CRUCIFIXION THINGS WE SHOULD KNOW Say - Welcome to Sabbath School Class, let's bow our head and ask God for understanding as we study today. Say - God gave His people some good advice. Christ said through Peter, "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear (we are to express God's truth with kindness and leave it be)" I Peter 3:15. Say - In another place the Bible instructs us, " 25 In meekness (humility) instructing (correcting) those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil (the deception), who are taken captive by him at his will (Just say I believe the Bible teaches...because no one can agree with what God says until God allows them to see and understand "spiritually") 2 Timothy 2:25, 26. Say - Our family recently listened to a sermon on the sequence of events of the crucifixion. Our lesson today is from that sermon and I hope it will help us be able to explain to anyone who asks about the events of the week of the death of Jesus Christ. It would be helpful for each of us if we could memorize the verses with understanding so when we are asked, we can show anyone the sequence in their own Bible. Say - WHAT DAY DID JESUS DIE? Christ died as the Passover Lamb and on the Passover which was the 14th day of the first month. Christ died on the 4th day of the week or what we call Wednesday. How can we know for sure? Because it was in the Law of God! Our study begins in Exodus 12:1, 3; " 2 This month (Abib, Exodus 23:15) shall be...the first month of the year to you. 3... In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: NOTE: Compare the above verses with the week of Christ's death when Christ entered Jerusalem four days before He was crucified or on the 10th day of the first month of Abib. Christ had talked to His disciples about this day. He had given them instructions concerning a little colt He would need for His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. He sent two of His disciples to the neighboring village and told them,...there will be a colt tied, loose him and set him free, Luke 19:30. Soon, draped with their garments, they brought the colt to Jesus and He sat upon the young donkey. With His disciples by His side, it was time to leave the Mt. of Olives and head towards Jerusalem, Luke 19:35, 36. Just outside of Jerusalem, Multitudes joined with the disciples and they began to rejoice and praise God with loud voices for all the mighty works they had seen (Him perform), Luke 19:37. No wonder they
joyously waved palm branches and laid their garments on the road before Him and continued shouting. Blessed be the King that comes in the name of the Lord, peace in heaven and glory in the highest, Hosanna, save us now, Hosanna in the highest Luke 19:39. Say - Exodus 12:5, " 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year (showing innocence): ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: NOTE: Compare the verse above with the New Testament which tells us, " 18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold... 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: I Peter 1:18-19. Say - Exodus 12:6, " 6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening (end of the 14th day). The Law of God teaches us " 5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD's Passover: Leviticus 23:5. NOTE: Compare the verses above to the New Testament verses below. Luke 23:44, " 44 And it was about the sixth hour (noon), and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour (3 P. M on the 14th day of the first month). I Corinthians 5:7 For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us" Luke 23:45, " 45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst". Luke 23:46, " 46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost (expired, breathed out His last breath). Say - 54 And that day was the preparation (the day Jesus died was the "Preparation day" prior to the first Day of Unleavened Bread, an High Day meaning an annual Sabbath), and the Sabbath drew on (The Preparation Day was always the day before the weekly Sabbath, the 7th day of the week OR the day before an Annual Sabbath. The "Preparation Day" in this verse is the "Preparation Day" before an Annual Sabbath, the 15th, or Thursday the first Day of Unleavened Bread.) How do we know for sure? Read the following: John 19:31, " 31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation (day), that the bodies should not remain upon the cross (styros/stake, according to the Law, Deuteronomy 21:22-23) on the Sabbath day (for that Sabbath day was an high day), besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken
away. (The "High Day" was the first Day of Unleavened Bread, a Thursday, the 15th) All "High day" Sabbaths are an annual Sabbath or Holy Day). How do we know for sure it was the 15th day? Because the Law of God teaches us that the first Day of Unleavened Bread was on the 15th day; read below. Here is what the Law said. " 18 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even (end of 14th beginning of the 15th), ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even" Exodus 12:18. Also read, " 6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread" Leviticus 23:6. Say - Continuing with the events of the Passover Week the year Jesus was crucified. Say - Matthew 27:57-60- The next event - Took the Body of Jesus down. 57 When the even was come (evening of the 14th, the burial of Jesus was to be done this same day according to the Law which says, "if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: 23 His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day;..." Deuteronomy 21:22-23), there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple: 58 He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. 59 And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. Say - Luke 23:54-55 - The next event 54 And that day was the preparation (the 14th), and the Sabbath (High Holy Day, the 15th, John 19:31, Leviticus 23:5) drew on. 55 And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. Say - Mark 16:1 - The next event 1 And when the Sabbath was past (the High Day Sabbath, the first Day of Unleavened Bread of the 15th), Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices (bought the spices on the 16th), that they might come and anoint him.
Say - Luke 23:56 - The next event 56 And they returned (home), and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the Sabbath day (the weekly Sabbath on the 17th) according to the commandment (Exodus 20:30). Say - Luke 24:1 - The next event - The "women" came to the tomb to annoint the body of Jesus Now upon the first day of the week (what we call Sunday), very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre (the women), bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. 3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: 5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, 7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. Say - Remember the Bible said, "... 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". Matthew 12:40 Matthew 16:21, "...and be raised the third day" Matthew 27:63, "... After three days I will rise again". Three nights - Wednesday, Thursday, Friday night Three days - Thursday, Friday, Saturday (resurrected Sabbath (Saturday) evening). Say - (The Bible tells us in God's Law, Christ had to ascend to His Father in Heaven on "the morrow after the Sabbath" (weekly Sabbath or what we call Sunday), in order to fulfill the "Wave Sheaf offering").
Say - What did the Law say? The Law said, " 11 And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the Sabbath (the weekly Sabbath) the priest shall wave it" Leviticus 23:11. Say - What is the "Wave Sheaf" offering? The Law of God will tell us. Say - The "Wave Sheaf" is the "firstfruits" of the harvest. " 19 The first of the firstfruits of thy land shalt thou bring into the house of the LORD thy God" Exodus 23:19. " 10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: 11 And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath (the weekly Sabbath) the priest shall wave it. Say - How do we know Christ represented the "Wave Sheaf" offering? 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming" I Corinthians 15:23. Say - Now read John 20:1, 11, 12-17 " 1 The first day of the week (Sunday) cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. 11 But Mary (Mother of Jesus)stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, 12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13 And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my LORD, and I know not where they have laid him. 14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. 16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. 17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God (thus fulfilling the "Wave Sheaf Offering" on "the morrow after the Sabbath" just as the Law had said, Leviticus 23:11).
Say - Please understand in God's Holy Days which picture the plan for all of mankind, the first "harvest" in Israel in the early spring was a small barley "harvest". However the spiritual lesson for God's people is this "small harvest" is symbolic of those God calls now and upon repentance, baptism and receiving God's spirit will also be a small "harvest" of His "firstfruits" which is symbolic of the "first resurrection" at His return for His people which the Spring Holy Days of Passover, Days of Unleavened Bread and Pentecost picture, Revelation 20:6 with Christ being the "first of the firstfruits" resurrected. The Fall Holy Day of the Last Great Day pictures a much greater "harvest" as the Bible tells us "But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished" John 7:37, 38, Revelation 20:6. Say - I hope this will be helpful in "engraving" the sequence of events into our minds and be of help in relating the events of the Passover of the Old Testament with the New Testament of Jesus as Our Passover" I Corinthian 5:7. MEMORY VERSE 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. MATTHEW 12:40 MEMORY VERSE FOR TOTS "...SO SHALL THE SON OF MAN BE THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE HEART OF THE EARTH" MATTHEW 12:40 BELOW IS THE SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON FOR TOTS
THE CRUCIFIXION THE DAY CHRIST DIED, AT NOONTIME, THE DARKNESS THROUGHOUT THE LAND WAS THICK; AND WITH HIS LAST BREATH HE SAID "INTO THY HANDS I COMMEND MY SPIRIT", IT ALL HAPPENED OH SO QUICK. THEN FROM THE STAKE THEY TOOK HIS BODY, THERE WAS PEOPLE ALL AROUND; SOME WERE SOBBING, SOME WERE SHAKING BUT MANY MADE NOT A SOUND. SABBATH WAS NEAR AND "REST" THEY MUST BUT AFTER, SPICES AND OINTMENTS FOR HIS BODY THEY WOULD PREPARE; EARLY ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK TO THE TOMB THE WOMEN CAME, "HE IS NOT HERE, HE IS RISEN" IS WHAT THE ANGELS SHARED! THE BIBLE SAYS, "THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS CHRIST WOULD BE IN THE TOMB; RISE HE WOULD AFTER THE THIRD DAY AND IT SURELY HAD BEEN THE TRUTH! BY B. R. B.