In order to comprehend the mysteries of God’s word we need to understand the basic concept of the third day. The parable of the third day is woven throughout the Bible, but in this teaching we will only look at a few of them. The understanding of this view is largely based on 2 Peter
below:
2 Peter 3:8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. It has been 2,000 years since Christ rose from the dead. If a day is like a thousand years, then two days have passed, and we are entering into the third day! We are transitioning from the church age to the kingdom age!
Psalm 90:4 For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night.
Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.
This scripture above from the book of Revelation depicts the thousand years reign of Christ, also known as the Kingdom age, the millennial reign of Christ, or the third day. Luke 13:31-32 At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” And he said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course.
The verses above are a depiction of the third day, and also foreshadows Jesus rising from the dead on the third day.
Exodus 19:10-11 the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments and be ready for the third day. For on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.
In Hebrew, our mindset is also referred to as a mountain, and Sinai can mean a parched, inhospitable place, sin, or thorn bush. The mystery behind this shows that when the Lord comes down on Mount Sinai, He is coming down on our mindset, which is parched, inhospitable, like a thorn bush, tainted by sin. We need to be in a continual state of repentance and righteous living since we know God’s glory is coming to us on the third day, which is the day we are entering into right now.
Three days is understood as two days for the church age, and one day for the Kingdom age. In the Hebrew culture, a day is counted at the beginning of the day. For an illustration of this, Jesus rose from the dead early in the morning of the third day. In addition to this, it was four thousand years from the time Adam was created to the time Jesus had His ministry here on earth. Remember, a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like a day. If we add the four thousand years from Adam to Christ to the two thousand years of the church age, we now have six thousand years, or six days. If we add the four thousand years from Adam to Jesus to the two thousand years of the church age plus the one thousand years of the Kingdom age, we now have seven thousand years, or seven days. This means both the third day and the seventh day are referring to the Kingdom age.
Exodus 24:16-17 The glory of the Lord dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain
in the sight of the people of Israel.
The verses above are a parable about the Kingdom age. For six days, or six thousand years, the glory of the Lord dwelt on our thorny mindset of sin, hidden by a cloud. On the seventh day, or seven thousandth year, the glory of the Lord will appear like a devouring fire on our mountain, or
mindset. As we saw previously, Sinai in Hebrew means thorn bush and can be a derivative of the word sin.
Most commonly it is a picture of the famous burning bush that Moses saw. This is appropriate, because when the mysteries of God’s word ignite us, we are on fire for Him, but we are not destroyed by the fire, just as the burning bush was not consumed. A small amount of God’s glory has been resting on Mount Sinai, that is, our carnal, sinful mountains (minds) for six thousand years (six days), but a greater manifestation of God’s glory comes on the seventh day, and it will be like a consuming fire. Those who are not prepared will die in His presence. Notice how, in Exodus 24 above, the glory of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai six days, and on the seventh day is when God called to His anointed. This is yet another illustration of the glory of God coming down on men in a greater measure on the seventh day. However, it does not rest on all men, only His chosen. Indeed, in the scriptures below, God warns His people about how to come into the presence of His glory.
Rev 19:7 “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” His wife made herself ready. We are responsible for our own choices, for repenting, pressing into the Lord, and studying His word. No one else can do this for us, not the pastor, nor the prophet or apostle. We must make ourselves ready. We need to seriously prepare ourselves for the outpouring of God’s glory!