06_07 The Sign of Jonah

The Sign of Jonah – Mt. 12:40

“For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly, so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

This prophecy, by Jesus Himself, has been a contested text, calling into question the accuracy of prophecy. If this prophecy is incorrect, how many other prophecies may be incorrect? The real question is, “Can we find the way that this text can be clearly shown to be true?”

One whole denomination, the Armstrong Church, even decided to make the crucifixion of Christ on Wednesday, instead of on Friday, (that year), because they believed that the text referred to the timing of His burial, “In the heart of the earth.” They declare that, after Jesus was buried, at the end of Wednesday (sunset) – which is the beginning of the next day – Thursday – till the end of the Festival Sabbath of Passover – three full days and nights Jesus would have rested in the grave. (In Jewish reckoning, the day begins at sunset, and ends at the next sunset. “…from even unto even shall ye celebrate your Sabbath.” Leviticus 23:32).

Thereby, they would have (dark part and light part) of Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, Jesus in the grave. The Festival Sabbath was on a weekly Sabbath day that year – a “high Sabbath,” John 19:31), till the end of the light part of that Sabbath, the beginning of Sunday – “three days and three nights” had passed.

But, does, “…the heart of the earth” mean, the burial of Jesus?

At that time, in the history of the Jews, might this idiom (an expression peculiar to a particular language) mean something else? What if we could prove, from Biblical text, that it means that Jesus’ destiny was settled, for three days and three nights, set by the heart of the people involved? – the heart of the world. By their act, the death of Jesus would be sealed? Once Judas agreed to betray Jesus, it was only a matter of opportunity, till Jesus would be in the power of His enemies, the “chief priests” (Mark 14:10). This idea would have to be shown to be the truth of the matter. Could it be proven, by Bible text, that Judas’ transaction to betray Jesus was at the beginning of the three days and three nights?

Walter Veith, evangelist of the television ministry, Amazing Discoveries (Africa) [after he moved to South Africa, from Amazing Discoveries (Canada)], was able to outline definitively, the final week of Jesus’ ministry, which ended at the end of the Festival Sabbath – a “high Sabbath” – thus on a weekly 7th day Sabbath, that year (John 19:21). That final week began, on a Sunday, Dr. Veith (a professor) shows, beginning with the return of Jesus to Jerusalem (Mark 11:1), coming on the way, “…going up to Jerusalem,” which caused His disciples to fear for Jesus’ life – Mark 10:32 – at the hands of the priests.

Since the names of the days of the week are not given in the text of Scripture, Dr. Veith was able to arrive at that day, by counting back, from the Sabbath of the end of that week. Dr. Veith noticed (by the leading of Holy Spirit, I’m sure) that Mark kept delineating the change of days, by writing such things as, “on the morrow,” or, “when even was come.” We will follow the days forward, instead (you’ll see why) noting the changes of the days, as he pointed them out.

“And when they came nigh to Jerusalem,” (Mark 11:1) Jesus sent two of His disciples to fetch the ass’ colt, for the grand entry into Jerusalem – Sunday, day 1.

“And on the morrow,” – day 2, Monday – Jesus curses the fig tree, that had born no fruit, that He could eat, because He was hungry (Mark 11:12).

“And when even was come,” – day 3, Tuesday (the night part) – “And in the morning (the day part) as they passed by, they saw the fig tree, dried up from the roots.” – Mark 11:19, 20. What follows, is text continuing to cover day 3’s activities, all through chapter 12, and all the way through chapter 13.

Chapter 14, v. 1, actually begins day 4, Wednesday. We must carefully count the days, to get it right, from this statement: “After (note: after) two days was the Feast of the Passover” (the Sabbath Feast-day). After two full days, would be the Feast-day. That includes three full days, making the day before those days, the day that the statement is made. Thus, the three days are Sabbath, Friday, and Thursday, all in the future of the day of the statement! That day could only be Wednesday, because, previous to that statement we had only come to Tuesday.

The writer was not actually trying to delineate the week. He was emphasizing the next point; about the Feast-day. Part of v. 1, with v.2, “The chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Him by craft, and put Him to death. But, they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people.” So, Mark 14:1 is day 4, Wednesday. At the end of that day, there would be “three days and three nights.”

On Wednesday, therefore, chapter 14, v. 3, Jesus, “being in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper (who, according to research, might have been a Pharisee, who, having been healed of his leprosy by Jesus, called a feast for Jesus and His disciples). What follows, is an account of Mary Magdalene washing the feet of Jesus with her tears, and wiping them with her hair, and, when Jesus sat up, from reclining at the meal, to acknowledge her, she anointed His head with the costly ointment. Mark 14:3, 4 says she anointed His head: In John’s gospel, she anointed His feet (John 12:3) “and wiped His feet with her hair.” I have tried to make sense of the differences in the accounts, by combining them into a practical possibility (the paragraph above).

The result of her mission, with the ointment, is the rebuke possibly voiced by Judas, but thought by some others, “Why was this waste of the ointment made? and that the ointment could have been sold for more than 300 pence, and given to the poor.” Again, we know that Judas held the bag of their finances (John 13:29) and that he was possibly a thief from it. Many have speculated about the above, because of the statement, out of character of most of the disciples, we would think, “Why was this waste of the ointment made?” Also, the rest of the statement, and the gentle rebuke of their thinking, by Jesus, plus the large words of commendation of Mary for what she had done, might indicate why, a few verses further (Mark 14:10) Judas Iscariot “…went unto the chief priests, to betray Him unto them.” Was it anger at the rebuke, though it was surely gentle; or possibly envy, that Mary might be so exalted? At the feast, he was reclining next to Jesus, on His left hand, a position indicating his own desired place among the disciples! Something really ticked him off, for him to make his decision to betray Jesus!

Now, consider carefully. The day, Wednesday, was ending with a feast, in Bethany, near the home of Lazarus and his sisters, Martha and Mary, being held for Jesus and His disciples, into the evening of that day (as would be common). Mary Magdalene, the sister of Martha, as you may remember, sat at the feet of Jesus, learning from Him. I think she believed Jesus, what He was saying, that He would be taken and killed. She came, as Jesus said, to anoint Him for His burial! This gift, she wanted to give to Him, before His imminent death, while He was yet alive! She cared not what anyone might say. She went there for Jesus! Her first access to Him, was His feet, because the men reclined at a feast, head toward the table. It would have been very difficult to get to His head, the way they reclined (remember, John even leaned against Jesus’ chest; they were that close together, at table). As I suggested, if she did something at His feet, quite possibly crying there, and wiping His feet with her hair, Jesus would very likely sit up, toward her, to acknowledge her presence. That would give her the opening she needed, to break open the alabaster box of ointment, and pour it on His head. To the Jews, that would signify a total anointing of His person. She would not want any of the ointment for herself (thus she would not very likely wipe any of it onto her own hair).

Enough about that. What did Judas do? He left the feast, by himself, and, as soon as it was dark enough to sneak his way to the chief priests, he bargained with them to betray Jesus to their custody. It would be after sunset of Wednesday, now the beginning of the dark part of Thursday, day 4 of Jesus’ final week!

Three days, and three nights, Jesus was, according to the idiom, destined to die. It was the evil ‘heart decision’ of the earthly powers (under the influence of the devil).

Thursday, Jesus and His disciples, prepared for the Passover meal: note: according to the Pharisees calculation, which, because they were the majority, the people kept as the day for the lambs to be killed and cooked (roasted over a fire: with the blood, the flesh not washed (made kosher). They were to eat it, the next night, with the blood. So, Jesus and His disciples ate that meal, including the meat of the lamb Thursday night – dark part of Friday! After they ate that meal, Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, a new ritual, that takes the place of the Passover Feast! No more lambs sacrificed. Jesus would Himself be sacrificed for man’s sins, by His Grace! “By grace are ye saved, through faith” [in Jesus] (Ephesians 2:8). All other sacrifices pointed to Him!

But He had not yet been sacrificed!! He would be sacrificed on Friday, the right preparation day for the Feast-Sabbath! (John 19:21). The Pharisees calculated the preparation-day for the Feast. The Sadducees, the Temple Priests, had the final authority for setting the first day of that month. It would be set, not by calculation, but by sighting of the first crescent moon, after the Equinox. That year, the crescent was not seen on the expected day. Not seen till the next day! By Sadducee authority, the 14th day of the first month, the preparation-day, would be the Friday, not Thursday. Jesus died, as the Lamb of God, on the preparation-day for the Sabbath Feast-day! When He died, on the cross, the Temple curtain, between the Holy Place (first room) and the Most Holy Place, where the Ark of the Covenant was, and the shekinah glory shone (the Presence of God), that vail was torn from top to bottom, by God Himself! – ending the sacrificial system and the Temple services.

The High Priest, that year, declared that the Feast Day would be a “high Sabbath,” a Feast that falls on a Sabbath. Jesus was sacrificed on the proper preparation-day for the Festival, proven by the tearing of the vail, by God Himself. To this day, many of the Jews keep two days, for the Feast, in case they might have it wrong!

That Thursday, Friday, Saturday; “…three days and three nights,” Jesus was, by the idiom, “…in the ‘heart of the earth.’” – His destiny sealed! The Sign of Jonah was fulfilled!! Prophecy is vindicated as accurate!

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