by Prince Mathew
Preface for Meditation:
The Significance of the Number 40: of all the types and shadows of the Old Testament, none is as pervasive and important as the shadows revealed in the relationship between "forty," and the fulfillment of promises.
* The rains (in Noah's day) fell for 40 days and nights (Genesis 7:4).
* Israel ate Manna for 40 years (Exodus 16:35).
* Moses was with God in the mount, 40 days and nights (Exodus 24:18).
* Moses was again with God 40 days and 40 nights (Exodus 34:28).
* Moses led Israel from Egypt at age 80 (2 times 40), and after 40 years in the
wilderness, died at 120 (3 times 40; Deuteronomy 34:7).
* The spies searched the land of Canaan for 40 days (Numbers 13:25).
* Therefore, God made Israel wander for 40 years (Numbers 14:33-34).
* 40 stripes was the maximum whipping penalty (Deuteronomy 25:3).
* God allowed the land to rest for 40 years (Judges 3:11).
* God again allowed the land to rest for 40 years (Judges 5:31).
* God again allowed the land to rest for 40 years (Judges 8:28).
* Abdon (a judge in Israel) had 40 sons (Judges 12:14).
* Israel did evil; God gave them to an enemy for 40 years (Judges 13:1).
* Eli judged Israel for 40 years (1 Samuel 4:18).
* Goliath presented himself to Israel for 40 days (1 Samuel 17:16).
* Saul reigned for 40 years (Acts 13:21).
* Ishbosheth (Saul's son) was 40 when he began reign (2 Samuel 2:10).
* David reigned over Israel for 40 years (2 Samuel 5:4, 1 Kings 2:11).
* The holy place of the temple was 40 cubits long (1 Kings 6:17).
* 40 baths (measurement) was size of lavers in Temple (1 Kings 7:38).
* The sockets of silver are in groups of 40 (Exodus 26:19 & 21).
* Solomon reigned same length as his father; 40 years (1 Kings 11:42).
* Elijah had one meal that gave him strength 40 days (1 Kings 19:8).
* Ezekiel bore the iniquity of the house of Judah for 40 days (Ezekiel 4:6).
* Jehoash (Joash) reigned 40 years in Jerusalem (2 Kings 12:1).
* Egypt to be laid desolate for 40 years (Ezekiel 29:11-12).
* Ezekiel's (symbolic) temple is 40 cubits long (Ezekiel 41:2).
* The courts in Ezekiel's temple were 40 cubits long (Ezra 46:22).
* God gave Nineveh 40 days to repent (Jonah 3:4).
* Jesus fasted 40 days and nights (Matthew 4:2).
* Jesus was tempted 40 days (Luke 4:2, Mark 1:13).
* Jesus remained on earth 40 days after resurrection (Acts 1:3).
The number forty is used by God to represent a period of testing or judgment (the length of time necessary to accomplish some major part of Gods plan in his dealings with various portions of mankind). The 40 days of rain in the days of the flood were the judgments of God. The 40 day periods of fasting, testing, and communing with God that were faced by Moses and Jesus were a form of God's judgments. The forty years that the Israelites spent in the wilderness were also the judgments of God. Various leaders in Israel who reigned for 40 year periods were put there by God according to His Will and Judgments.
We all have done our 40 days Noyambu (lent) to rejuvenate the holy spirit, now we walk with master the God, with his strength, with his power and with truth. hence, it’s worth enough to us to reminiscence the Hosanna to Resurrection of Jesus the Savior".
Bible Reading Passages:
Evening
St. Luke 4:1-13 (passage attached)
Morning
St. Matthew 4: 1-11
Before Holy Qurbana
Deuteronomy 1: 3 - 14
II Samuel 24: 18-25
Isaiah 58:1-8
Holy Qurbana
I Peter 1: 13 - 22
Romans 13: 11 - 14: 9
St. Matthew 4: 1-11
Bible Verse of the Day:
Jesus answered, "It says: Do not put the Lord your God to the test". St. Luke 4:12
The Holy Lent Archives | Yesterday | Tomorrow