I would like to share with you what I believe Jesus meant when He said He would be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights, and also what He meant as the sign of Jonah. I will write out all the scriptures but you can look them up for your selves also. Matt. 12:38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to him, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you."39: But he answered them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign; but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40: For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so will the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41: The men of Nin'eveh will arise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold a greater than Jonah is here.

The religious leaders seek a sign from Jesus as to His authority to preach to the people (He did not go to bible school.  Jesus was not from the Levitical order for Priests) He said no sign would be given except the sign of Jonah. v.40-Then He said as Jonas was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so will the son of man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. This is the scripture that this traditional church has interpreted as Jesus being in the tomb 3 days and 3 nights. I will try to prove that is not what Jesus meant. v.41They repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, a greater than Jonas is here, Jesus speaks of Himself as the SIGN, not the 3.days and nights v.40.

Mk 8:11 The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven, to test him.
12, And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and said, "Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation." 13, And he left them, and getting into the boat again he departed to the other side.
No sign will be given, (except the sign of Jona Mt. 12:39). And here is the answer to what that sign is, Luke 11:29-"This is an evil generation; they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet". v30-For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites ( Preaching Repent or Perish), so also shall the Son of man be to this generation."  ( The preaching of Jesus, "Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand.") v.32b-"for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and behold a greater than Jonas is here"(Jesus).

Now about the 3 days and nights in the HEART of the earth (clay, men's bodies). Have you ever wondered at the scipture in Matt. 26:40-45 why the disciples fell asleep three times while Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane, and had to wake them each time he came back to them, well I have because I believe this is were we can get an explanation of the 3 days and nights saying. Firstly Jesus will be in the hearts of believers for 3 thousand years, after the last mil or 7th day we will no more be clay, and the three nights I believe are the three times the church falls asleep an Jesus has to awaken it. First time dark ages, second time right now the church is asleep an needs Jesus to awaken it, Third and last time at the end of the Mil. when Satan is let louse from the pit to deceive the nations.  After Satan and his followers are thrown into the lake of fire, we shall enter into the 8th day of new beginnings of a new heaven and earth and having a new body created in the likeness of the angles and into our eternal rewards.

If you would look closely at this generation of this Laodicean church age you would notice that we are running a parallel with the Jewish religion when Jesus walked this earth 2000 years ago.  If we don't pay attention to scriptural history we are doomed to make the same mistakes they made by not recognizing what God was doing in their midst.  The result was, Mt.11:16 "But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places and calling to their playmates, 17 `We piped to you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.'
They were asleep and not paying attention to spiritual things. Jesus said in Mt.23:37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!  You know what happened to that generation that did not respond to the Lord, they were destroyed by Titus Roman army in 70ty AD, so will it be with this generation if they do not repent and turn to the Lord with all their Heart.

Now back to the doctrine of Jesus being 3 days and 3 nights in the tomb.  I would also like to clarify my position on the time Jesus spent in the tomb using scripture to solidify my beliefs starting with the Feast of Passover.
Mt.26:17 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the passover?"
And also Mk.14:12 And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the passover lamb, his disciples said to him, "Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the passover?"
Lev.23:4 "These are the appointed feasts of the LORD, the holy convocations, which you shall proclaim at the time appointed for them. 5: In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening, is the LORD's passover.

Now in these scriptures Mt.26, and Mk.14 we can astabish that on the first day of unleavened bread the passover lamb was sacrificed and in Lev.23, we can know that the first day of unleavened bread was the first month (spiritual new year) the 14th day.
The way I under stand Jewish time, a new day began at even and 24 hours latter the following evening was the end of that day and the beginning of the new day. Lev.23:32 It shall be to you a sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict yourselves; on the ninth day of the month beginning at evening, from evening to evening shall you keep your sabbath."
Mk.14:30 And Jesus saith unto him,(Peter) "Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice." Jesus is clarifying that that night was a specific day.

Now going from there to when Jesus and His disciples ate the passover.  Mt.26:20 When it was evening, He (Jesus) sat at table with the twelve disciples; 21 and as they were eating,
What we need to see here is that this is the 14th day and the Passover feast with the evening then through the night of the garden of gethsemane to day light and the judgement hall of Pilate then to the cross on calvary to the tomb before evening, this all happened on the 14th day of unleavened bread and the feast of passover, Jesus became the ultimate Pascal Lamb shedding His blood for the redemption of mankind. That new evening began the 15th day of unleavened bread which was a feast day and was a Sabbath,
Lev.23:6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread to the LORD; seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. 7 On the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work. 8 But you shall present an offering by fire to the LORD seven days; on the seventh day is a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work."
The next thing I would like you to see that this 15th day was the day after Jesus was crucified and that it was not only just a Sabbath day it was a High Day which means it fell on a Seventh day Sabbath.
John19:31 Since it was the day of Preparation, in order to prevent the bodies from remaining on the cross on the sabbath (for that sabbath was a high day).  The 14th day was also a day of preparation.
Now so far we know Jesus died on the 14th day put in the tomb that same day and that He is still there the 15th day which is a high Sabbath ( Two Sabbaths in one).  One of these is the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and one is the 7th day of the week. Jesus so far has been dead two days, now comes the third day.  Now ask your self what day comes after the 7th or Sabbath day, correct it is the first day of the week.
John20:1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Mag'dalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.
Mt.28:1 Now after the sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Mag'dalene and the other Mary went to see the sepulcher. 2: And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. 3: His appearance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow. 4: And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. 5: But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6: He is not here; for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.
7: Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. Lo, I have told you." 8: So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.
We see here that this is the morning of the first day of the week, but this first day began the evening before the sun rise.  Now Jesus had to have risen some time between 6 pm the evening before the sun rise of the third day. This would reveal that Jesus was in the grave two days rising on the third day, early in the morning.
Here is another scripture substantiating my research in this matter.
The angles signified the third day resurrection, Lk.24:4: While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel; 5: and as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6: Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7: that the Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise." 8: And they remembered his words.

And again in Lk.24:13 That very day two of them were going to a village named Emma'us, about seven miles from Jerusalem,
14: and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15: While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16: But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17: And he said to them, "What is this conversation which you are holding with each other as you walk?" And they stood still, looking sad. 18: Then one of them, named Cle'opas, answered him, "Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?" 19: And he said to them, "What things?" And they said to him, "Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20: and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21: But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since this happened.

Now please consider an old testament scripture that correlated to this time element
Hosea 6:1 "Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn, that he may heal us; he has stricken, and he will bind us up.
2 After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him. 3 Let us know, let us press on to know the LORD; his going forth is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth."
This is pointing to the 3 day Mil. Kingdom of God raigning on the earth and the resurrection of the dead in Christ When Jesus returns to earth to claim His inheritance.  I believe this was partially fulfilled when Jesus rose from the grave early on the third day.
Consider also this scripture.  Mt.27:50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; 52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, 53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
Can I ask you this question and get an honest answer?  How can anyone explain that Jesus was in the grave 72 hours or three days and three night out of one scripture which is Matt.12:38?

John 7:16 So Jesus answered them, "My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me; 17: if any man's will is to do his will, he shall know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. 18: He who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but he who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood

John 16:13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14: He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15: All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

Brother Ed Hintz
3/20/02