According to the Scriptures

Paul wrote two letters to the Corinthian church. In the first letter, there is a chapter on the doctrine of the resurrection, specifically in chapter 15.

But I wanted to look at just a small portion of this chapter that recently stuck out at me.

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. –1 Corinthians 15:3-4.

In this passage, the phrase “according to the Scriptures” appears twice. I think a lot of us gloss over this without realizing what Paul is saying. At the time Paul was writing this, what were considered “the Scriptures?”

The answer is: the Old Testament.

So that brings up a question: where in the Old Testament does it prophesy that Jesus would die for our sins, would be buried, and would be raised on the third day?

The most common answer that people would probably come up with would be Jonah. After all, Jesus said:

“An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; for just as Jonah was three days and three night in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” –Matthew 12:39-40.

But did you know there are at least three other places in the Old Testament where Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection were prophesied? And not just His death (Psalm 22), not just His burial (Isaiah 53:9), but death, burial, and resurrection!

• Noah’s Ark
• Abraham and Issac
• Rahab and the Spies

We’ve looked at each of these at some point, with Noah’s Ark and Rahab being the most recent. The story of Abraham and Isaac we looked at in January 2009.

One thing I didn’t really expand on in the post about Abraham and Isaac last year was that Isaac was dead to Abraham from the moment that God told him to “offer him there as a burnt offering” in Genesis 22:2. In Genesis 22:4, the specific, three-day interval is described.

You have to understand that God promised Abraham that He would make him a great nation. So when God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac–the son of God’s promise–Abraham knew that God’s promise depended upon Him resurrecting Isaac!

A Little Extra

Continuing on the theme, I accidentally ran across the Holy Spirit lead me to this passage in my study.

From the book of Hosea:

“Come, let us return to the Lord. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us. He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day, that we may live before Him.” –Hosea 6:1-2 (Emphasis mine).

I love God’s Word. The more you dive into it, the more He reveals to you!

Has God revealed something new to you recently?

May He Increase!