It is a reference to the three days Jesus was in the family "grave", a cave with the family members who had died and been prepared with herbs, spices and other fluids to protect the body. The three days had been prophesied in the book of Jonah (similar to the three days in the Belly of The Whale) and Jesus himself made the prophecy (and promise) that he would rise from the dead after he was killed.
For three days Jesus lay dead in the tomb, as the scripture said it would be.
Three days
It took them three days of searching to locate Jesus.
Three days after his crucifixion.
They both spent three days and three nights in the "deep". Jonah three days in depths of the sea, in the belly of the fish (the Bible does not say whale) and Jesus three days in the depths of the earth.
Jesus rose three days later!
Jesus resurected three days after being crucified and put in the tomb
Jesus resurrected three days after he was crucified. The devil did not resurrect in 2013.
Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus, three days after his crucifixion.
christianity
no but only to the people to believe them
Jesus said Destroy this temple, and in three days I shall raise it up.