Dear Sister, 40 IS BIBLICAL

With 12 days left, I thought we'd turn toward the WORD...

Dear Sister,

I know you and the man upstairs have gotten pretty close as of late so I thought you would like to know what the Bible says about 40. It's pretty exciting actually. I just swiped this from the website www.biblestudy.org  and http://www.40day.com/40_in_the_bible.html. I'd like to claim I just knew all of this but... it's been a while!

Here are the top ten awesome things the bible says about 40:

1. Mentioning 146 times in Scripture, the number 40 generally symbolizes a period of testing, trial or probation. During Moses' life he lived forty years in Egypt and forty years in the desert before God selected him to lead his people out of slavery. Moses was also on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights, on two separate occasions (Exodus 24:18, 34:1 - 28), receiving God's laws. He also sent spies, for forty days, to investigate the land God promised the Israelites as an inheritance (Numbers 13:25, 14:34).

2. The number forty can also represent a generation of man. Because of their sins after leaving Egypt, God swore that the generation of Israelites who left Egyptian bondage would not enter their inheritance in Canaan (Deuteronomy 1). The children of Israel were punished by wandering the wilderness for 40 years before a new generation was allowed to possess the promised land. 

So, it seems you are finally headed into The Promised Land, sister.

3. The first three human kings over the children of Israel, Saul, David and Solomon, each ruled for forty years (1050 to 930 B.C.). After the united kingdom split into two separate pieces, King Joash served forty years as one of Judah's better kings.

It's apparently great to be a king.

4. After the patriarch Jacob (Israel) died in Egypt, the Egyptians spent forty days embalming his body (Genesis 50:3).

I didn't include this because I think 40 means death. I just think this is proof that PREPARATION is everything.

5. God allowed the ancient Israelites, from time to time, to be harassed and dominated by certain enemies in order to chastise and humble them for their sins. The Philistine's, in the southern and western parts of Israel's land, harassed them from 1105 to 1065 B.C. God's resolution to the harassment was Samson (see Judges 13:1, 1Samuel 7:13, 15 - 17).

40 brings humility.

6. The Bible was written by forty different people.

Fun fact. Not sure how it impacts you but, I thought it was cool.

7.  Elijah strengthened by one angelic meal went forty days to Mount Horeb where the Lord passed by and he heard the voice of God
(1 Ki 19:8 KJV) And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.
8. It rained for 40 days and 40 nights when God wanted to cleanse the world and start over.

(Gen 7:12 KJV) And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.

Noah waited another 40 days after it rained before he opened a window in the Ark.

(Gen 8:6 KJV) And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made.

9. Jonah warned the City of Nineveh they had 40 days until God would overthrow the city. The people repented in those 40 days and God spared the city.
(Jonah 3:4 and 10 KJV) And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.
And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

10. Jesus was seen in the earth 40 days after His crucifixion(Acts 1:3 NIV) 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.

Miracles happen at 40.

Yay, miracles!

Love,

Sister