The Third Day in Prophecy
When most Christians speak of the third day they are referring to the day of Christ’s resurrection. I am referring to something else, a deliverance I believe is coming soon. A day can represent a thousand years in prophecy (2 Peter 3:8). I believe there was a prophecy made by the Lord using this comparison.
“The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee. And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.” Luke 13:31-32.
In this scripture, if a day represents a thousand years in prophecy, then it is saying the Lord would work two thousand years and then the third thousand years would be the millennium, the third day in prophecy. The work of the first two days (two thousand years) was started by Jesus Christ and will be completed by the Holy Spirit. The beginning of it would be when Jesus started his ministry. Opinion is divided on when that was, but the most common estimates are either 27 A.D. or 29 A.D. Note that in the above scripture Jesus was responding to a threat from Herod, an Edomite.
A similar prophecy about the third day is in the book of Hosea.
“Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.” Hosea 6:1-3.
Israel was cast off by God, but the two days of Christ’s work (two thousand years) are for our healing. Then He will come to us like the rain, for our cleansing, nourishment, and growth on the third day.
Another prophecy about the third day is in the book of Esther (chapter 5). On the third day after a fast Esther put on her royal robes and appeared before the king to invite him to a banquet. The purpose of the banquet was to deliver the Israelites from Haman the Edomite, who was trying to kill them. This was like an allegory, with Esther representing the bride of Christ, the king representing Jesus Christ, the banquet representing the marriage supper of Christ, and the deliverance of the Israelites from Haman as the final deliverance of our people from the Edomites.
Another prophecy about the third day involved David (1 Samuel chapter 30). On the third day after leaving the Philistines David and his men came to Ziklag. The Amalekites (Edomites) had taken David’s two wives captive along with the rest of David’s people. David and his men then went and rescued the people, defeating the Edomites. He got his two wives back from their captors. Based on what cities the two wives came from, Ahinoam was probably of the tribe of Joseph (Manasseh), and Abigail from the tribe of Judah. This story is like an allegory, with David representing Christ Jesus, the two wives representing the two parts of the Israel people (Israel and Judah), David’s warriors representing the angels that will come with Jesus on his return, and David’s people in captivity as our Anglo Saxon and kindred folk (descendants of the lost tribes of Israel). If this is a prophecy, then we can expect deliverance from the Edomites on the third day at the return of Jesus Christ. It will be the Lord of Hosts with the angel armies that will deliver us.
One final illustration of the third day is in Exodus chapter 19. On the third day of Israel’s sanctification God descended on Mount Sinai in fire and gave Israel the Law. The people were terrified. If Jesus Christ descends to earth on the third day it will be a terrifying event. It will be glorious for Christians. But if you are not born again of God’s Spirit it will be the most terrifying day you have ever experienced. Make sure you are right with God before that dreadful day. I believe many people will drop dead from terror when Jesus returns.
According to the accepted start of Jesus’s ministry, the two thousand years of the first two days would be up either in 2027 A.D. or 2029 A.D. Most Christians say we should never try to predict the time of Christ’s return. They say even Jesus did not know when he would return. I disagree. I think he knew exactly when he would return. The scripture Christians use is in Mark, chapter 13.
“Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.” Mark 13:31-32.
In this scripture, Jesus was not talking about the year of his return to set up his kingdom, but rather the year of the destruction of the planet earth; when God would consume the planet with fire and start over with creation to make a paradise planet. That is my understanding from those two verses, and I believe the Lord wants us to be aware of the seasons of history; to know approximately when he is returning, and to be encouraging people with our assurance of deliverance in this time of trouble.
