Sometimes I study the Bible to discover patterns, stories that can be missed when in fact looking for something else in a text. On of the most intriguing discoveries for me has been the way God uses numbers. Sevens, three's, twelves and one that really caught my eye was the number forty.
Noah and his family stayed in the deluge for forty days (Gen 7:14). Isaac took Rebekah to be his wife at forty(Gen 23:20), Moses left Egypt after murdering the slavemaster and also met God at the burning bush when he was forty (Acts 7:23, Exo 24:18,34:28), Israel were in the wilderness for forty years (Num 14:33, Deut 8:2, Amos 2:10), and had manna for forty days before they received the Law at Sinai. Joshua rose to prominence as a key spy with Caleb aged forty(Josh 14:7), Israel were under the control of the Philistines for forty years (Judges 13:1) before Samson stepped in, and Goliath the Philistine taunted Israel for forty days before David stepped in (1 Sam 17:16). When Jonah went to warn Nineveh he gave them forty days to change their ways (Jonah 3:4) and Saul became king of Israel at the age of forty (Acts 13:31)
We also notice that Jesus after being baptised spent forty days and nights in the wilderness (Matt 4:2, Luke 4:2) and after his ressurrection he ministered to his dicsiples on earth for forty days before ascending (Acts 1:3). The final one for me was discovering that at the beginning of Peter and John's miraculous ministry they healed the man just over forty. So what's the big deal I hear you say?
Well it would appear (and this is my own conclusion) that the number forty in Bible terms always represented some kind of preparation, a time of spiritual development and waiting on the Lord. After all the instances that I searched for and noted above there came a change in someone's or some people's lives after the preparation period.
So at the tender age of 33, maybe there is something even more joyful for me to look forward to, or is this my denial that I am not that far from being forty!!!! LOL -- God bless
Dear God, help us to be always prepared. In Jesus name, Amen.
Noah and his family stayed in the deluge for forty days (Gen 7:14). Isaac took Rebekah to be his wife at forty(Gen 23:20), Moses left Egypt after murdering the slavemaster and also met God at the burning bush when he was forty (Acts 7:23, Exo 24:18,34:28), Israel were in the wilderness for forty years (Num 14:33, Deut 8:2, Amos 2:10), and had manna for forty days before they received the Law at Sinai. Joshua rose to prominence as a key spy with Caleb aged forty(Josh 14:7), Israel were under the control of the Philistines for forty years (Judges 13:1) before Samson stepped in, and Goliath the Philistine taunted Israel for forty days before David stepped in (1 Sam 17:16). When Jonah went to warn Nineveh he gave them forty days to change their ways (Jonah 3:4) and Saul became king of Israel at the age of forty (Acts 13:31)
We also notice that Jesus after being baptised spent forty days and nights in the wilderness (Matt 4:2, Luke 4:2) and after his ressurrection he ministered to his dicsiples on earth for forty days before ascending (Acts 1:3). The final one for me was discovering that at the beginning of Peter and John's miraculous ministry they healed the man just over forty. So what's the big deal I hear you say?
Well it would appear (and this is my own conclusion) that the number forty in Bible terms always represented some kind of preparation, a time of spiritual development and waiting on the Lord. After all the instances that I searched for and noted above there came a change in someone's or some people's lives after the preparation period.
So at the tender age of 33, maybe there is something even more joyful for me to look forward to, or is this my denial that I am not that far from being forty!!!! LOL -- God bless
Dear God, help us to be always prepared. In Jesus name, Amen.
