Ascension Day (40)
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Today we will look at Acts 1 and the ascension of Jesus to the right hand of His Father! We all know of this particular event pretty well so we will look at the significance of the number 40
The number 40 is mentioned throughout the bible around 146 times and it generally symbolizes a period of testing.
God flooded the earth for 40 days and 40 nights
4 For in seven days I will send rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and every living thing that I have made I will blot out from the face of the ground.”
Moses was on Mount Sinai for 40 days and night two separate occasions Exodus 24:18 and Chapter 34 receiving the commandments
18 Moses entered the cloud and went up on the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.
The spies into the promised land were there for 40 days in Numbers 13:25 and 14:34
25 At the end of forty days they returned from spying out the land.
34 According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, a year for each day, you shall bear your iniquity forty years, and you shall know my displeasure.’
Jonah went and preached to Ninevah to repent and turn back to God for 40 days or they would have destruction for their many sins
Ezekiel laid on his right side for 40 days to symbolize Judahs sins
6 And when you have completed these, you shall lie down a second time, but on your right side, and bear the punishment of the house of Judah. Forty days I assign you, a day for each year.
Eliljah went 40 days without food or water on Mt Horeb
8 And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God.
Jesus was tempted by the devil for 40 days in the desert Mt 4:1-11
2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.
The number 40 can also represent a generation of man. Because of their sins after leaving Egypt, God swore that the generation of Isrealites who left Egyptian bondage would not enter their inheritance into Caanan Deuteronomy 1
The children of Isreal were also punished by wondering around in the wilderness for 40 years before a new generation would enter the promised land
Jesus just days before his crucifixion prophesied the total destruction of Jerusalem 40 years after his crucifixion by the roman empire
1 Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. 2 But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”
The book of Exodus has 40 chapters
Many of the Judges served for 40 years Othniel, Deborah, and Barak, Eli and Gideon
The first 3 kings Saul David and Solomon each ruled for 40 years
After the kingdoms split Northern and Southern King Joash served 40 years
Abraham tried to bargain with God if he could find 40 righteous
29 Again he spoke to him and said, “Suppose forty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it.”
Issac and Esau were both 40 when they married and Jacob the patriarch of the Isrealites when he died the Egyptians spent40 days embalming his body
3 Forty days were required for it, for that is how many are required for embalming. And the Egyptians wept for him seventy days.
All of this we see the number 40 to be specific. It takes 30 days to make something a habit. By the time you make it to 40 you should have it whipped.
Jesus stayed around after his resurrection to continue to teach them and disciple them so they could handle this mission on their own.
1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.
4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
we are to be witnesses to the end of the earth
next week we will see the holy spirit pour out on his people on the day of pentecost which is actually May 28th the day we will gather