Easter Holy Week – Thursday, Friday and Saturday – 3 days and 3 nights in the Tomb

After the burial of Jesus on Wednesday before 6pm, the following three days were filled with traditions, sacred observances, and deep spiritual significance.

“For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” – Matthew 12:40

Just as Christ said in Matthew, He also symbolically said in John 2:19, “I will destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” Christ was referring to His body as a temple.

And on the 4^th day the whale spat him out. (Jonah 1:17 and 2:10)

I made wooden blocks with the numbers 1-2-3 on them. At the end of each day I set out a block keeping it simple. Especially since the last 2 days were a lot! Each day I mention what was happening in Jerusalem and what Jesus’ spirit was doing while His body lay in the tomb.

In the book mentioned in my introductory post, A New Approach to Studying the Gospel of Jesus Christ by Lynn and David Rosenvall, not only did the book explain, the Jewish day, but it also explained Jewish traditions.

Ideas for the next three days:

What was happening in Jerusalem during those 3 days and 3 nights?

And what was the Savior’s Spirit doing as His Body lay in the tomb?

Day 1 – Thursday

Wednesday 6pm to Thursday at 6pm: The Passover Feast was eaten (Mark 15:42, Luke 23:54, John 19:31, and John 19:42).Link to Passover Meal. Printable Information Cards about the symbolic food.

Wednesday at 6pm, marks the first day of Passover. According to Jewish tradition, every Passover celebration begins and ends with a ‘High Holy Day’ – an extra sacred day as described in Leviticus 23:7-8.

For example, the weekly Sabbath (Saturday) is called a Holy Day. But special holy days not tied to the weekly Sabbath are considered, ‘High Holy Days’ (John 19:40-42).

The day of preparation was over. All the food has been prepared. All work was done. Now, the Israelites would spend the evening eating their Passover meal. Then, after the meal was finished; they would continue into the next morning singing Hymns, retelling the covenant story of deliverance from Egypt and teaching their children the meaning of the Passover feast. they’d explain God’s power, mercy, and salvation, reading scripture, repeating prayers, worshiping and praising God (Exodus 13:8).

What a beautiful way to spend the day worshiping Jehovah the deliverer!

Here is the tricky part:

IF you choose to prepare and eat a Passover dinner, although it was technically eaten right after the burial of Jesus (Wednesday after 6pm). You could hold your feast on Thursday, since technically, Wednesday after 6pm to Thursday 6pm is CALLED Thursday. 😊 Wednesday was such a busy day and so much for kids to experience.  But that is obviously up to you. HERE is the link to ideas and information about a Passover Meal. Link to Passover Meal. Printable Information Cards about the symbolic food.

My own children, my primary classes, and my Young Women groups have enjoyed it when I created this special Passover meal. I purchased a book years ago that taught me many things about this meal and the symbolism of it.  I cannot find my book and have no idea if it is even in print anymore since it’s been over 20 years ago that I began doing this.

IF you choose to do the Passover Meal, you could save the question and answer below for Friday:

If you choose NOT to make a Passover dinner, then you could tell the story of Moses and where ‘Passover’ came from and talk about the question below.

Where was Jesus’ spirit during the three days and nights between His death and resurrection?

Though Christ’s body rested in the tomb, scripture tells us that Jesus’ spirit was not idle:

• In the Book of Mormon, we read about the people in America experiencing darkness and earthquakes, tempests and absolute destruction as Jesus suffered on the cross. Chaos reigned for 3 hours until Christ’s death. (3 Nephi 10:3, 9) Then all commotion ceased, a voice pierced the stillness – and Jesus called them to repentance. A darkness so thick filled the land and seismic disturbances continued for 3 days and 3 nights while Christ’s body lay in the tomb.
• Meanwhile, as He promised the thief on the cross, “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:42-43).
• In 1 Peter 3:18–20, we learn that Jesus preached to the “spirits in prison,” offering hope to those who never knew about Him and His Atonement in mortality.
• This amazing message of redemption is expanded in D&C 138:18, 27, describing Jesus organizing missionaries to teach the gospel to all who had died and not had the opportunity to know of Christ and to make covenants with Him on earth (D&C 137, 1 Corinthians 15:29).

Day 2 – Friday

Thursday 6pm to Friday at 6pm: The women have a day to prepare the spices for the body of Jesus.

On day two as Christ’s body lay in the tomb, the women (Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome) waited until ‘after’ the special High Holy sabbath, the first day of Passover, to buy and prepare spices and ointments.  (Mark 16:1, Luke 23:56) They probably went Friday morning to make their purchases, for their Sabbath was about to begin again at 6pm that evening. (Mark 16:1 notes that “after the Sabbath” the women prepared spices). This is referring to the High Holy day and not the regular Sabbath day. (This works only if there is a workday between high holy day and Sabbath day. Mark 16:1 and Luke 23:56).

Jesus is still teaching in the Spirit World.

Day 3 – Saturday

Friday 6pm to Saturday 6pm: The traditional Jewish Sabbath.

On the third and finally day, as commanded in the Law of Moses, Saturday marked the weekly Sabbath, the seventh day of the week. Luke 23:56 tells us plainly:

“and they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.”

The women waited, preparing themselves to rise early before dawn on Sunday and anoint the Savior’s body. The disciples stayed hidden. The streets of Jerusalem were still. And Jesus’ body lay in the tomb, while His spirit taught those in the spirit world, continuing His redeeming work.

In the Book of Mormon (in the Americas)

At the end of the 3 days and 3 nights, in the Book of Mormon, in the Americas, after the catastrophic destruction that accompanied Christ’s death, the darkness “finally” began to lift and the earth stopped shaking. Only then, could the people in America see how great had been their loss of kindred and friends.  (3 Nephi 8:9, 23; 9:8–10, 13; 10:3, 9).  Forty days later, the resurrected Christ would appear to them, bringing healing, teaching, and a new beginning.

And for those in Jerusalem, a miraculous day was about to begin!

Video Link re-telling the story of Easter Holy Week 3 days and 3 nights. HERE.

To Create this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday scene:

Most links to the patterns are in the Introductory post (Link Here). Any extra links needed see below.

3 wooden blocks: Each one has a number on it. 1-2-3. You can do vinyl letters like I did, or paint, or use a marker and draw them on.

Place one block up each day:

1. On Thursday – I teach about what was happening in Jerusalem; the Passover Feast. If I choose not to make a meal, then I tell the story of Moses and where the ‘Passover’ came from. And what Jesus was doing in the Spirit World and in America.
2. On Friday – I teach about the women buying spices to anoint the Savior’s body.
3. On Saturday – I teach about the women keeping the Sabbath day holy.

Then we wait. Filling the children with anticipation for Sunday morning!

Video links to Thursday, Friday and Saturday below: