Yes — Israel's three-day separation from Egypt is a picture of Christ's three days in the tomb and the death, burial, and resurrection that frees believers from sin.
Les Feldick teaches that the whole book of Exodus is a picture of redemption, and the three days' journey out of Egypt is indicative of the resurrection. He connects this to Matthew 12, where Jesus gives the sign of Jonah — three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The Red Sea crossing, he says, was Israel's typical burial, and coming out on the other side they were redeemed, just as believers are identified with Christ's death, burial, and resurrection.
Matthew 12:40 — Christ directly compares His three days in the tomb to Jonah's three days, linking the three-day separation to His resurrection.
Exodus 5:3 — Moses and Aaron request a three days' journey out of Egypt, which Les sees as the Old Testament picture of separation and resurrection.
In Exodus 5:3, Moses and Aaron tell Pharaoh that the God of the Hebrews has met with them and ask to go three days' journey into the desert to sacrifice to the Lord. This request pictures a separation from Egypt and from slavery. In Matthew 12:38-40, when the scribes and Pharisees ask for a sign, Jesus answers that an evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign, and no sign will be given except the sign of the prophet Jonah. Just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so the Son of Man would be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Paul later connects the believer to this same pattern: buried with Christ in baptism into death, and raised to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4).
Les Feldick teaches that the entire book of Exodus is a picture of redemption. Israel's deliverance from Egypt is the perfect picture of believers being redeemed from the shackles of sin. He emphasizes that 'everything rests upon a three,' and that the three days' journey out of Egypt is 'indicative, I'm quite sure, of the resurrection.' He then moves to Matthew 12, where the religious leaders ask for a sign, tying the three-day picture to Christ's death and resurrection. In his studies of the Red Sea and Jordan crossings, Les says these are pictures of our coming through the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Israel went through the Red Sea as a typical burial — though they did not get wet — and came out on the other side as redeemed people. In the same way, believers are identified with Christ's death and burial and raised to newness of life (Romans 6:4). Les also sees the 'third day' theme throughout the Old Testament, including Abraham offering Isaac on the third day, as a picture of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection.
Les teaches that the three days' journey out of Egypt is a direct picture of the resurrection. He says the whole book of Exodus is a picture of redemption — Israel redeemed out of Egypt is the perfect picture of believers redeemed out of the shackles of sin. The three days are 'indicative, I'm quite sure, of the resurrection.'
Les explains that Israel's crossing of the Red Sea was a typical burial: though they did not get wet, it was in type their death to Egypt, and they came out on the other side as Christ came from the grave. He says believers go through the same process, being identified with Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, and he points to Romans 6.
When the scribes and Pharisees ask Jesus for a sign, Jesus calls them an evil and adulterous generation and gives them only the sign of Jonah. Les uses this passage in connection with the three-day journey from Egypt, showing that the three days point to Christ's resurrection and His time in the tomb.
Les also points to Genesis 22, where Abraham travels 'on the third day' to the place of sacrifice. He asks what this is a picture of and answers: Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. This reinforces the recurring three-day typology in Scripture.
The Three Days Indicative of the Resurrection
Les explains that God's command for Israel to take a three days' journey out of Egypt points to the resurrection, and he moves to Matthew 12 where the religious leaders ask for a sign.
Why Did Jesus Only Go to Israel? Matthew 10:5-6 Explained
But Israel in her unbelief, and I'm going to leave the arrow down into the stream of Gentile humanity because they still got there, but in a complete opposite role of what God intended. So I'm going to back up and put the cross back here, and I'm going to put the three years of Christ's earthly ministry in here.
Why Peter Preached to "Ye Men of Israel" (Acts 2 & 3 Explained)
It means what it says, every Jew living at that time would have had to come to a place of regeneration, of a salvation experience through that repentance and water baptism, and then Christ could have returned and yet given the kingdom of Israel.
Dry Ground Crossing as a Picture of Christ's Death and Resurrection
Israel's crossing through dry ground (the Red Sea and Jordan) is a picture of believers coming through the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
Abraham's Third Day as a Picture of Christ
Les points to Genesis 22 where Abraham travels 'on the third day' to offer Isaac, and says this is a picture of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection.
The Great Tribulation: Israel's Flight & God's Protection Explained
Back in Acts chapter 1, when He left from the Mount of Olives, and He went back up to God the Father, and sat down at the right hand of the Father on high. Now then, verse 6. Now again, we leap, we leap time. The woman fled into the wilderness. Now this is at the midpoint of the Tribulation. We've come all the way through the birth of the Christ, His death, burial, and resurrection, His Ascension.
Red Sea as Redemption, Burial, and Resurrection
Israel's Red Sea experience is a picture of Christ's death and burial, and coming out on the other side they are redeemed — a resurrection experience.
Separation from Egypt and Identification with Christ
Les compares Israel's separation from Egypt and the Red Sea burial to the believer's identification with Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, referencing Romans 6.
Exodus 5:3: And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.
This is the request for a three-day separation from Egypt that Les sees as setting up the typology.
Matthew 12:39-40: But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Jesus directly links the three days to His own time in the tomb, answering the sign request.
Romans 6:4: Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Paul shows the believer's identification with Christ's death and resurrection, the New Testament application Les points to.
Genesis 22:4: Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.
Another Old Testament 'third day' reference Les uses as a picture of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection.
No. Les says Israel went through the Red Sea on dry ground — they did not get wet. In type, however, it was their burial, their death to Egypt, and they came out the other side as redeemed people.
Les says the three days are indicative of the resurrection. The journey out of Egypt is a picture of being separated from slavery, just as Christ's resurrection separates believers from the old life of sin.
Jesus told the scribes and Pharisees that no sign would be given except the sign of the prophet Jonah — as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so the Son of Man would be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Watch the Teaching: The 3-Day Journey: How Exodus Foreshadows the Resurrection of Christ