The following post isn't a "Thus saith the Lord," but just some thoughts of mine I thought I'd share after reading Lisa Taylor's excellent post on February 1:
Let's look again at the number FORTY in the Bible. FORTY occurs 158 times in 145 verses in the KJV.
Forty is a number of testing in the Scriptures. A testing in regards to proving and strengthening sons and daughters of the Lord, not a judgment of the wicked. At the END (the fulfillment) of a full 40 years in the Scriptures, God moves in a big change, a new direction. The thing is, some of us look at a calendar date and get disappointed instead of looking at WHEN the 40 years began. This has happened to me too. Let us examine some 40 year or 40 day fulfillments and how things CHANGED before the 41st came along:
Genesis 7:4 For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth FORTY days and FORTY nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth. (Genesis 7:12, 17)
I think it's safe to say that a HUGE change happened from BEFORE the forty days and nights of rain to AFTER the rains had ended.
Genesis 8:6 And it came to pass at the end of FORTY days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made:
This verse applies to the end of Noah's journey in the ark. After all the months that went by, the ark came to rest, and the tops of the mountains were seen. Then the Scripture mentions "at the end of 40 days" (or AFTER the 40 days had been fulfilled) BUT BEFORE A FULL 41 DAYS, Noah opened the window of the ark and sent out a raven. After simply waiting on God all this time, he was now able to DO SOMETHING to prepare to leave the ark. We may not consider this as huge, but after all that time inside with all those animals, it had to feel like a huge bit of Heaven to open that window and send out that bird. We know that he did this BEFORE a full 41 days or the Bible would've said "at the end of 41 days" instead of 40. So here again, God moves at the END of the full 40 but BEFORE a full 41 comes to pass.
Exodus 16:35 And the children of Israel did eat manna FORTY years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan.
The huge change from life in the Wilderness to entering the Promised Land speaks for itself.
Numbers 13:25 And they returned from searching of the land after FORTY days.
No need to say much about this huge change. They came back from the Promised Land, and earned themselves another 38 years in the Wilderness. Numbers 32:13
Deuteronomy 9:9 When I was gone up into the mount to receive the tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant which the LORD made with you, then I abode in the mount FORTY days and FORTY nights, I neither did eat bread nor drink water: 11 And it came to pass at the END of FORTY days and FORTY nights, that the LORD gave me the two tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant.
Moses went up empty handed, and returned with the tablets upon which the finger of God had written. No wonder he shone with the Light of God. I'd say that was a pretty big change. Even Moses' LIFE was full of big changes after each set of 40 years. After the FIRST 40 years were fulfilled, but be before 41 years came, Moses went from the blessings of Pharaoh to a life of exile in the Wilderness. When the next 40 years were EXPIRED (but before 41 years) Moses saw the Lord appear to him in the burning bush, and he began his ministry as God's deliverer of His people. At the end of the last set of 40 full years, but before 41 years, Moses died. Acts 7
1 Samuel 4:18 And it came to pass, when he (Eli the judge/prophet) made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged IsraelFORTY years.
After judging Israel a full 40 years, but before 41 years, Eli's judgeship ended, and Samuel (who had been being prepared for some years before this event) took over as Judge/Prophet of Israel. So the judgeship (government) passed from Eli to Samuel.
1 Samuel 17:16 And the Philistine (Goliath) drew near morning and evening, and presented himself FORTY days.
Here we have King Saul and the army of Israel dismayed, and GREATLY AFRAID. Day after day this giant comes out, and no one, NOT EVEN THE KING, has the guts to face him. Verse 24 says that all the men, when they saw Goliath, fled from him, and were sore afraid. Things were looking pretty hopeless for Israel. Nevertheless, there were great changes about to take place after the 40 days and nights were fulfilled, but before a full 41 days. Here were some of the changes coming:
1. Israelite army is about to go from being sore afraid to celebrating victory.2. Goliath is about to lose his life.3. David is about to be introduced to all Israel after spending his previous years with the sheep.4. Israel herself is about to be spared servitude to the Philistines again.These were huge changes.
Luke 4:2 Being FORTY days tempted of the devil. And in those days He did eat nothing: and when they were ended, He afterward hungered. See also: Matthew 4:2, Mark 1:13
Our Lord Jesus was tested 40 full days and nights. After the testing, He returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and began to fulfill His ministry. Prior to that, He was basically an unknown. This is another huge change.
There are many other FORTIES I could have listed here if time and space permitted it. Forty is a very important number to God, and should be to us. But how can we KNOW that THIS PARTICULAR 40 REGARDING JERUSALEM AND ISRAEL TODAY IS IMPORTANT TO GOD? After all, the Jews were driven out of Gaza in 2005 and nothing happened.
Well First, the "countdown clock" in this case was STARTED MIRACULOUSLY BY GOD HIMSELF in the 6 Day War in June of '67. HE preformed all kinds of miracles to start the countdown.
Second, the OBJECT of this "countdown" WAS/IS JERUSALEM. <b>There is NO CITY OR PLACE ON EARTH SPOKEN OF IN THE SCRIPTURES LIKE JERUSALEM!!!</b> Check out some of these verses:
1 Kings 11:36 ...JERUSALEM, the city which I have chosen to put My Name there. See also: 2 Chron.6:6
2 Kings 21:4 And he built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord said: IN JERUSALEM will I put My Name. 7 ...in JERUSALEM, which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel, will I put My Name FOREVER!
2 Chronicles 32:19 ...they spake against the God of JERUSALEM...
2 Chronicles 36:23 ...and HE hath charged me to build HIM an house in JERUSALEM...
Psalm 122:6 Pray for the peace of JERUSALEM...
Psalm 135:21 Blessed be the Lord out of Zion, Which dwelleth at JERUSALEM...
Isaiah 24:23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall REIGN in mount Zion, and in JERUSALEM...
Isaiah 31:5 ...the Lord of hosts will defend JERUSALEM, and will deliver it, and preserve it.
Isaiah 52:9 ...the Lord hath Redeemed JERUSALEM.
Isaiah 62:1 For Zion's sake will I NOT hold my peace, and for JERUSALEM'S SAKE I WILL NOT REST...
Jeremiah 33:16 In those days shall Judah be saved, and JERUSALEM shall dwell safely: and this is the NAME wherewith she shall be called, The Lord our Righteousness.
Zechariah 1:14 ...Thus saith the Lord of hosts; I am JEALOUS for JERUSALEM and for Zion with a GREAT JEALOUSY.
Zechariah 12:2 Behold, I will make JERUSALEM a Cup of Trembling... 3 ...I will make JERUSALEM a Burdensome stone for ALL people...
Luke 19:41 And when HE was come near, HE beheld the CITY (JERUSALEM) and wept over it.
Luke 24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among ALL nations, Beginning at JERUSALEM.
There are way too many verses on Jerusalem to list here, but by now we should all be able to understand that, although other cities in Israel are important to the Lord, JERUSALEM IS A CITY APART FROM ALL OTHER CITIES IN HIS EYES.
We saw the Jews from Gaza forced from their homes, and it seemed like God looked on, but didn't move in their behalf. Perhaps He was waiting for what He knew was coming. JERUSALEM! They are NOW negotiating over Jerusalem. Peres already said that this will be done in secret, and will be announced ONLY AFTER the agreement is done. He said that if people has KNOWN about Oslo BEFOREHAND, it NEVER would have been brought to pass. Remember:
1. Jerusalem's Countdown started in June (6th/7th) 1967 miraculously by God Himself.2. Forty years were fulfilled last June (6th/7th) 2007.3. Forty-ONE years will be this June (6th/7th) 2008.
ISRAEL/JERUSALEM SEEMS TO BE BEING PREPARED FOR A HUGE CHANGE BY THIS JUNE, 2008. God will bring about this coming huge CHANGE BEFORE 41 years arrive if this countdown is as true as it seems to be. From now through June, each Believer in Christ Jesus should be on a spiritual high alert. SPRING is the time of Redemption and New Beginnings. THIS 40 years time period involving JERUSALEM should be a big DOT to all watchers.
<a href="http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/dec2007/reneec1231.htm">Please click here and go back to read my post from December 31, 2007.</a>
It explains how things have been on the move (especially since the 40 years ended last June) in preparation for what is about to manifest in Israel, and the rest of this world, seemingly this coming Spring. The people of Israel are fed up with the corruption in their courts and government, but it doesn't do any good to take to the streets because like one Jewish demonstrator's poster said back in 2000: "Bibi or Barak, either way we get Peres," so why protest? They are at their wits end. All seems hopeless in the temporal. Look at the world economy. Look at Iran. The Middle East is ready to explode while "Peace and Security" is being negotiated behind closed doors, waiting for the right moment to be unveiled. Everything looks ready for the Rapture of the Church and the following Sudden Destruction/Trib this Spring. Therefore dear Doves, let us continue to watch and pray always, trusting in His love and Scriptures.
Hope to see you soon in the air,YSIC,Renee