The Three Days Fast
The number three in the Doctrine of Holy Church has many interpretations as scriptures states. The foremost to be mentioned is the Threeness of Holy Trinity. “The Holy Father, The Holy Son, The Holy Spirit are three in name, in deed and in person.” Holy Spirit’s ascension time upon the Saint Apostles on Sunday is three as well. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was conceived at three o’clock for His coming down from the heavens to redeem the world. In relation to this, Holy Mother Saint Mary was told the good news by Archangel Saint Gabriel at the same hour.
When our Lord was born, the three wise men who came to present gift to the Born King, gold, frankincense and myrrh are three in numbers. (Matthew 2:12) The Book of Miraculous of Mary tells us about the Lord’s disappearance in His 12 age, and his mother Saint Mary and Joseph searching in for Him for three days.
In apostasy age, Our Lord thought the Holy Gospel for three years and suffered at the Calvary for three hours. After His death upon the cross, He rose up on the third day. This is not the only work of God He willed on the number three, but has done many miraculous in the Angelology and stories of holies as written in their hagiographies.
For instance, our Righteous Father Abune Tekle Haymanot praised Holy Trinity saying, “One is the Holy Father. One is the Holy Son. One is the Holy Spirit” after three days after his birth, coming down from his mother’s embrace. Apostle Saint Paul went to the third heavens and saw a mystery he could not speak of through his voice. We can mention many stories but are limited with in time. (Hagiography of Abune Tekle Haymanot, 2 Corinthians 12:2)
For this topic, we have focused on the three days fast God ordered. In atoning any of our sin, prayer, fasting and prostration is of the essence and thus our Lord has made the liturgy for us. As we find it in scripted in the Holy Bible, due to their heinousness, onwards God’s warning to the Nineveh people from being entirely destroyed within three days, they fasted the Fast of Nineveh, the three days fast.
When our Lord, God ordered Prophet Jonah, instead of obeying, he chose to flee to Tarshish not because he thought he could escape from Him, but knowing His mercy to save the Nineveh people after his prophecy that the city of Nineveh will be entirely destroyed and frightened to be called a False Prophet.
“The word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.” (Jonah 1:1-3)
God knew the dovelike Jonah and so He changed the direction of his journey to Nineveh. He first sent a great storm on the ship; then the ship was nearly broken frightening all the passengers. Unaware of the cause of the storm, they had to ask the fast asleep Jonah. They then had to cast lots and surprisingly, it fell onto Jonah. After acknowledging the truth from him, they threw him out of the ship, in to the sea. Then God prepared a great fish to swallow him in which he stayed for three days and nights. This has become the example for the burial of Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the grave for three days. (Jonah 1:4-17, Matthew 12:40-41)
Later on, God made the great fish to vomit out Jonah onto dry land. Jonah had to make a three days walk to the city of Nineveh but walked a day long street and started to shout. “Yet three days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” Therefore, the people of Nineveh believed the word of God and accepted His words. Wore sackcloth, abstained from consuming any kind of nourishment and fasted for three days. Even the King Shalmaneser over three his throne and wore sackcloth and fasted ordering all saying “Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish? (Jonah 3:8-9) Children were prohibited from breast milk and all animals banned from the consuming anything.
Certainly, we can comprehend from the Book of Jonah that our Lord, God had mercy on the people and save the Ninevites after their fast. But we can also see from the consequent story about Prophet Jonah’s resentment. “But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. So he prayed to the Lord, and said, “Ah, Lord, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore, I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, one who relents from doing harm. Therefore, now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!” Then the Lord said, “Is it right for you to be angry?”
So Jonah went out of the city and sat on the east side of the city. There he made himself a shelter and sat under it in the shade, till he might see what would become of the city. And the Lord God prepared a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be shade for his head to deliver him from his misery. So Jonah was very grateful for the plant. But as morning dawned the next day God prepared a worm, and it so damaged the plant that it withered. And it happened, when the sun arose, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah’s head, so that he grew faint. Then he wished death for himself, and said, it is better for me to die than to live.” Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?” And he said, “It is right for me to be angry, even to death!” But the Lord said, “You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night. And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left and much livestock? (Jonah 4:1-11)
This section of the Book of Jonah illustrates about God’s mercy for all who are created in Holy Trinity’s image and likeness. The Lord of mercy God forgave the people of Nineveh who sinned drastically only by the three days fast. Thus, we shall be reminded and commemorate throughout this fast, the truth about the Holy Son coming down from the heavens, who lowered His character, wear the flesh of man, ambulated like humans, endure suffering and pain, crucified and rose up on the third day, for we could be given life and inherit the kingdom of heaven.
May God hear our prayer, receive our pleading and fasting for He have mercy on us, Amen!