Why did Jesus die on the first day,
lay in the tomb on the second day,
and rise on the third day?

Why the second day?

Even in His death He remembered the sabbath to keep it holy.

As an echo of creation, where He rested on the seventh day after creation was finished, so in the tomb He rested on the sabbath because His work of the new creation was finished – “it is finished”.

Sabbath’s tomb
When you had finished
Your masterpiece of
Creation and life –
In heaven’s highest –
You rested.
When you had finished
Your masterpiece of
New creation and life –
In sabbath’s tomb –
You rested.