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These patterns extend through the New Testament as well – like a watermark.

 

FIRST DAY REFERENCES (excluding dates and day sequences)

 

The first day references in the Old Testament do not necessarily align with actual days. For example, at the time of Christ Passover lambs were killed between mid-day and night-time on what is called the evening of the 14th Nisan. Deuteronomy 16:4 assigns that evening to the first day of the feast of unleavened bread which is 15th Nisan. So we probably need to think of the first day of the feast as beginning at mid-day on 14th and ending at sunset on 15th.

 

“First day” references include “one day” references which are the same expression in the original Hebrew.

 

First day references tell a story. The narrative goes like this:

 

The first day will be a day of killing of a sacrificial offering. The killing will be characterized by the “light of the world” being overtaken by darkness. Specifically it will be a day on which Passover lambs are sacrificed, a feast of unleavened bread eaten and a full Sabbath day observed. Death will follow a hanging , on a hill before the Lord. The victim would be a king and at least partly Jewish. This day there would be a form of darkness over the land but the light would return during evening. A work of great significance would be accomplished by a male child born in Zion resulting in the generation of a new gentile realm and the work of the day would remove iniquity of the land.

 

Genesis 1:3-5

And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

 

(1 Samuel 27:1)

I shall now perish

 

(Esther3:13)

To destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish

 

(Esther 8:11-12)

 To destroy, to slay and to cause to perish

 

(Genesis 33:13)

All the flock will die

 

(Leviticus 22:28)

Kill it

 

(Deuteronomy 16:4)

Which thou sacrificedst

 

(Judges 20:21-22)

Destroyed …. twenty and two thousand men.

 

(1 Kings 20:29)

Slew … an hundred thousand footmen

 

(2 Chronicles 28:6)

Slew … an hundred and twenty thousand

 

(Genesis 27:41)

 Purposing to kill thee.

 

(1 Samuel 2:34)

They shall die

 

(Isaiah 9:14)

Cut off … head

 

(Isaiah 47:9)

Two things shall come upon thee … the loss of children and widowhood

 

(2 Samuel 21:9)

They hanged them in the hill before the Lord:…., and were put to death

 

(Exodus 12:15)

That soul shall be cut off

 

(Ezra 10:19)

They offered a ram

 

1 Kings 4:22

Solomon receives in excess of 130 animals for slaughter.

 

 (Nehemiah 8:18).

The first day … he read in the book of the law of God. (about sacrificial offerings which then commenced under the priesthood of Ezra.)

 

(Exodus 12:16)

No manner of work

 

(Leviticus 23:7)

No servile work

 

(Leviticus 23:35)

No servile work

 

(Numbers 28:18)

No manner of servile work

 

(Leviticus 23:39, 40)

Shall be a sabbath 

 

(Daniel10:12)

Thou didst chasten thyself (by fasting)

 

(Zechariah 14:7)

But it shall be one day ….not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light.

 

In another first day reference Isaiah points to a future intervention by God of great significance to the whole earth. It begins with the birth of a male child and leads to a new gentile realm derived from Zion.

(Isaiah 66:7-8)

Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child. Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.

 

(Zechariah 3:9)

I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.

 

 

 

 

THREE DAYS REFERENCES (excluding dates and day sequences)

 

The “three days” texts tell a story. The narrative goes like this. A man came with friends to Jerusalem seeking the welfare of the children of Israel, and abode there three days. At some point the ruler hung him on a tree to die, In his death he had nothing to eat or drink for three days and three nights during which time he was hidden away, imprisoned in thick darkness but he arose in the night, and was allowed to live. However during the three days of his death he went on a spiritual journey recovering lost spirits (the spoil) and celebrating with them. (Consistent with 1 Peter 3:18-20, 4:6) At the end of the three days he presented himself before the king. There are numerous texts (eg. 1 Corinthians 15:23, John 20:17, Matthew 28:9) that collectively show that Jesus was required to appear before God (the king) during the wave offering on the morrow after the Sabbath of the Passover. This occurred approximately 9 am on resurrection day and so was within the three days of the pattern.

 

 

(Ezra 8:32)

And we came to Jerusalem, and abode there three days.

 

 (Nehemiah 2:10-12)

 …. it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.

So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days.

And I arose in the night, ….

 

(Genesis 40:18-19)

The three baskets are three days. Yet within three days shall Pharaoh … hang thee on a tree

 

(Exodus 10:23)

…. neither rose any from his place for three days ….

 

(Exodus 3:18)

…. three days journey into the wilderness ….

 

(Exodus 5:3)

 …. three days journey into the desert ….

 

(Exodus 8:27)

…. three days journey into the wilderness ….

 

(Numbers 10:33)

 …. three days' journey ….

 

(Genesis 30:36)

…. three days' journey ….

 

(Jonah 3:3)

 …. three days' journey….

 

(Numbers 33:8)

 …. three days' journey in the wilderness ….

 

(Exodus 15:22)

 …. three days in the wilderness, and found no water.

 

(1 Samuel 30:12)

…. he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights.

 

(Esther 4:16)

 …. neither eat nor drink three days, night or day:…. I go in …. and if I perish, I perish.

 

 

(Genesis 42:17)

And he put them all together into ward three days.

 

(Jonah 1:17)

…. in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

 

(Exodus 10:22)

….. there was a thick darkness ….. three days:

 

(2 Samuel 24:13)

…. there be three days' pestilence ….

 

(1 Chronicles 21:12)

…. three days the sword of the Lord, even the pestilence, ….

 

(1 Samuel 30:13)

…. three days agone I fell sick.

 

(Joshua 2:16)

…. hide yourselves there three days

 

(1 Samuel 20:19)

…. three days …. thou didst hide thyself

 

(2 Kings 2:17)

…. they sought three days, but found him not.

 

(Joshua 2:22)

 …. the pursuers …. found them not.

 

(Ezra 8:15)

…. found there none

 

(Numbers 10:33)

…. the Lord went before them in the three days' journey, to search out a resting place for them.

 

 

(Joshua 9:16, 20)

…. at the end of three days …. even let them live

 

(Joshua 1:11)

… for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land ….

 

(Joshua 3:2-3)

…. after three days …. ye shall remove from your place.

 

(Genesis 40:12-13)

…. The three branches are three days: …. Pharaoh …. shall restore thee ….

 

(Genesis 40:13)

Yet within three days shall Pharaoh …. restore thee unto thy place …

 

(1 Samuel 9:20)

…. lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee and on all thy father’s house?

 

(Judges 14:14)

And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle.

 

(1 Samuel 21:5)

…. women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel.

 

(2 Chronicles 20:25)

…. and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much.

 

 

(1 Chronicles 12:39)

And there they were with David three days, eating and drinking: for their brethren had prepared for them.

 

(Judges 19:4)

….  he abode with him three days: so they did eat and drink, and lodged there.

 

(2 Samuel 20:4)

Then said the king to Amasa, Assemble me the men of Judah within three days, and be thou here present.

 

(1 Kings 12:5)

And he (the king) said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me.

 

(2 Chronicles 10:5)

And he (the king) said unto them, Come again unto me after three days. ….

 

(Ezra 10:8)

And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, ….

 

(Ezra 10:9)

Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. ….  

 

 

THIRD DAY REFERENCES (excluding dates and day sequences)

The story of the third day is that life replaced death, leaving the place of death empty. What was hidden was now seen, God appeared in the open air and a new long prophesied king arose.

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The third day life sprung forth from a dead world.

Genesis 9, 12, 13

And God said ….  let the dry land appear ….  And the earth brought forth grass, and herb  ….  and the tree yielding fruit …. the third day.

 

The third day Isaac escaped from death.

Genesis 22:4, 11, 12

Then on the third day Abraham …. saw the place afar off. …. And the angel of the LORD …. said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad.

 

The third day Laban discovered that the place of Jacob was empty.  

Genesis 31:22

And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled.

 

The third day was the day innocent women and children escaped death leaving the city empty.

Genesis 34:25-29

And it came to pass on the third day, …. the sons …. came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males. …. They took ….  all their little ones, and their wives …..

 

The third day was Pharaoh’s birthday - the day he celebrated his coming to life in the outside world.

Genesis 40:20

And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, ….

 

The third day that they were given a chance to live.

Genesis 42:18

And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God:

 

 

The third day God came in sight of the people after being hidden from them.

Exodus 19:11, 15, 16

And be ready against the third day: for the third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai. …. Be ready against the third day: ….And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.

 

The third day the people of Gibeon escaped from death.

Joshua 9:15-18

And Joshua ….  made a league with them, to let them live ….  And the children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their cities on the third day and smote them not ….

 

The third day the Israelites “rose up out of their place” (verse 33) and escaped death.

Judges 20:30-35

And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day …. And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place,  …. And the Lord smote Benjamin before Israel ….

 

The third day David escaped death and left the place where he was hidden.

1 Samuel 20:5, 12

And David said ….  I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even.

 

The Egyptian slave had no food or water for three days and three nights. On the third day he escaped death by making a sworn agreement with David.

1 Samuel 30:1, 11-15

And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded …. And they found an Egyptian in the field, …. he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights. …. three days agone I fell sick….Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliver me into the hands of my master.

 

The Philistines slaughtered the entire camp of King Saul, leaving nothing to be seen but death. On the third day a man was seen to come out of the place of death with torn clothes and dirt on his head.

2 Samuel 1:2

It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head ….

 

The third day the child escaped death.

1 Kings 3:18-27

And it came to pass the third day after that I was delivered, that this woman was delivered also: ….And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other. …. Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof.

 

The third day a proclamation of Rehoboam caused a prophesied king (Jeroboam) to rise up.

2 Chronicles 10:12, 1 Kings 12:12

10:12. So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come again to me on the third day.

12:12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day.

 

After being consigned to death he was to be healed on the third day.

2 Kings 20:5,8

5. Turn again, and tell Hezekiah…. I have heard thy prayer, …. I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the Lord.

8. …. What shall be the sign that the Lord will heal me, …. the third day?

 

Esther had neither eat nor drink three days day or night. On the third day she escaped death and received the king’s promise that led to the freeing of all Jews from death.

Esther 5:1-3

Now it came to pass on the third day…. the king said unto her, …. what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom.

 

The third day God would raise up and heal those under judgement.

Hosea 6:2

….  in the third day he will raise us up ….