Daniel 9:25,26 states that 69 (prophetic) weeks would transpire between the decree to rebuild Jerusalem until the Messiah’s arrival at Jerusalem to announce His ministry. Using the “day for a year” principle explained in Numbers 14:3,4 and Ezekiel 4:6, the time element computes to 483 “days” or actual years (69 weeks x 7 days per week). Later Scriptures revealed that the one who would issue the decree to rebuild Jerusalem was Persian King Artaxerxes, and that he issued the decree in the seventh year of his reign. Both Jewish and Persian secular records give the first year of Artaxerxes’ reign as 464-463 B.C., making the seventh year of his reign 458-457 B.C. (Ezra 7:8). Further evidence of the year of Artaxerxes’ decree to rebuild Jerusalem can be found in the canon of Ptolemy and in the Encyclopedia Britannica. Again, 483 years from the year that Artaxerxes gave the rebuilding decree places the date of Christ’s arrival in Jerusalem to begin His ministry at A.D. 27 (there is no year zero). “Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem unto (the arrival of) Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks and threescore (60) and two weeks (Dan. 9:25). Seven times 69 (62+9) prophetic “weeks” equals 483 years (prophetic “days”).

Other evidence of the dates of the years of Jesus’ earthly journey is found in John 2:20: “Then said the Jews, ‘forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou raise it up in three days?'” According to chronologists, from the 18th year of Herod’s reign–from which we are to date the rebuilding of the Temple–until the completion of the work was exactly 46 years. History reveals that Herod began his rule in 37 B.C., making his 18th year 20 B.C.. Forty-six years from 20 B.C. is A.D. 27. Jesus entered Jerusalem as the Messiah in the year A.D. 27.

Luke tell us that Jesus was 30 years old in A.D. 27, which establishes His birth in 4 B.C. His ministry began in A.D. 27. He died 3 1/2 years later in A.D. 31. It is vitally important for truth’s sake to establish the correct years involved in His birth and death in that certain important events events take place on different dates in different years. Therefore, knowing the exact years involved is critical in determining the truth concerning Passover, Jesus’ death and resurrection. God has promised truth to those who earnestly seek it and who will believe and obey it when it is presented to them. Others will hear and read it, then dismiss it because it conflicts with church doctrines and customs.

Other Scriptures establish the years of Jesus’ birth and death. In Luke 2:15 we learn that Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem to be taxed at the time of Jesus’ birth. Both Jewish and secular historians give the year of Augustus’ taxation/census as 4 B.C. Luke 12:1-6 also fixes the date of Jesus’ birth at the time of Augustus’ taxation/census. Thirty-three years later places Jesus’ death at A.D. 31. Based on this information we will see that Jesus was martyred on Wednesday (the 4th day of the week) afternoon at around 3:00 p.m. and was placed in the tomb just prior to sundown. Three days and three nights later He was resurrected on Saturday (the 7th day) just prior to sundown. The time element plays out as follows: Wednesday night (night one), Thursday (day one), Thursday night (night two), Friday (day two), Friday night (night three), Saturday (day three). Jesus arose on the Seventh day (Saturday) just prior to sundown when the first day of the week (Sunday) would begin–JUST AS HE SAID 13 TIMES.

But how do we know that Jesus died on the 4th day of the week (Wednesday)? The church teaches that He died on “Good Friday,” a term which is not found in the Bible. Evidence that Jesus died on Wednesday comes from Scripture, Jewish his- tory and chronological records, each of which states that He was buried just prior to an approaching Sabbath (Lk. 23:50-54)–the first day of Unleavened Bread (an annual Feast Sabbath). Since God’s day begins at sundown, Jesus was buried just before sundown on the day He died. Since both weekly and annual Sabbaths are Holy Days, no work could be done on the Feast Sabbath, which occurred on Abib 15 (Thursday) that year according to both chronological records and Jewish history. There are a number of annual Sabbaths that do not occur on God’s weekly seventh day Sabbath (Saturday). The Sabbath following Jesus’ death (Thursday) was called “an high day” (Jn. 19:31).

Jesus ate the Passover meal with His disciples just after sundown on the third day of the week (Tuesday) which marked the beginning of the fourth day of the week (Wednesday). God decreed that this date would be an ETERNAL observance (Exo. 12:14-20,25-27). Having been identified as the betrayer, Judas left, prompting the other disciples to assume that, because he carried the money bag, he had gone to buy the things that would be needed for the Feast Sabbath which would take place the following day (Thursday)–the beginning of the days of Unleavened Bread (Jn. 13:39). Late in the night Jesus and the disciples went to Gethsemane where He was taken prisoner. Later in the morning (Wednesday) He was beaten, tried and crucified. He died at around 3:00 that afternoon.

Following Jesus’ death at 3:00 Wednesday (Lk. 23:44/Mat. 27:46), His body was hurriedly taken from the cross and placed in a tomb without being properly prepared for burial because Jewish Law forbade leaving anyone on a cross on a Sabbath (high day), which began at sundown. The legs of His death companions were broken to speed up their deaths so that they could be taken down from their crosses. Note Matthew 26:5 where the priest decreed that Jesus must be killed before the Feast, lest the people rebel. He was referring to the feast that would take place the following day (Thursday) which would begin at sundown. According to Jewish Law, no work could be done on the Preparation Day (Wednesday) after the ninth hour (3:00-the time of Jesus’ death) except to prepare for the Feast Sabbath. And because nothing could be bought or sold after that hour, the women were unable to purchase and prepare the spices and oils needed for anointing the body of Jesus following His death at 3:00. Because of this restriction they were forced to wait until the following day to purchase neces- sary ingredients and prepare them for the anointing. This they did on Friday. But because the following day (Saturday) was the weekly Sabbath when no work could be done, the women “… RESTED ON THE (7TH DAY) SABBATH IN OBEDIENCE TO THE COMMANDMENT (#4) (Lk. 23:56). This meant that the women had to wait until the first day of the week (Sunday-a regular work day) to anoint the body. Upon their arrival at the tomb before sunrise on Sunday morning they were told: “He is not here; He has risen, “AS HE SAID” (Mat. 28:6). Jesus had arisen the day before on Saturday just before sundown–exactly three days and three nights following His death AS HE SAID.

The Counterfeit Church cares nothing about what Jesus said concerning His resurrection, or anything else that does not confirm her theology. She is satisfied with her heathen messiah (Tammuz) who died on Friday and arose on Sunday. Having been “saved” by him, she can ignore the Biblical Messiah, except when He happens to agree with her, which is rare.

It is amazing that the Counterfeit Church believes the Lord when He says that the universe was created in 7 days, that Jonah was in the fish’s belly 3 days and nights, that Jesus fasted 40 days, that the Jews returned to Judea after 70 years of captivity, that the Israelites marched around Jericho 7 times, that Jacob had 12 sons, that the millennium will last 1000 years, that Peter found 1 coin in the fish’s mouth, that Paul and his fellow travelers fasted 14 days aboard ship; that there are 10 commandment in the Law, that Lazarus was 4 days in the grave, etc., but she absolutely refuses to believe Him when He said He would be in the tomb three days and three nights–He lied 13 times. And in that the Words He spoke had been given to Him by His Father (Jn. 14:24), the church rejects God the Father also. And in that He spoke to Jesus via His Holy Spirit, the Spirit was involved in the ruse. And in that both Jonah and the apostles wrote about the episode, they also are involved in the lie. According to the church, ALL OF THE ABOVE LIED ABOUT CHRIST’S RESURRECTION. THE CHURCH REJECTS THE ONLY SIGN HE GAVE AS PROOF OF WHO HE WAS AND IS. She has rejected the Biblical Messiah and has embraced the heathen world’s Tammuz the sun god as her savior. For this reason her salvation is as bogus as her religious system. For this reason God condemns her.

God’s condemnation of the Counterfeit Church is justified when one compares the reaction of the people of Nineveh to Jonah’s three days and nights in the fish’s belly to the church’s reaction to Jesus’ three days and nights in the tomb. The Ninevites repented en masse in sackcloth and ashes. The false church, however, rejects the same sign given by the Biblical Christ and embraces the heathen sun god Tammuz and his one day and two night sign. These same people have no problem believing Isaiah’s sign of a virgin birth, Noah’s sign of a rainbow, Gideon’s sign of a wet and dry fleece, bar Jesus’ sign of three days of blindness, Zachariah’s sign of nine months of muteness and the magi’s star sign. But they refuse to believe the sign spoken by the Biblical Christ and written in red letters in the book they claim to believe. And Satan smiles.