Page 73 - BV7

The lamb must die on the afternoon of the 14th day of Nisan. The firstfruits must be offered on the
16th day.

Yeshua died at 3 pm on the 14th day of Nisan -- at the very time when the lambs for the
Passover feast were being sacrificed in the Temple. Yeshua "the Lamb of God" is called "our
Passover" in I Corinthians 5:7. In fulfillment of the type he must also present himself in heaven (the
true Temple), before the Father's throne, on the 16th day of Nisan. Here, as the firstfruits of the
harvest to follow, Yeshua, as OUR High Priest, waved the sheaf before YEHOVAH's throne so
that WE, THE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST, might be accepted.

If (Yeshua) the Lamb was sacrificed on Wednesday (the 14th), and the Passover fell on
Thursday (the 15th), then the ceremony of the firstfruits must take place on Friday (the 16th). Yet
the Wednesday to Saturday afternoon scenario has Yeshua still asleep in the grave on Friday. He is
not raised until late on Saturday afternoon, which would have been the 17th day of Nisan -- too
late to fulfill the type of the Wavesheaf offering!

Two Sabbaths?

Those who teach a Wednesday crucifixion believe that during those 72 hours -- while Ye-
shua lay in Joseph of Arimathea's tomb -- the Jews observed TWO sabbaths. First the Passover,
beginning at sundown on Wednesday, and second, the weekly 7th day Sabbath, beginning at sun-
down Friday. A common work day -- Friday -- would then separate the two Sabbaths. (Passover is
called "THE sabbath" in Leviticus 23:15).

Notice what John 19:14 says --

And it was the preparation of the Passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the
Jews, Behold your King! But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him.

Here we see that Yeshua died on "the preparation [day] of the Passover." If we now go to
Luke 23 we learn that this day was ALSO the preparation day for the WEEKLY SABBATH!
Notice:

And that day [of Yeshua's death] was the preparation [day], and the SABBATH drew on.
And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the
sepulchre, and how his body was layed. And they returned, and prepared spices and oint-
ments; AND RESTED THE SABBATH DAY ACCORDING TO THE COMMAND-
MENT (23: ).

What "commandment" is this? The FOURTH COMMANDMENT, of course: "Remember
the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day
is the Sabbath of YEHOVAH your God" (Exodus 20:8-10).

The Jewish New Testament Commentary by David H. Stern leaves no doubt as to which
day Luke is referring to here:

73