Road to Emmaus
On the road to Emmaus They were talking that it was the 3rd day since these things have happened – Luke 24:13 -And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. (Luke 24:21 -But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, today is the third day since these things were done.)
On the night He was betrayed He took bread …… is an indication of the festival of unleavened bread which took place the day after the Passover i.e. 15day of Nisan which is April 15. As a reminder I must state that the day was calculated from Dusk which is evening to Dawn which is Morning, on a 12hour into 12hour countdown.
On the other hand a 3 sessions of darkness followed the events. Darkness is referred to as Night at the very beginning. From the 6th hour to the 9th hour there was darkness i.e. the first session of darkness (night); other nights were 16th and the17th as explained.
*Of which the first day apparently had to be a special Sabbath according to Leviticus 23:6-7.
On the other hand there is the mentioning of this day as also a preparation day. Why that 15th, fell on that particular year in the calendar on a preparation day. A preparation day is a day before the weekly Sabbath. That is why in John 19:31 we read of this day being a High Day.
#Remember the events which took place on the 15
Jesus said why you didn’t take me then when I was speaking at Synagogue
This is an indication 15 being a special Sabbath Jesus ministered at the Synagogue.
Then the next event to mark is the cokes crow ( Matthew 26:34 - Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.) Accordingly the cock crows at the inception of dawn, (but before that we know what happened before the cock could crow “that night Peter denied Jesus trice”).
#Events which took place on the 16 was – (By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 1 Peter 3:19) Why? It was the then weekly Sabbath day; and recalled what Jesus said in Matthew 12:8 "For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day."
That's why we read in [Ephesians 4:8 -Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.]
And it is further confirmed in Matthew 27:52-53.
52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the
saints which slept arose,
53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy
city, and appeared unto many.
#Events which took place on the 17 was -
The festival of first fruits – “marked the resurrection as its theme” and was held on the 17th of April which is the exact day of the resurrection i.e. on the morrow after the Sabbath i.e. the weekly Sabbath ( Leviticus 23:10 -11)
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 priest shall wave it.
Afterwards the Lords day was implemented on the first day of the week (i.e. Yom Rishon) or SUNDAY according to our calendar for the Christian marking the resurrection
(This is the day John was referring to as THE LORDS DAY in the BOOK OF REVELATION)
The following are the References
1) Revelation 1:9 “I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.”
2) Revelation 1:10 “I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,”
#Thereafter we see in Leviticus 23: 16 Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.
After the Seven Sabbaths count down was the exact day the 50th day (which is Pentecost) meaning 50th (fiftieth) and its theme was “the new revelation of Gods Power” which wee read of from Acts 2:1
(You may read from Acts 2:1 “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.”)
1) Acts 2:2 - And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
2) Acts 2:3 - And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
3) Acts 2:4 - And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Finally I will end by quoting Romans 16:20 [And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.]
[Rev. Dr. Nishan Wijesinha]
15/12/2008