Lenten Devotion: The Significance of Three Days (John 2:18-22)
Day 40 (Holy Saturday) – 19 Apr 2025
“Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” John 2:19
Jesus was referring the temple of his body, which God will raise three days after his death.
The duration of “three days” is repeated throughout the bible.
Elsewhere, Jesus told the Pharisees, “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:40)
Also, the Apostle Paul writes that the foundation of the Christian faith is that “Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
What then is so special about the number “three”?
Or some related questions could be:
- Why would God wait three days before raising Christ?
- Could God not have resurrected Christ immediately on the cross in front of all the witnesses?
- Wouldn’t that be much more spectacular and cause the crowds to believe in Jesus?
I believe that in waiting to accomplish his miracle of the resurrection of Christ, God is teaching us an important truth: not every victory or breakthrough comes instantaneously. Instead, triumphs come ultimately to those who persevere in patience and trust in God.
God can certainly accomplish his wonderful works in a flash. Nothing is impossible with him if he so chooses to do. Yet would that be truly beneficial for us?
In a world that prioritises efficiency and demands immediate results, God instead opts to develop our perseverance and grow our character in our faith journey. He does this by training us to wait. He tells us to “be still and know he is God” (Psalms 46:10). He also calls us not to become lazy or easily discouraged in our pursuit of his will, but “to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised” (Hebrews 6:12).
As we come to the end of our journey of Lenten devotions, let us hold fast firmly to all the lessons that we have learnt and the disciplines we have developed. Don’t give them up or let go of them easily as they represent genuine growth in our spiritual lives! And as we continue to persevere in doing good in the future ahead, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up!
God bless,
Revd Ian 🙏✝️