Preparation for the Third Day
Wade E Taylor

In each of the following Scriptures, there are “two days,” during which there is a time of preparation for that which will follow.  Peter said that “a day is as a thousand years.”  Thus, “today and tomorrow” can be understood as being the two thousand years of the Church Age, and the third day as being the Millennial Kingdom.

     “Go you, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures
       today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.”  Luke 13:32

     “And the Lord said to Moses, Go to the people, and sanctify them
       today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes. And be ready
       against the third day: for the third day the Lord will come down in
       the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.”  Exodus 19:10-11

     “Come, and let us return to the Lord: for He has torn, and He will
       heal us; He has smitten, and He will bind us up. After two days will
       He revive us: in the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live
       in His sight.”  Hosea 6:1-2

Notice that this “time of preparation during the two days” will lead to a significant change during the “third day.”

     “I cast out devils, and I do cures today and tomorrow ... the third day,
      I shall be perfected.”

     “Go to the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them
      wash their clothes ... the third day, the Lord will come down in the sight
      of all the people.”

     “After two days will He revive us ... in the third day He will raise us up,
      and we shall live in His sight.”

In the first Scripture (Luke 13:32), Jesus said that He would be “perfected” in “the third day.”  At this present time, Jesus is seated in the heavens, as our head.  The Church gathers together in expectancy of Jesus (head) coming to be joined to the body.  This “perfection” is the time of the “Parousia” (presencing of the Lord), in which the head and the body will come together, and function as being one.  Thus, it can be said, “all that Jesus did in a single body, He will again do through a corporate body.”

In the second Scripture (Exodus 19:10-11), after a time of preparation (wash their clothes), the Lord will come down “in the sight of all the people.”  This tells us that in the “third day,” Jesus will (to those who are overcomers) visibly take His place as the head of His body.

In the third Scripture, Hosea 6:1-2, after a time of testing, “He will raise us up, and we will live in His sight.”  All creation is groaning for this “manifestation of His presence” (Parousia).

“For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, that is, the redemption of our body.”  Romans 8:22-23

As we approach the end of the Church Age and the establishing of the Millennial Kingdom of God, there is a “groaning within ourselves” (intercession) that will lead to longevity of life, and also, to a higher level of authority over satanic attacks (rule ... with a rod of iron).

“And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered ... And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up to God, and to His throne.”  Revelation 12:2, 5

There is a progression in the outworking of our being caught up into a higher realm of spiritual authority.  This “travailing in birth” speaks of intense intercession.  At this present time, the Lord is using many in intercessory prayer to birth this end-time state of sovereign intervention, without their necessarily understanding what is taking place.

There are two parts in the outworking of our Lord’s end-time purposes.

The first is the time of preparation.

“Go to the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes.” 
Exodus 19:10

“Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures today and tomorrow.”  Luke 13:32a

This relates to the Church Age, which is the time in which we are being called apart, to rise above and go beyond our present spiritual experience.  During this present time, we are being given an opportunity to come into a higher realm of commitment and relationship with our Lord.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind.” 
Romans 12:1-2a

“For many are called but few are chosen.”  Matthew 22:14

Or better, “few will pay the price in order to be chosen.”  This “choosing” is based on our willingness to rise above our “self-centered” lives, into a Christ-centered life, in which we become so transparent that especially during the “third-day,” Jesus will be clearly seen through our lives.

This is the time in which our commitment will be “tested,” that we might qualify as an “overcomer” to be seated with Jesus in His throne.

“For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.”  Hebrews 12:6

This “scourging” crucifies the right to our own lives, and enables us to rise above (overcome) each aspect of our “self-life” as it surfaces, that Jesus might become the Head, in complete control of all “body” actions.  This means that our head must be fully crucified and the totality of our being submitted to His headship.

The second part is the time of intervention in the manifestation of His presence and the outworking of His end-time purposes.

“The third day, He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight.”  Hosea 6:2

“When He shall come to be glorified in His saints.”  II Thessalonians 1:10a

We have been in the process of preparation for two days, so we will be ready for this third-day empowering, in which the overcomers will be lifted into a cooperative relationship with the Lord, that will lead to the establishing and functioning of the Millennial Kingdom of God.

“And have made us to our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”  Revelation 5:10

We are living very close to the end of the “second day,” and the Lord is beginning to make significant changes in our relationship to Jesus, and to the Church.  Our understanding of the outworking of this process of Jesus taking His place as the Head of our body is progressively increasing.

“And the disciples came, and said to Him, Why speak You to them in parables? He answered and said to them, Because it is given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.”  Matthew 13:10-11

Just as Mary gave her body to be used in bringing Jesus into this world in His first coming, so also, as a corporate “Mary,” we are to yield our bodies to Him for His end-time purposes.

We are being “lifted up” into a new and higher place of enabling and anointing, and the Lord is about to release healings and miracles, such as the Church has never experienced.

“And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the Bridegroom comes; go you out to meet Him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go you rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the Bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.”  Matthew 25:6-10

We are living toward the end of the time of preparation for this “third day.”  Now, it is about to arrive.  May we be found among those who are wise.