For Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.” Matthew 12:40 HCSB
There is a new movie called “Risen” that is coming to movie theaters soon. It is the story of the resurrection of Jesus Christ through the eyes of an unbeliever. A Roman soldier is confronted with the reality that Jesus actually rose from the dead. I have not seen the movie and I cannot recommend it, but it sounds very interesting. I am always interested to see if Hollywood movies hold true to the Biblical account.
In these verses Jesus used the analogy of Jonah being in the belly of the whale for three days before being spit up on the beach and His own death, burial, and resurrection three days later. The “heart of the earth” referred to Jesus being buried and in the tomb before His resurrection. The “Son of Man” is the term that Jesus most frequently used to refer to Himself. The “Son of Man” referenced His humanity while the term “Son of God” referred to His divinity. “Son of Man” used in Daniel 7:13 also described the exalted one that would play a major part in the redemption of mankind.
Challenge: Thank God that Jesus is both human and divine. His humanity made it possible for Him to experience temptation without sin and to serve as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. His divinity made it possible for Him to rise from the dead and defeat death for those who believe in Him. Jesus rose from the grave and is alive today.