(63) Three Days and Three Nights
Matthew 12:38-45
[38]Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Master, we want you to show us a sign.”
[39]But He said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; but no sign will 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 great fish, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.[1]
[41]“The men of Nineveh will rise in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah. And look, one greater than Jonah is here. [42]The Queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the furthest parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. And look, one greater than Solomon is here.
[43]“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he walks through dry places seeking rest, but finds none. [44]Then he says, ‘I will return and enter my house from which I came out.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. [45]Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and live there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.”
(63) Three Days and Three Nights
Matthew 12:38-45, KJV
38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. 39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: 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. 41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. 42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. 43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.
(1) The Bible describes hell as a bottomless pit and a place of fire, which is a very good description of the center of the earth. The body of Jesus was in the grave for about 36 hours. It was buried on Friday evening and raised early Sunday morning, "the third day." If His soul was in the center of the earth during this time, technically speaking, He was "three days and three nights in the heart of the earth," for it was both day and night at the same time. Just as some Psalms depict His sufferings, Jonah 2 is more descriptive of Jesus in hell than of Jonah in the fish. Peter tells us that His soul was not left in hell, neither did His body decay in the grave. (See Psalm 16:9-11, Acts 2:26-28.)