On the third day
Hosea 6:1-2, ‘Come, and let us return to the Lord; For He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will [a]bind us up. 2 After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up, That we may live in His sight.’
No trial is sweet nor rosy. But yet it’s a part and parcel of a believer’s life. The blessedness of this phase of life is that the Lord’s presence envelops us so much that the heat of the fire through which we are sent across does not touch us. Yet we long to be out of it, to be restored and to be refreshed. Let us see three lives who went through toughest times of lives for three days and how they were restored.
- 20:1, ‘Now the first dayof the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.’ The previous verses of the previous chapter speaks of Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathaea who took down the body of Christ from the cross and kept in a new tomb hewn in stone where no man was laid before. This was a painful time for Mary Magdelene and the disciples. The crucifiction, death and the burial of Jesus might have seemed to bring their life to a stand still, a sudden halt, an unexpected pulling down of curtain. They might have remembered almost every word that Jesus spoke, yet unable to figure it out as to how to now relate it to their lives. The women prepared the spices as per the custom. They rested on the Sabbath as per the custom. Their bodies rested, but the mind and heart had no words to express the true situation. Mary rose up early in the morning on the first day of the week, ready to anoint the body of Christ with well prepared spices. Yet a question lingered in her heart all the while as to who would roll away the stone for her, for it was a great stone sealed by Roman authorities. But yet she went ahead. She went even when it was dark and early. The love for Jesus, the longingness to see Him made her go, though she had no answer to her question. She saw that the stone had been taken away.
At times, we don’t have a clue of what is happening in our lives. No answer to any of our why’s, but yet, if we continue to love Him, the unexpressed questions and sighs will soon be answered in the most beautiful and glorious way. God had fulfilled the promise to raise up His Son on the 3rd day, though we see no one believing and waiting for this promise. God is faithful even when we are unfaithful. Let us continue to hold on to His Word, loving Him and considering Him faithful all the time. On the 3rd day, i.e on His appointed day, we will see His Word come to pass. 2 Tim.2:13, ‘If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.’
- Esther 5:1-2, ‘Now it happened on the third day that Esther put on herroyal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, across from the king’s house, while the king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, facing the entrance of the [a] 2 So it was, when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, that she found favor in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther went near and touched the top of the scepter.’ The handwriting of the king written against the Jews created a great mourning among them in Sushan. The Jews were wailing and weeping, many lay in sackcloth and ashes. They did not know whom to approach for help. But Mordecai, who trusted God informed Esther and asked her to stand in gap before the king. Though the queen hesitated first, yet the fear of the Lord made her submit. She prepared her heart for this great task. She asked her people to fast and pray for her for three days. On the 3rd day, she put on her royal robes and stood in the forbidden inner court of the king. Amazingly, she found favor in the sight of the king. This changed the whole scene and soon gladness and joy filled the place of Sushan.
Here we a deep trust in God expressed by Mordecai. Esther 4:14, ‘For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Mordecai trusted not in princes nor in Esther, his own niece for a divine deliverance. His trust in God was so firm and unshakable. He knew well who the Lord is. He knew how much precious were the Israelites to the Lord. He remembered God’s faithfulness to His covenant made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. How firm is our faith in the Lord ! Esther did intercede and found favor in king’s sight, but the strong and firm faith of Mordecai made it more effective.
- 22:4-5, ‘Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off. 5 And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the [a]lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.” Abraham set his journey to offer the sacrifice which God asked him to give. It took him three days to reach the place. He set his mind to obey Him, for he feared the Lord.
Job 28:28, ‘ And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, And to depart from evil is understanding.’ ” Abraham had enough time to waver and to give a second thought to all that God said. But the deep reverence for the Lord did not allow him to do so. He did not even tell his own wife, Sarah about the sacrifice, for he knew that might be an obstacle. He feared God’s holiness more than anything else. When our faith is tested, its time to test our obedience too in the light of His holiness. If we truly fear Him, let’s take efforts to identify and depart from every thing that is evil in His sight. Abraham proved his fear for the Lord, and the provision God made for him was awesome and timely.
Mary Magdelene saw His glory, Esther saw the handwriting written against the Jews wiped off and re-written in favor of them. Abraham tasted the divine provision. We witness faith, His faithfulness and fear of the Lord making these lives testimonies that stir up hearts and lives till today. Let us rejoice for every test is for a great upliftment & every trial is for a great testimony. Let us continue to rest upon His promises for all His promises are ‘yes’ and ‘amen’. ‘ After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up, That we may live in His sight.’
God bless us all.
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