He is Risen!
Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ died for our sins on Calvary. He rose three days later so we could be reconciled back to God. If we believe in the Gospel, we will have everlasting life after our deaths that can never be taken away or lost.
Many Scriptures in the Old Testament point to types and shadows of Jesus dying on the cross and rising alive three days later.
Noah’s ark was an example of sacrifice and deliverance. Jonah three days in the belly of the great fish. Another example is Abraham willing to sacrifice his son Isaac were types and shadows of the cross and the redemption of the resurrection.
Jesus Himself preached His death on the cross and His resurrection:
John 2
19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. 20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? 21 But he spake of the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said. AV
While the actual temple building in Jerusalem at that time did not fall it was physically destroyed in 70AD by the Romans under Titus. Jesus was talking about His body and His death and His resurrection.
The Romans were professional killers they knew death so when Jesus willingly gave up the ghost on the cross they knew he was dead and not unconscious or “swooned” as detractors say today. Where did He go for three days? Scripture sheds light on these three days culminating in the victory celebration over sin and death that the cross defeated!
Prior to the cross and resurrection, believers’ spirits went to Abraham’s bosom or “paradise”. Going straight to heaven wasn’t possible since the sacrifice on the cross and the resurrection had yet to occur. Today believers’ spirits upon death go straight to heaven.
Luke 16
22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 23 and in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. AV
Those Old Testament believers went to be with Abraham while unbelievers went to hell. The gulf between them could not and never could be bridged. Remember Jesus told the believing thief on the cross:
Luke 23
39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. AV
Both thieves were on either side of Jesus and heard and witnessed the same. Just like today, one person hears and believes and another hears and rejects.
So Jesus died on that cross and spent time in Abraham’s bosom and preached to the spirits in prison:
1 Peter 3
18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 19 by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 20 which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. AV
Those spirits in hell were preached to, or more accurately, the victory of Jesus on the cross was the message told to those spirits.
Jesus then led a multitude of believers out of paradise:
Ephesians 4
8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. AV
After those three days, Jesus came back to life in His resurrection body and now believers go to heaven upon death. Someday, we will have a resurrection body, just like our Lord and Savior.
Remember, Pharaoh’s magicians in response to Moses couldn’t create life like God did for some of the 10 plagues in Egypt. Only the Creator of the universe can make and give life. Adam’s dead body came to life when God breathed into his nostrils and he came alive! In that tomb, God caused that incorruptible dead body to live again!
Those three days from Calvary to the garden brought us from death to life if only we believe.
God Bless,
Phelps Chapel
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