And the third day He will rise again. Mark 10:34 (NKJV)
Three days. My college cross country coach repeatedly said that if we didn’t get enough sleep, or ate a bunch of junk food, or over-worked in some other way, three days later we would either come down with a cold, pull a muscle, or endure some other injury. Therefore, we were always to get a good night sleep, eat healthy, and follow his work-out plans—tough instructions for college students with piles of late-night homework, early morning and afternoon work-outs, and limited food choices in the 1980’s dorm cafeteria. But I always remember his caution, “three days.”
Three days or three times comes up quite often in the Bible, too. Perhaps the most memorable is Jesus’ three days and three nights in the tomb, just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the fish. And on the third day, Jesus rose, conquering sin, death, and the power of the devil, opening the door for all of us to have eternal life. HalleluYAH!
One year as I was reading my Bible, I went on a treasure hunt to discover other examples of three days or three times. I thought you might enjoy hearing these examples as we near Resurrection Sunday (First Fruits). As you think of Jesus spending three days in the grave and descending into hell, after all He already went through on the cross for all the world, consider these other “threes” He wrote into His Word:
Three days after their dreams, Pharoah’s butler was restored to his position, while the baker was hung (Genesis 40).
Three days Joseph put his brothers in prison (Genesis 42:17).
Three months Moses’ mother hid him as a baby (Exodus 2:2).
Three days journey Moses requested Pharaoh allow the Israelites to take (Exodus 3:18, 5:3, 8:27).
Three days the Israelites went without finding water after crossing the Red Sea (Exodus 15:22).
Three days to prepare for the Lord coming down Mt. Sinai (Exodus 19:11).
And let them be ready for the third day. For on the third day the Lord will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. Exodus 19:11
Three times in the year all your males shall appear before the Lord God. Exodus 23:14-17, 34:23 (NKJV)
Three days was the Israelites first journey with the tabernacle after leaving the mountain of God (Numbers 10:23).
Three days notice was what Joshua gave the Israelites before crossing the Jordan into the Promised Land (Joshua 1:11).
Three days the spies hid in the mountains from the King of Jericho at Rahab’s caution (Joshua 2:16).
Three days after Joshua made the covenant with the Gibeonites, he heard they were their neighbors (Joshua 9:16).
Three years and they would have fruit (2 Kings 19:29).
This shall be a sign to you: ‘You shall eat this year such as grows of itself,
And in the second year what springs from the same;
Also in the third year sow and reap,
Plant vineyards and eat the fruit of them.’ 2 Kings 19:29 (NKJV)
Three days and Hezekiah would be healed and go up to the house of the Lord (2 Kings 20:5).
Three days Rehoboam asked the people to wait while he made a bad decision (2 Chronicles 10:5, 10:12).
Three times God works to bring a soul back from the Pit (Job 33:29-30).
After two days He will revive us;
On the third day He will raise us up,
That we may live in His sight. Hosea 6:2 (NKJV)
Three months Mary stayed with Elizabeth when they were both expecting special babies (Luke 1:56).
Three days Joseph and Mary searched for Jesus when He was twelve years old (Luke 2:46).
Three days and the Son of Man would be raised from the dead, Jesus told His disciples (Luke 9:22).
“Three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none,” said the man in Jesus’ parable (Luke 13:6-9).
“The third day I shall be perfected,” Jesus sent in a message to Herod (Luke 13:32).
Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished. For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.” Luke 18:31-33 (NKJV)
Three times Pontius Pilate asked about Jesus, “Why, what evil has He done? (Luke 23:22).
Third hour Jesus was crucified (Mark 15:25).
Three hours the earth was dark in mid-day as Jesus hung on the cross (Luke 23:44).
Three days until the Son of Man rose again (Luke 24:7,24:21).
In three days, Jesus said He could raise up His temple if it was destroyed (John 2:19-22).
Three times Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love Me?” (John 21).
Three times Paul pleaded with the Lord to remove his thorn in the flesh (2 Corinthians 12:8).
Today’s TEA CUPP: Let’s consider again that day that Jesus died for us. Three people were hung on three crosses. The One in the center had never done anything wrong. The criminal on His right believed in Him and said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into your kingdom.” There was darkness for three hours. Jesus was laid in the tomb and on the third day He rose from the grave, opening the door for all to enter heaven. Let’s be like the thief on His right who believed, hearing Jesus say, “Today you will be with me in paradise.”
For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 1 Corinthians 15:3–4 (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
p.s. Thank you for stopping by My Tea Cupp Prayers! My next book is in the final stages for publishing. It’s entitled More Tea Cupp Prayers. I pray that many ladies will read it for a deeper walk with Jesus. Today’s devotion will be part of another book, The Runner’s Tea Cupp (God willing!). Thank you for praying for me! God bless you, dear ones! Jesus loves you!
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