J-10. THE THIRD DAY AND THE RAPTURE!

In other words, THE THIRD DAY

in relation to the rapture 

of the church!

John 2:1,2.

“And the THIRD DAY there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called and his disciples to the marriage.”

Have you ever wondered why the marriage in Cana took place on the THIRD DAY? Why not the second day or the fifth day? Why mention any particular day at all? Well, when one begins to look at all the Scriptures that have the phrase “THE THIRD DAY” a surprising pattern surfaces. There are a total of 53 passages of Scripture that refer to the third day. Now to me, this stood out as being significant so I began to study these third day Scriptures.

The Bible tells us that the things written in the Old Testament were shadows of things to come.

Look at Colossians 2:16.

“Let no man, therefore, judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holy day, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days; which are a SHADOW of things to come: but the body is of Christ.”

We are also told that they are examples.

I Corinthians 10:6 says.

“Now these things were our EXAMPLES, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.”

Then we read in I Corinthians 10:11.

“Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world have come.”

Hebrews tells us that the things were written were to be figures of the true. Look at chapter nine and verse twenty-four in the book of Hebrews.

“For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are FIGURES of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:”

The things written in the Old Testament are shadows of things to come. They are our examples or patterns to follow. They are figures or in other words types of things to come. Many, if not all, of the things written in the Old Testament, have two fulfillments. The first fulfillment is the type, shadow or example of how the future fulfillment will transpire or take place. What I mean by this will become clearer as we read some of the third day Scriptures.

Let’s continue with John 2:1-11. I am not going to quote the entire passage here in this study but only pull out what the Holy Spirit has shown to me. Notice “the,  who” that was invited or called to the wedding in verse number two.

John 2:2.

“And both Jesus was called and his disciples, to the marriage.”

Now compare this with several other Scriptures in the word of God that teach that we, the church, the body of Christ Jesus, are the BRIDE of Christ and on the day of his return there will be a marriage between the Lamb, which is Jesus and the bride, the church.

Revelation 19:7-9 tells us of the wedding or marriage of the Lamb. 

“…for the marriage of the Lamb has come and his wife has made herself ready …Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb…”

Mark 2:18-20 tells us that Jesus is our bridegroom. Verse 20.

“But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.”

Matthew 25:1-13 tells us that one day there will be a calling to the marriage supper of the Lamb, and ONLY those who are watching and are READY shall go into the marriage of the Lamb. Verse 10.

“And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were READY went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.”

Now I propose to you that the marriage of the Lamb will be on the THIRD DAY.

The Bible teaches us that we shall be CHANGED in the twinkling of an eye. These mortal bodies in what we now live in will be changed to immortal bodies.

This is found in I Corinthians 15:38-58. Verse 51 and 52.

“Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep (Die), but we all shall be CHANGED, 

52. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be CHANGED.”

Now I want to draw your attention to A CHANGE that took place at the wedding in Cana. Jesus had the waterpots FILLED to the brim or in other words to overflowing. Then he had the water served to the guests. However, the water was CHANGED into the finest wine. Again I propose to you that our CHANGE will also take place on the THIRD DAY?

Let us continue looking at other Scriptures that refer to the THIRD DAY.

Luke 13: 31-33 tells us this.

“The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get you out, and depart from here; for Herod will kill you. 

32. And he said unto them, Go you, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures TODAY and TOMORROW, and the THIRD DAY I shall be perfected. 

33. Nevertheless, I must walk TODAY, and TOMORROW and THE DAY FOLLOWING: for it cannot be that a prophet perishes out of Jerusalem.”

We see in verse 34 that it is Jerusalem that kills the prophets. The day following was the third day and it was this day that Jesus was crucified. Hebrews 11:40 tells us that we shall be made PERFECT together, and we know that our change or being made perfect will occur at the second coming of Jesus.

There are many Scriptures that tell us that Jesus was raised from the dead on the THIRD DAY. Matthew 16:21, Mark 10:34, Luke 24:7, Acts 10:40, I Corinthians 15:4, and several other Scriptures clearly show that Jesus was raised on the THIRD DAY. But I propose to you that the dead in Christ shall ALSO take place on the THIRD DAY.

Take a look at Hosea 6:2 which says.

“After two days will he revive us: in the THIRD DAY he will RAISE US UP, and we shall LIVE in his sight.”

We know from Revelation 19:8 that we shall be clothed in white raiment on that great and notable day of the Lord when we shall be changed. In other words, we shall put on our royal apparel.

Revelation 19:8. 

“And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints.”

Take a look at Esther 5:1.

“Now it came to pass on the THIRD DAY, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house.”

We are given a description of the second coming of Jesus in Revelation 1:7 which tells us this.

“Behold he comes with clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindred of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.”

Now compare this with Exodus 19:10 which says.

“And the Lord said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them TODAY and TOMORROW, and let them wash their clothes. 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”

I believe these Scriptures show us that the second coming of Jesus will be on the THIRD DAY. The Lord will come down from heaven in the sight of all the people and the dead in Christ will be raised, then we which are alive and ready at the time of his coming will be changed and go up to meet the Lord in the air.

I Thessalonians 4:13-18. Verses 16 and 17.

“For the Lord, himself shall DESCEND from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 

17. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

We read in 1 Corinthians 3:9 that the church is referred to as God’s building.

“For we are laborers together with God: you are God’s husbandry, you are God’s BUILDING.”

And in verse 16 we are called the temple of God.

“Know you not that you are the TEMPLE of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”

Now, look at 2 Corinthians 5:1 which says.

“For we know that if our earthly HOUSE of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a HOUSE not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”

So, in other words, the church is God’s HOUSE.

With this in mind look at Ezra 6:15.

“And this HOUSE was finished on the THIRD DAY of the month of Adar which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.”

Will God’s house or the temple that is to say God’s church be complete or finished on the THIRD DAY?

At the time of the rapture of the church, those who are faithful believers along with the dead in Christ shall rise up to meet the Lord in the air. In other words, we will be caught up or GO UP to be with the Lord.

Now take a look at II Kings 20:5.

“Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father, I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears: behold, I will heal you: on the THIRD DAY you shall GO UP unto the house of the Lord.”

I propose to you that the church will GO UP in the rapture on the THIRD DAY.

In Genesis 22:4 we read.

“Then on the THIRD DAY, Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.”

Now compare this with Luke 21:28 where we read these words.

“And when these things begin to come to pass, then LOOK UP, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draws nigh.”

As you can plainly see there are many parallels with these THIRD DAY Scriptures and the coming of the Lord, the resurrection of the dead in Christ, our change, our going up or rapture. And it is my opinion there are far too many to just pass off as coincidence, so therefore I believe it is safe to conclude the second coming of Jesus will be on the THIRD DAY.

Now to fully understand and see the patterns set forth in the Old Testament of when this THIRD DAY will actually be we will need to study the feast days that were commanded of God for the children of Israel to keep. However, due to the length of the study, I have set it apart as a study of its own entitled, “THE FEAST DAYS OF THE LORD!”. In this study we shall explore the days and months of the year of the Jewish calendar and the significance of the feast days in relation to being types and shadows of things to come, that is to say, their future fulfillment.