THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE HEART OF THE EARTH

The sole purpose of the study in Tract 10 concerning the "sign of Jonah"--"three days and three nights in the heart of the earth"--is to dispel the darkness and confusion caused by man's private interpretation of Jonah's "sign" (Mt. 12:40). Many Christians have been led astray by those who "become obsessed with their pet idea that their minds cannot comprehend much else" (10TR21). For this reason Elijah (V.T.H.) wrote Tract 10 for Davidians to study and become knowledgable about the "sign," to help others to see the errors in the "pet idea" theories of men. (10TR20,21).

NOT MAN'S TIME BUT GOD'S TIME IN THE DAYS OF JESUS

To begin to teach the study, point to the top right side of the chart (the circle dividing the night from the day), and explain, by reading Gensis 1:5, the difference between God's time (Jewish) and the time of today (Roman). Also explain that God begins His time with 12 o'clock at even when the sun sets (the night first) and on to midnight, it would be 6 o'clock, which is opposite of Roman time--12 o'clock midnight. Thus, the Gospel writers counted the hours of night and day by Jewish time in the days of Jesus. Moreover, at that time of the year (during the passover week when He was crucified), the nights and days were all equal--12 hours of night time and 12 hours of day time (John 11:9).

JESUS WAS NOT BURIED 4,000 MILES IN THE HEART OF THE EARTH

Now point to the top left side of the chart (circle representing the earth with Christ's tomb on top) which shows that the phrase, "in the heart of the earth," does not mean that Jesus was literally buried 4,000 miles deep in the earth. The fact is, Christ was not even buried in the earth, but laid in a tomb on top of the earth.

"In our study of the three days and three nights, what light did we receive to help us?--that the heart of the earth was not the tomb {on top of the earth or in the earth}, but rather Jesus was in reality in the power {of the church--the heart of the earth} or in the hands of the church {the Jewish leaders of the Sanhedrin} for three days and three nights even though part of that time He was dead and in the tomb."--11 Symbolic Code, No. 8, pg. 6 (boldings, braces added).

NEITHER JONAH OR JESUS WAS DEAD THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS

To support their "pet idea" theory that the phrase, "in the heart of the earth," means Jesus was literally DEAD for "three days and three nights," the false interpreters use Mt. 12:40 (first text under Christ's tomb) as their proof. And by adding the word "DEAD" to the text, they twist its true meaning to make it appear that Jesus was DEAD "three days and three nights." Read it aloud with the added words and see if anyone catches the added word--"DEAD."

"For as Jonas was {DEAD} three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be {DEAD} three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."--Matthew 12:40 (boldings, braces added).

Now point out that the text does not say, much less imply, that He was to be DEAD "three days and three nights" (was Jonah DEAD three days and three nights?). By reading aloud the remaining three texts (under Christ's tomb at the top left side of the chart), any honest truth seeker will see for himself that Jesus plainly taught that it was not one event (His death), but several events all together--His being betrayed, mocked, scourged, spat upon, arraigned as a malefactor in seven trials, as well as being put to death, is what constitutes His being "three days and three nights in the heart of the earth," all of which proves that He was in the hands of sinners. This fact proves that His death was only a part of the "sign of Jonah," because He was not dead for the full "three days and three nights"--72 hours.

COUNT THE 72 HOURS DURING THE THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS

Start by reading the first four texts on the left side under the 10th and 14th daysof the bottom half of the chart, and conclude by reading 10 Tract, pg. 4: "Even astronomical records agree that the fourteenth-day sacrifice of the Passover supper that year came on Wednesday..." to prove that at the going down of the sun on Wednesday evening, Christ sat with the twelve apostles to observe the Passover. Since night (the beginning of a 24 hour day) comes first, then when the sun went down, it was Thursday night, according to God's time. Beginning with Thursday night at the bottom half of the chart, have someone read each Bible text, so that the different hours are noted, while you read the corresponding Desire of Ages' references, and explain all the events that took place on Thursday night: (1) the lamb had to be roasted and eaten which would have consumed about 3 hours, (2) Judas left that very night to betray Jesus (3) Peter was told he would deny Christ three times that very night (4) they sang a song and walked to the garden to pray (5) Jesus was arrested at midnight (6) He was tried first before Annas (7) next before Caiaphas (8) then before the Sanhedrin that very night illegally and (9) Peter denies Christ three times just before the day breaks on Thursday.

Now show that "as soon as it was day" (D.A.714:1) the Sanhedrin again assembled (1st legal day trial) to try Jesus the 4th time; and that the trial went on "hour after hour," (D.A.721:3) even into the night of the next day--Friday. Then explain the events of Friday night: (1) while Christ is still being tried before the Sanhedrin Friday night, Judas confesses his betrayal of Jesus and hangs himself (2) then Jesus is tried before Pilate the first time (His 5th trial) at midnight (3) next He is tried before Herod (4) finally (His 7th and last trial) before Pilate again, who delivers Him to be crucified.

Now explain the events on Friday: (1) while Jesus was on the way to calvary, the body of Judas, who died on Friday night, was seen Friday morning and buried (2) Jesus was crucified at the 3rd hour (9 o'clock in the morning); (3) darkness was over the land from 12 noon to 3 o'clock in the afternoon (4) He died at 3 o'clock and; (5) He was taken down and buried in Joseph's tomb. Then He rested all day Sabbath and was resurrected Sunday morning. Next start with the 9th hour (3 o'clock) on Friday (day time), when Jesus died, and count the hours: (1) 3 hours to the end of Friday (2) 12 hours of Sabbath night (3) 12 hours of Sabbath day (4) 12 hours of Sunday night and (5) a total of 39 hours of Christ's actual death. This proves He could not have been DEAD "three days and three nights"--72 hours.

Finally, point to the bottom of the chart to the "sign of Jonah," and read Mt. 12:40 and the following reference: "...the three days and three nights is the time from His first legal trial to the time of His resurrection;...the sign of the `three days and three nights' literally is fulfilled from Thursday morning, the time of His legal trial, to Sunday morning when He arose:..." (10TR15). And then point out that since the text says: "three days" first and "three nights" last, the students must start counting with Thursday morning, and count "three days and three nights" up to the time of Christ's resurrection, when He was no longer "in the heart of the earth"--in the hands of sinners (Sanhedrin of the Jewish church).