” the choir members sang.

The Return of the Lord Jesus Is Imminent

This means that the Lord Jesus’ return is not only impending, as we must comprehend, but it is also immediate in the sense that it might occur at any time. The apostles even speculated that the Lord Jesus’ return would occur within their lifetime, referring to the Lord Jesus’ return as occurring in the end days (1 Corinthians 10:11; 1 Peter 1:20; Hebrews 1:2), and urging the people of God to be prepared and on the lookout for signs and wonders. Because Jesus employed the language of being “ready,” He means for the people of God to think that He is about to return at any moment (Luke 12:40; 21:34-36;Mark 13:33).

Jesus desires that every generation live in the consciousness that He may visit unexpectedly and that all individuals will be required to give an account of how they will locate them when He does.
In Acts 1:7, Jesus reiterates the teachings of Matthew 24:36, in which he tells the disciples, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons which the Father has determined by his own power.” Jesus said this when the disciples inquired as to whether or not He intended to rebuild Israel.
Anyone who believes in Christ is able to predict when He will return, because Scripture is quiet on the specific day and time of His return.
Christians, on the other hand, are instructed to “.remain alert, for you do not know on when day your Lord will come” (Matthew 24:42).
According to the teachings of Matthew 24:36-44, no one can predict the day or time of the Lord Jesus’ second coming.
Despite the fact that several dates have been offered, all of them have been and will continue to be incorrect.
It is reasonable to conclude from Matthew 24:36 and Acts 1:7 that God does not wish for Christians to calculate the precise day or hour of Christ’s return, and that anybody who attempts to do so is deceived by the Scriptures.

What is essential is that the people of God live their lives in light of the Lord Jesus’ approaching return to earth (2 Timothy 4:8).

The Second Coming of the Lord Jesus

The Second Coming of the Lord Jesus is mentioned 1,500 times in the Old Testament, and one out of every twenty-five verses in the New Testament makes reference to the Lord Jesus’ Second Coming, which is a significant number. When it says in Amos 3:7, “For the Lord God does nothing except reveal his secret to his servants the prophets,” this passage draws attention to this material. What Amos says is important because it helps Christians understand that the return of Christ heralds the establishment of God’s Kingdom, which is defined as God’s absolute authority over all of His creation.

The book of Revelation 19:11-16 describes how the Lord will be prepared for war, and how the nations will gather to fight against the city of Jerusalem.
Furthermore, this will be the day that the Bible predicts in Revelation 19:6-7, when the enemies of God, including the Antichrist and the false prophet, will be completely defeated (Revelation 19:20).
Jesus will judge those who are alive at the time of His Second Coming as part of the process of establishing His Kingdom.
A thousand years of peace will be enjoyed by those who survive this judgment as a result of their trust in Jesus Christ.
(Matthew 25:41).
In addition, there will be a resurrection of all Christians (Revelation 20:4-6).
At the conclusion of the thousand-year period, Satan will be released, and a final battle will take place, which will be won by the Lord Jesus Christ on the spot (Revelation 20:7-9).
Then there will be a second resurrection, followed by another judgment.

Two Different Eternities

There are two eternal fates, one with the Lord Jesus and one without Him, as a result of the Lord Jesus’ return being a reality (Malachi 4:1-2). When the Lord Jesus returns, evil will be destroyed, the planet will be restored, and the Lord will triumph! If you believe in the first coming of the Lord Jesus, your response to his return will reveal whether or not you believe in the second coming of the Lord Jesus. Christian believers have a great hope in that they will not only be admitted to heaven, but that they will also be with the Lord Jesus for all of eternity in heaven.

Your response, dear reader, to the topic “Is Jesus Coming Back Soon?” is critical because it expresses your understanding of the Lord Jesus’ first coming as well as your understanding of His finished and adequate work.

We Are Not Promised Tomorrow

We cannot guarantee tomorrow, and the Lord knows not just the number of hairs on your head or the content of your thoughts at any one time, but also the length of all of your days. God longs for your repentance, for you to turn back to Him, and for you to put your confidence in Christ – because Jesus is mighty to save by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone — and that is why He sent His Son to die for you. You must not cower in fear, but instead must stand firm on the Lord Jesus and proclaim the glory of Christ to everyone.

Will Jesus Really Return to Earth?

As Christians, we gladly proclaim that Jesus Christ will, in fact, return to the world again and again. It’s critical for us to remember that Jesus Himself stated that He will return to the world at some point. His disciples gathered on the Mount of Olives when He spoke to them, and He promised them that He would come in might and great splendor. According to the angels, Jesus Christ would return. As mentioned in Acts Chapter 1, when Jesus ascends to His Father, angels appear and proclaim, “He will return in the same manner that He has gone.” When you look at church history, one of the intriguing things you will see is that, although though various Christians throughout church history have had diverse viewpoints on the end of time, they have always agreed on some fundamental truths concerning the end of the world.

And one of them was the belief that Jesus Christ will return to the planet.

It is the belief that Jesus Christ will physically return to the planet.

And, finally, that Jesus Christ will bring about a restoration and a fresh beginning in the world.

All of these considerations are critical.

It’s even a part of the Apostles’ Creed, which was written in the fourth century.

He will then return to judge both the living and the dead once His time on earth is through.

Is it possible that Jesus will return?

Not unwillingly because we believe, “Oh, He’s going to return,” but joyously, we as Christians proclaim this truth.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus, since Jesus Christ will truly return. Credit: iStock/Getty Images Plus/Tinnakorn for the photo. Jorruang Dave Jenkins and his wife, Sarah Jenkins, are in a happy marriage. He is a writer, editor, and public speaker who resides in the lovely state of Oregon.