Word for this Sunday - Forty

Forty

by Joshua Benavidez

Exactly 40 years ago, God brought me in to this world.  So I decided to look for the significance of the number forty in the Bible.  Here’s what I found:

1. The Flood during Noah’s time

(Genesis 7:4)  Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made."

(Genesis 7:12)  And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights.

2. Isaac’s age when he married Rebekah

(Gen 25:20)  and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram and sister of Laban the Aramean.

3. The number of days for Jacob’s embalming

(Genesis 50:3)  taking a full forty days, for that was the time required for embalming. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.

4. God fed the Israelites manna for forty years

(Exodus 16:35)  The Israelites ate manna forty years, until they came to a land that was settled; they ate manna until they reached the border of Canaan.

5. For this number of days and nights, Moses stayed on the mountain the first time he received the 10 commandments

(Exodus 24:18)  Then Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. And he stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

(Exodus 34:28) Moses was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant--the Ten Commandments.

6. Moses sent 12 spies and they spent 40 days to explore the whole land

(Numbers 13:25)  At the end of forty days they returned from exploring the land.

7. Because of the people’s disobedience, God proclaimed that for forty years, they will wander in the desert

(Numbers 14:34)  For forty years--one year for each of the forty days you explored the land--you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.'

8. The writing of the Ten Commandments the second time around

(Deutronomy 10:10) Now I had stayed on the mountain forty days and nights, as I did the first time, and the LORD listened to me at this time also. It was not his will to destroy you.

9. The number of soldiers who crossed over for the conquest of Jericho

(Joshua 4:13) About forty thousand armed for battle crossed over before the LORD to the plains of Jericho for war.

10. The age of Caleb when the Lord has chosen him to be one of the twelve spies

(Joshua 14:7) I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh Barnea to explore the land. And I brought him back a report according to my convictions,

11. The number of years Eli served as the High Priest of Israel

(1 Samuel 4:18) When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off his chair by the side of the gate. His neck was broken and he died, for he was an old man and heavy. He had led Israel forty years.

12. The number of days Goliath mocked the armies of Israel

(1 Samuel 17:16) For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand.

13. The Kings who served for forty years

   a. David – (2 Samuel 5:4) David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years.

   b. Solomon – (1 Kings 11:42) Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years.

   c. Joash – (2 Kings 12:1) In the seventh year of Jehu, Joash became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother's name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba.

14. Elijah traveled forty days and forty nights to reach Horeb after fleeing from Jezebel

(1 Kings 19:8) So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.

15. The number of days that Jesus fasted

(Matthew 4:2) After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.

(Mark 1:13) and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.

(Luke 4:2) where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.

16. After resurrecting from the dead, Jesus spent 40 days on earth before finally ascending to heaven

(Acts 1:3) After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.