Muslims might argue that the Old Testament does not explicitly predict the resurrection of the Messiah on the third day.

In the New Testament, Jesus explicitly connects his resurrection to the story of Jonah, stating that just as Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights, he would be in the heart of the earth for the same duration. This parallel suggests that the Old Testament narrative of Jonah serves as a prophetic type of Christ's death and resurrection. The language used by Jonah, where he describes his experience as akin to being in Sheol, further emphasizes the concept of death and subsequent deliverance, which aligns with the Christian belief in the resurrection. Moreover, the context of Jonah's story illustrates themes of repentance and salvation, which are central to the message of Christ. The Ninevites repented at Jonah's preaching, and Jesus indicates that something greater than Jonah is present, pointing to his own role as the ultimate source of salvation. This reinforces the idea that the Old Testament does not merely lack references to resurrection but rather contains deeper prophetic meanings that are fulfilled in Christ. Furthermore, the interpretation of Jonah's experience as a foreshadowing of resurrection is supported by the understanding of Sheol as a place of the dead, where Jonah felt trapped but was ultimately delivered. This mirrors the Christian belief that Jesus, after his death, descended to the dead and then rose again, fulfilling the prophecy of resurrection. Thus, the Old Testament does indeed predict the resurrection of the Messiah, albeit in typological and prophetic forms that are fully realized in the New Testament.