When Jonah was thrown overboard and swallowed by a whale, Jonah was as good as dead. Imagine the shock three days later when Jonah arrives alive in Ninevah!
Or Joseph, when his brothers sold him into slavery and took his coat of many colors, dipped it in blood, and took his coat to their father Jacob claiming Joseph was dead. But, twenty years later Jacob had his son Joseph back alive! Imagine the Joy!
These Old Testament typologies foreshadowed the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Those who crucified Jesus snarled, "Prove you're God and come down from the cross!" mocking him in his humiliation. But, what greater Power, what greater Proof that Jesus is who He claimed to be, not by coming down from the cross, but by coming out of the tomb!
"Is it any wonder that God should raise the dead?" Jesus is Risen!!
And this is the Hope of every Christian. "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." Some claim, 'oh, Jesus disciples stole his body'. Well then, Why did every disciple beside St. John die a martyr's death? No one knowingly dies for a lie. People are only willing to die for the Truth. The resurrection is our Blessed Hope.
Happy Easter!
~dkg