What is the connection between Israel's three-day journey and Christ's three days in the tomb?
The three-day journey was the means by which Israel was separated, and it corresponds to Christ’s three days in the tomb, which accomplished our separation. The parallel is that both required a three-day period to bring about the intended separation: Israel in the physical realm, and Christ’s death for us in the spiritual.
Les explains that Israel had to be separated, but it took the three days’ journey to do it, even as it took the three days of Christ’s time in the tomb to separate us. He connects this to Exodus chapter 5 verse 3, where Moses and Aaron ask Pharaoh to let Israel go three days’ journey into the desert to sacrifice to the Lord. Les then notes Pharaoh’s determination not to lose his captives, and draws the spiritual parallel: Satan also does everything he can to keep from losing one of his captives. The three-day separation motif thus points to the greater separation accomplished through Christ’s three days in the tomb.