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40 Day Reminiscences

Posted by: ingrid wijngaarde | Sun, May 27, 2007 8:27 am | Tag(s): Testimonies | Permalink |

In the Bible the number 40 often relates to a period of consecration and meditation, of being alone with God. After that we see that men became empowered to do a mighty work for the Lord, because of the Power He gave them during those quiet times of prayer. Though we must not lose ourselves in numbers, I want to share with you a few thoughts about 40 days and 40 years in the Bible.

40 days of rain. The 40 days of rain in Noachs time were to wipe out the wicked world in order to establish a new one. This wasn’t Noah’s doing. He had no part in the rain what so ever. After God had closed the door of the Ark,  it remained still for 7 long days. The people mocked his preaching, but Noah didn’t waver, because he knew Gods plan. After the 40 days of rain were over, he had to stay in the ark for nearly 4 months before he could step upon muddy dry land again (in total they were 5 months in the ark).
Those 40 days here were the fulfilment of what God had commanded him to preach to the people, but they didn’t listen. And I am pretty sure those 40 days were an encouragement for Noah to experience that what God says MUST always come true.
Sometimes we do not see the signs because we linger too much at “the 7 days of silence” in our lives, but this record tells us that when God sets a time, that time MUST come. This must also be a sign for us that when God promises us Power, He will send it in His time. We know His plan. Let’s not waver any longer!!

40 days on Mount Sinai. The 40 days of Mozes on mount Horeb stand out as a period of empowerment for Mozes as a spiritual leader to turn the minds of the people to God, to understand by himself what God mend with the tabernacle, to understand what God mend when he told him he wanted the people to be taught the difference between holy and not holy, sin and righteousness.To empower him to be a true minister to the people and to be a true witness to Gods glory.
The 40 days of OGR are also for the leaders of our church, who have a great task and bear a great responsibility that will be accounted for.

40 days of spying. After 40 days of spying in the promised land only Jozua and Caleb believed the promise of God. It was Caleb who gave a mighty, mighty witness to Gods everlasting faithfulness! ”We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it” (Num 13:30). He stood on the promise of God because “he was possessed by a different spirit!!” (see also Num 14:24, 30). It was the spirit of promised power, the spirit of courage and insight.
We may also turn our eyes upon the Promised Land en receive that Promised Power.

40 days of Goliath. Goliath had been mocking the people and the Lord of Hosts for 40 days (1 Sam 17:16). When David was send forth to bring ration to his brothers at the frontline, it was there and then that he saw and heard the giant for the first time. All the soldiers of Israel stood with knocking knees or scattered like cockroaches in a beam of light when every morning and evening Goliath made his detestable appearance. David immediately said, “Who this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God” (vs. 26). From that moment on the days of Goliath were numbered and he didn’t even knew it!
Likewise we may understand that the mockery of the world will soon be over. It is our duty to tell those who wants to listen. Let’s not be afraid of the giants, they have been defeated!

A 40 day and night’s walk. Elijah could walk the 40 days and 40 nights all the way from the dessert of Berseba to mount Horeb, because the Lord gave him food and drink. After he had slain the Baal priest on mount Carmel he thought that Jezebel and the wicked people finally understood where God stands. He lamented on the mount to God that he was the only one left. God told him he was not and that He had 7.000 men who stand strong for Him, but that Elijah’s time was over. It was there when Elijah had an encounter with God in the stillness of a soft voice.
We all MUST have our own Berseba-experience at times. Our Bread and Water is Jesus, the Living Word of God!! Let’s God give us strength through Him, for our walk to Mount Horeb those 40 minutes in 40 days, where we may see the glory of God in the stillness of His gentle voice speaking to our weary hearts!

40 days for an entire country. God gave the Ninevites a probation time of 40 days, but they didn’t use them up, because they repented before the days were over. We don’t know how much time it took them to realize that God was talking serious business, but we know it was not 40 days. The preaching of Jonah, mingled with the Spirit, was enough to convince king and kinsmen.
Let those 40 days of 40 minutes be our probation time of repentance! If it was enough time for the wicked Ninevites, it surely is enough time for us!

40 days in the wilderness. The 40 days of Jesus were – as with the 40 days of Mozes, a type of Christ, on the mount - a time of waiting and preparation. They were 40 days of fasting, 40 days of intense communication with the Holy Spirit and receiving Power from that same Spirit. It was that Power that enabled our Lord Jesus to begin and to finish his Ministry.
It is the same power with which the Lord wants to empower us to finish His work on this earth!

40 days with Jesus. The disciples have had 3,5 years with Jesus, but they couldn’t understand. In the 40 days with Jesus, after the resurrection, He opened their eyes and minds. And then yet another 10 days in repentance with each other and with God prepared them to receive The Power of the Holy Spirit. Only then were they prepared to go and do Gods mighty work.
Likewise the Lord wants to open our eyes and enlighten our minds during those 40 minutes in 40 days. Do we want to give Him the opportunity to do so? It’s our call!

Indeed. We may experience new life after the 40 days of 40 minutes of OGR, but we can also go through those days and come out the same if we don’t allow the Holy Spirit to change and cleanse us. It is not the 40 days, those are no more than an appointed time, it is what happens during those 40 days.

The Forty Days represent 40 days of being in retreat with God:

• To set our mind and our imagination on Him;
• To give Him opportunity to open our eyes and minds, because just as the disciples our hearts are often hard to understand;
• To obtain the o so needed promised Power to GO and tell the world the final message of salvation!

As the Adventist Church, we have been privileged with a great commission.
Who knows if those forty days will prepare us to do Gods plan in our personal life and thus Gods plan in the world.
May God Bless you as you prepare for your personal quiet time with Him.

Ingrid Wijngaarde, OGR The Netherlands (iwijngaarde@hotmail.com)

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