Prophecies Concerning Jesus' Death & Resurrection

Isaiah chapter 53 is a well known prophesy of Jesus' death.  Psalm 22 is also a well known prophesy.  The purpose of this lesson is to look at some other prophesies that are not so well known. 

Now while they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them,  "The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up."  Matthew 17:22-23

Scholars have wondered how Jesus knew He was going to be raised up on the third day.  Jesus Himself provides the answer.

For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man, be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.  Matthew 12:40 

But that brings up a question.  Jesus was not actually in the heart of the earth for three full days and three full nights.  He was buried Friday night and rose Sunday morning.  That's only part of Friday, all day Saturday, and part of Sunday:  a total of about 48 hours. Jesus only spent two whole nights in the grave, not three.  Could Jesus have been mistaken when He said, "...so will the Son of Man, be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth?" 

NO!  Jesus was not mistaken.  He was simply using an expression that was common at the time.  For example, Esther had used that same expression. 

Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me;  neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise.  And so I will go tot he king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!

So Mordecai went his way and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.

Now it happened on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king's palace.  Esther 4:16 - Esther 5:1

Jesus said He would rise on the third day.  (see Matthew 17:22-23 above.)

note:  Since Jesus had talked about Jonah being in the belly of the fish for three days and nights, the fish became the symbol of Jesus' resurrection and the greatest symbol of the early church from its very beginnings.

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Here is a little known prophesy from the book of Isaiah:

Your dead shall live; Together with My dead body they shall arise, Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust; For your dew is like the dew of herbs, And the earth shall cast out the dead.  Isaiah 26:19 

This prophesy was fulfilled when Jesus rose from the dead. 

And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.  Matthew 27:52-53

As the prophet Hosea had said,

I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death.  O Death, I will be your plagues.  O grave, I will be your destruction.  Hosea 13:14

 

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