[Rick Shabi] Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the Savior of the world? People who call themselves Christians do. But what proof do you have that He is your Savior? Christ Himself was asked that question, and He gave the Pharisees one sign, and one sign only, that He was the Messiah. Here's what He said in Matthew 12:38-40. "Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered saying, 'Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.' But Jesus said, 'No sign will be given to this generation except the sign of the prophet Jonah, 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.'"

You know the story about Jonah. He was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, and God miraculously delivered him from death and gave him his life back. Christ, in His own words, said this would be the same sign, the only sign, that He would give them that He was the Messiah. He would be in the heart of the earth, in the grave, for three days and three nights. Then, like Jonah, He would be given life again. Christ, in His own words, said this would be the same sign, the only sign, that He would give them that He was the Messiah. He would be in the heart of the earth, in the grave, for three days and three nights. Then, like Jonah, He would be given life again. That's the only sign.

Christians around the world will observe Good Friday and Easter Sunday next week, celebrating the resurrection of Christ. Yet if Good Friday and Easter Sunday are the days of Christ's crucifixion and resurrection, then by His very sign, He is not...by His own words, He is not the Messiah. Does that shock you? It should. It's true. Now, we can prove it from the Bible. Why is it true? Because there simply are not three days and three nights between Friday at 3 p.m. when you believe He died and Sunday at sunrise when the Christian world wants to believe He was resurrected. Watch this short video we put together to fully demonstrate this point, then I will come back to discuss it further.

[Steve Myers, Beyond Today host] I mean, should we believe a tradition or is it even possible to figure it out? I mean, we have to remember Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early. Scripture says while it was still dark. And I was surprised to read that and find the resurrection had already occurred. Jesus wasn't resurrected on Sunday at sunrise. He was already gone by sunrise. Now, it couldn't be parts of three days. It couldn't be 40 hours, but 72 hours. It had to be three days and three nights in the grave. I mean, if He did not fulfill that prophecy exactly, we could really only conclude two things. Either He lied or Christ failed to fulfill His promise. And either way, He can't be the Son of God. He can't be the Messiah then. But what is the undisputed proof that He is the Messiah? Well, Christ said three days and three nights. If He didn't come back to life at the exact time He claimed He would, He'd have to be a counterfeit. And so when you think of the Good Friday to Easter Sunday timing, it's just not biblical.

So what about the truth? Well, let's take a look at the chart and we can begin to see what the facts of the Bible really are. Actually Jesus was crucified on a Wednesday and He was resurrected at the end of the Saturday Sabbath. Now, you can verify this, but it'll take an open mind and an open Bible. And here's the key. The week that Jesus was crucified actually had two Sabbaths in it. It had a weekly Sabbath and an annual Sabbath. We can verify this in the book of John. John chapter 19:31, here's what it says, "Therefore, because it was the preparation day, that the body should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath. For that Sabbath was a high day. The Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken." Now, this is not speaking of the regular weekly Sabbath day. They observe that from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset and that's why most assume that Jesus died and was buried on a Friday, what's become known as Good Friday. But that's not true.

The Bible talks about two kinds of Sabbath days, normal weekly Sabbath days that fall on the seventh day of the week. There's also seven annual Sabbath days. Those are holy days, the high days that could fall on other days of the week. And so the Bible tells us that the Sabbath that began at sundown when Jesus was put in the tomb was one of those annual Sabbath days. When it says that Sabbath was a high day, that's showing us the difference between the regular weekly Sabbath day and the seven annual Sabbaths, those high Sabbaths, those holy days. And so when we put that together with the timing, look what we begin to see. On the night of the 14th, Jesus kept the Passover with His disciples. Then He was arrested later that night. Next, He was crucified and died near 3 p.m. on Wednesday. They placed Him in the tomb just before sunset when the high day was to begin. That holy day is called the First Day of Unleavened Bread. That year, it was observed starting at Wednesday sunset.

So Wednesday sunset to Thursday sunset is one night and one day. Next came Thursday night and Friday during the day, two nights and two days. Then came the normal weekly Sabbath. You had Friday evening to Saturday evening, all through Saturday daytime. Does the math work? Three days and three nights. It does add up. You see, Jesus came back to life at the exact time He claimed He would. He did fulfill the sign of Jonah and it confirmed that Jesus really is Messiah. He really is the Savior because it matches perfectly. And then what does the evidence show about the Good Friday to Easter Sunday tradition?

[Rick Shabi] Did you see that and understand what was said? It's straight from the Bible inspired by God. The Bible shows that Christ was actually crucified on Wednesday during that week, laid to rest right before sunset on that day, then resurrected 72 hours later. That's three 24-hour days. Again, note the scripture that refutes a Sunday morning resurrection. It's in Matthew 28:1 and 6. Now, after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. The angel answered and said to the women, "Don't be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He isn't here, for He is risen, as He said, after three days and three nights. Come, see the place where the Lord lay." Before sunrise, John, the Gospel of John in John 20 says, "It was still dark when Mary Magdalene came to the tomb, but Christ was already risen." Verse 7 says, "He was on His way to Galilee and would see His disciples there."

If you didn't get what that short video said, stop, rewind, take the time to look at it again and get your Bible out and look at the scriptures directly in it. Don't believe any man, believe God. Men can lead you astray, but God in His Word never will. Jesus Christ was three days and three nights in the tomb. Then He was resurrected at the end of those three days and three nights. You may ask, is this just about math? Isn't it more important that He was resurrected at all? No, it's not just about math. The Bible says to do things and believe His Word exactly as it is written. Don't add to it or don't take away from it, it says in Deuteronomy 12:32. The false doctrine of a Good Friday crucifixion and Easter sunrise resurrection is simply not in the Bible. It is of man and it is against the Word of God. You must do things God's way and believe and follow His Word, His truth if you say you believe in Christ and claim He is your Savior and King.

So if you still want to believe in Good Friday and Easter Sunday, you're denying the Word of God and you are denying that Jesus Christ is the Messiah. If your church is teaching you this, they are teaching you error about the most significant event in human history. Without Christ's sacrifice, there is no hope. He is the only Savior of all mankind. The Bible clearly states that. This is shocking to many, but it is the absolute truth. We've given you the proof in this video and we can prove it even more completely directly from God's Word. Believe Him. Don't believe the word of men if they can't back up what they are saying from the Bible.

So let me ask again. Do you believe that Jesus Christ is your Savior? Then you must believe His very own words. And you have a decision to make. Will you continue to follow a false teaching and deny that Christ is the Messiah, like the Pharisees did back in His time, or will you seek the truth and the church that teaches the very Word of God and become one of His disciples? And while you're contemplating that, you may start to wonder, what else haven't you been taught about Jesus Christ, what He taught and why He came to earth to give His life for mankind? Is your family in turmoil? Is what is going on in this world unsettling to you? Do you know that Christ taught the way of life that would lead to happiness, blessings, and peace of mind in this lifetime? He did say that He is the way, the truth, and the life. Seek Him. Seek truth. When you know the meaning of life, why you are here, why God even created mankind and put Him on this earth, you will find strength, soundness of mind, a sense of purpose, and the hope that He left us.

Now that you've seen the truth from the Bible and the error in what you've been taught, do something about it. If you want, go ahead and try to prove us wrong, and let us know if you think you have. It's time for you to get to know the truth and open your Bible, read it, repent, and turn to God. If you say you've accepted Christ as your Savior, you must do as He says or you are denying Him. Get to know Him and what He taught. Go to the Bible and read it. You can learn much more about this at ucg.org. Go there and look at the helpful direct from the Bible video explanations and articles that will explain this one sign Christ said would prove He is your Savior more fully. Simply search for three days and three nights. Go to ucg.org now to read more about it.