Are we worshiping a false messiah

 

Since the length of time that Jesus Christ spent in the heart of the earth was a test sign to prove that He was indeed the Messiah, anything short or beyond the stipulated three days and three nights would render him a hoax and an impostor.

After Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead, on the road to Emmaus which is about seven miles from Jerusalem, two of His disciples were talking with each other about everything that happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus Himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing Him. Then Jesus asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” After relating all what happened to Jesus Christ, they said, “And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place” (Luke 24:13-28).

The scriptures confirmed that, after Jesus Christ was resurrected, after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.

The angel said to the Mary Magdalene and the other Mary who went to look at the tomb, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay” (Matthew 28:1-6).

 Please note carefully that, the time Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb it was still dark and was just beginning to dawn towards the first day of the Week, signifying that it was not yet the first day of the week and therefore, confirming the fact that, a new day does not begin either at sunset or at midnight.

Now, to get to the crux of the matter, we need to confirm and establish the time that Jesus Christ was placed in the tomb because, the exact time He was placed in the heart of the earth is the exact time He would raise from the heart of the earth. Because Jesus unequivocally said; 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.” Therefore, the sign of the true Messiah begins with the time His body was placed in the tomb in the heart of the earth.

Jesus Christ died at the ninth hour of the day which is synonymous to three O´clock in the afternoon as we have been duly admonished saying: “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" And, Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up His spirit” (Matthew 27: 45, 46, 50).

Consider this again for a moment, if from sixth to the ninth hour of the day darkness covered the earth and Jesus gave up His spirit at the ninth hour of the day and this time period is twelve to three O’clock in the afternoon, how cans a new day begins at either sunset or at midnight? Food for thought!

Now, when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him. When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed. And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb (Matthew 27:57; Mark 15:42; Luke 23:54; John 19:42).

Please note carefully that, it was already evening when Joseph of Arimathea went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus, so by the time he went and bought the cloth, took down the body, clean, embalm as the custom of the Jews is to bury, wrapped it in a clean cloth and laid it in the new tomb, this must have taken a couple of hours into the late evening to accomplished. Therefore, it is logical to say that the time the body of Jesus Christ was laid in the tomb was late in the evening of the Preparation day, and the High Day Sabbath drew near.”

It is imperative to note that while Joseph and Nicodemus were embalming the body and laid it in the tomb late in the evening Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were present sitting opposite the tomb, then the following day which was a High Day Sabbath they rested, and later we are told that, “Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him” (Mark 16:1).

Please note carefully that, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary bought and prepared the spices to anoint the body of Jesus after resting on the High Day Sabbath, but after they bought and prepared the spices and fragrant oils they again rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment: Thus signifying that there were two Sabbaths during the period of Jesus’ death and resurrection which were the High Day Sabbath which followed the crucifixion and the weekly Sabbath that proceeds the first day of the week. (Luke 23:56).

So let us analyze this carefully because we are talking about true or false worship, we are talking about worshiping the true Messiah verses a false messiah. Since there were two Sabbaths between the day of Jesus’ death and His resurrection and a day in between the two Sabbaths on which the women bought and prepared the spices and fragrant oil before resting on the Sabbath according to the commandments, the question is, when was Jesus Christ crucified? Was He crucified on a Friday and rose on a Sunday?

Stay tuned

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph