The research I did this spring on the spring feasts gave me a different take on the possible sequence of events related to the Death, Burial & Resurrection of our Lord, Jesus. Although a bit unorthodox the scenario that made the most sense to me was the following:
Then
April
Jerusalem Time
Feast Day
Evening
9:00 AM
3:00 PM
Nisan 14
3
Tuesday Evening
Wednesday
Preparation Day
Last Supper
Jesus Crucified
Jesus Dies
Nisan 15
4
Wednesday Evening
Thursday
Unleavened Bread
Nisan 16
5
Thursday Evening
Friday
Unleavened Bread
Nisan 17
6
Friday Evening
Saturday
High Sabbath
Jesus Rises
Nisan 18
7
Saturday Evening
Sunday
First Fruits
Jesus Ascends to the Father
Perhaps I am taking the Bible to literally but according to the sacred text Jesus died at about 3 PM. In order to fulfill the prophecies I would logically assume he would arise 72 hours later at about 3 PM. So if He died on a Wednesday then Saturday would have to be Resurrection Day since the new day doesn’t start till around 6 PM or sundown. If He died on either Thursday or Friday then things really become obtuse with all sorts of explanations. If He arose after sundown Saturday then the fourth day has already commenced and it’s over three days and three nights.
The most popular Ascension Day is the one specified as 40 days after First Fruits. But there is another Ascension Day and that Ascension Day is on First Fruits. That is the day that Jesus ascended to the Father and no one could touch Him till He did ascend. As we know He did come back down again until ten days before Pentecost.
So here we are before the 2nd Passover and if we take a look at the table according to the model previously established we have the following:
Now
May
Jerusalem Time
Feast Day
Evening
9:00 AM
3:00 PM
Iyar 14
2
Tuesday Evening
Wednesday
Preparation Day
Last Supper
Jesus Crucified
Jesus Died
Iyar 15
3
Wednesday Evening
Thursday
Unleavened Bread
Iyar 16
4
Thursday Evening
Friday
Unleavened Bread
Iyar 17
5
Friday Evening
Saturday
Unleavened Bread
Saints Rise
Iyar 18
6
Saturday Evening
Sunday
First Fruits
Rapture of Resurrected & Living Saints
Notice that the 2nd Passover match exactly the days of the week as the original Passion. If this model is correct and if this is THE year then there is a good possibility that the Resurrection of the deceased saints will be on Saturday May 5th and the Rapture of all the saints will be on Sunday, May 6th First Fruits. Although I could be wrong, I would guess that we don’t come back down to finish off the forty days. I don’t mean to sound crass but according to the scripture it sounds like we “party” for another week up there.
Pineman