"New" Life Begins at Forty!

While drifting off to dreamland, last night, God dropped the word/number forty into my mind.  Now I ask you, was that really necessary God?  There I was, all warm and cozy, but, no, you wanted me to ponder on this one a bit.  Awaken now, the first thing that came to mind was, “Life Begins at Forty’.  You rarely hear anyone using that phrase anymore, which made my brain light switch turn on.  “What could you possibly want to tell me about this archaic terminology, Lord?”, I asked rather brusquely.  Then, like snowflakes falling at the beginning of a blizzard,  He started filling my head with his thoughts. Did you know that the word forty is used 142 times in scripture?  

The first time we see it is back in Genesis 7:4, “….I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights…” God had decided to  recall his creation by flooding the earth, except for Noah, his family and the floating zoo. Now comes the interesting part, as God revealed to me how this all tied in with  life begins at forty. Hold on to your flotation devices…at the end of those 40 soggy days and nights, God steered  Noah et al, to dry land, and a new beginning for mankind.  Hence, Life did begin, again, at 40!!  “Wow, I get it now, Lord”, I excitedly responded, “Please show me more!!” And of course, He did!

We moved forward to Moses in Exodus 24:18, “And he stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights.”  Moses was not a young guy, probably 80 at least, but he survived without food or water, sustained only by God.  At the end of those 40 days I’m sure he was hungry and thirsty, but his human needs were eclipsed by the New Covenant/Life of Promise he, and all the nation of Israel, had just received through the Ten Commandments. Once again, God showed me the connection between life beginnings and forty. He went on to point out the forty years that the Jews spent wandering in the desert, yet viola, at the end there was new life in the promised land. As we journeyed through the scriptures,  God showed me several other life-beginning at 40 instances, until we finally arrived in the new testament.  God had just put his stamp of approval on Jesus when, “The Spirit compelled Jesus to go into the wilderness, where he was tempted by Satan for forty days. He was out among the wild animals, and angels took care of him.”  Mark 1:12-13.  This was no all-inclusive vacation, or pricey African safari, this time was meant to prepare Jesus for his life-beginning, 3 year ministry.

 Lastly, God showed me that there were 40 days between the resurrection and the ascension. 40 precious last days, before Christ returned to his throne, having secured new life for all of us who believe.  What is the significance of 40?  It is my belief that God’s repetition and continuity of a theme, throughout his word, helps to remind us that he is unchanging, and forever faithful.  “…God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath.” Hebrews 6:17. Hopefully we won’t have to go though deserts or floods in 40 day/year segments, but if we do, hold fast to his promise of new life at the end. “ …anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 2 Corinthians 5:17.