What is the significance of the number 40 in the Bible?

First answer was very good.

In the Bible, a "waiting period" or "fasting period" of 40 often precedes a theophany (an event in which God himself speaks to the waiting / fasting person). You can look at the first answer's examples and see how often a period of 40 preceded God speaking personally to the waiting person or people. It happened with Elijah, with Moses, with Jesus, with Noah and with several others.

This is - of course - not the only significance of the number in the Bible; but it is one of the most often-repeated "themes" in the Bible, and it is in my opinion the most important (and most interesting) "significance" of the number 40 in the Bible.

- Jim, http://www.bible-reviews.com/

Laicepsg makes a good point (though he words it badly). Numbers in the Bible *very rarely* have symbolic meaning - and almost *never* the symbolic meaning popularized by recent preachers. Numbers in the Bible *do* have "significance" - and I applaud you for asking for the significance rather than hoping to extract some hidden (and fictional) meaning from the number "40".

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RE:

What is the significance of the number 40 in the Bible?

I mean Moses was on the mountain for forty days, it rained for forty days and nights, Jesus fasted for forty days, and so on.

Did the ancients use base 40, or is there some other significance, there must be a reason it can't just be coincidence.

Jehovah God has special numbers he uses that are symbolic, for instance; 7, 10, 6

Forty. In a few instances periods of judgment or punishment seem to be associated with the number 40. (Ge 7:4; Eze 29:11, 12) Nineveh was given 40 days to repent. (Jon 3:4) Another use of the number 40 points out a parallel in the life of Jesus Christ with that of Moses, who typified Christ. Both of these men experienced 40-day periods of fasting.—Ex 24:18; 34:28; De 9:9, 11; Mt 4:1, 2.

I am not sure why he uses certain numbers. Good question.

It is not the number 40, it is the number 4.

4 is the number God based a generation upon.

In the 1st seal, A Time, 1 generation = 4+000,000 or 4,000,000 years. (Dinosaurs)

In the 2nd seal, A Time, 1 generation = 4+00,000 or 400,000 years. (Cave men)

In the 3rd seal, A Time, 1 generation = 4+0,000 or 40,000 years.(Garden of Eden)

In the 4th seal, A Time, 1 generation = 4+000 or 4,000 years. (Noah)

This was changed at the end of the 4th seal to make the 5th seal the same as the 6th seal (Times)

The 5th seal was, A Time, 1 generation = 4+00 or 400 years

But it was changed to;

In the 5th seal, Times, 1 generation = 4+0 or 40 years. (Jesus was born after the 42 generation)

In the 6th seal, Times, 1 generation = 4+0 or 40 years.

In the 7th seal, ATime was changed from 1 generation = 4 years to;

In the 7th seal, Half-A-Time, 1 generation = 4/2 or 2 years

Each seal has 49 generations.

Moses was born the 15th generation of the 5th seal

Moses and Jesus both fasted 40 day and 40 night BUT Jesus wanted NOTHING the devil offered.

Both Moses and Jesus were tempted by the devil.

Who did Moses kill? What did Moses want???

Who did Jesus kill? What did Jesus want???

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it is a length of time, long or short for something to reach fruition , 40 years in the desert may not have been exact. 40 days in the desert ,the same moses lived to be 120 , 40x3, there are other examples which lead to 40 or multiples of 40 in scripture . it is not to be taken in the literal sense

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A 40-something time period, whether days, months, or years is ALWAYS a period of testing, trial, probation, or chastisement (but not judgment) and ends with a period of restoration, revival or renewal.

Forty Years of Probation by Trial

Israel in the wilderness, Deuteronomy 8:2-5; Psalm 95:10; Acts 13:18

(the third 40 of Moses’ life, 120 years).

Israel from the crucifixion to the destruction of Jerusalem.

Forty Years of Probation by Prosperity in Deliverance and Rest

under Othniel, Judges 3:11,

under Barak, Judges 5:31,

under Gideon, Judges 8:28.

Forty Years of Probation by Prosperity in Enlarged Dominion

under David, 2Samuel 5:4,

under Solomon, 1 Kings 11:42,

under Jeroboam II. See 2 Kings 12:17,18, 13:3,5,7,22,25, 14:12-14,23,28,

under Jehoash, 2 Kings 12:1,

under Joash, 2Chronicles 24:1.

Forty Years of Probation by Humiliation and Servitude

Israel under the Philistines, Judges 13:1.

Israel in the time of Eli, 1Samuel 4:18.

Israel under Saul, Acts 13:21.

Forty Years of Probation by Waiting

Moses in Egypt, Acts 7:23.

Moses in Midian, Acts 7:30

Forty Days

There are eight of such great periods on the surface of the Bible:

Forty days Moses was in the mount, Exodus 24:18; and to receive the Law, Exodus 24:18.

Forty days Moses was in the mount after the sin of the Golden Calf, Deuteronomy 9:18,25.

Forty days of the spies, issuing in the penal sentence of the 40 years, Numbers 13:26, 14:34.

Forty days of Elijah in Horeb, 1 Kings 19:8.

Forty days of Jonah and Nineveh, Jonah 3:4.

Forty days Ezekiel lay on his right side to symbolize the 40 years of Judah’s transgression.*

Forty days Jesus was tempted of the Devil, Matthew 4:2.

Forty days Jesus was seen of His disciples, speaking of things pertaining to God’s kingdom, Acts 1:2.

We do not exactly know why the number 40 is so significant to God, but he uses it the same in every instance.

The number forty has long been universally recognized as an important number, both on account of the frequency of its occurrence, and the uniformity of its association with a period of probation, trial, and chastisement

40 indicate a period of barrenness until fruition.

It rained for 40 days and 40 nights when God wanted to cleanse the world and start over.

(Gen 7:12 KJV) And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.

Noah waited another 40 days after it rained before he opened a window in the Ark.

(Gen 8:6 KJV) And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made:

Embalming required 40 days (although this was an Egyptian custom, the Egyptians recognized the period of 40 for the preparation of going into a new life, what they called the afterlife)

(Gen 50:3 KJV) And forty days were fulfilled for him; for so are fulfilled the days of those which are embalmed: and the Egyptians mourned for him threescore and ten days.

Moses was on the mountain with God for 40 days (TWICE)

(Exo 24:18 KJV) And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.

(Exo 34:28-29 KJV) And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.

(Deu 10:10 NIV) Now I had stayed on the mountain forty days and nights, as I did the first time, and the LORD listened to me at this time also. It was not his will to destroy you.

Moses' face shone after the 40 days on the mountain.

(Exo 34:29 KJV) And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him.

It took the spies 40 days to search out the promised land and bring back fruit

(Num 13:25 KJV) And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.

The Israelites spent 40 years in the wilderness, one year for each day they explored the Promised Land.

(Exo 16:35 KJV) 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.

(Num 14:33-34 NIV) Your children will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the desert. {34} For forty years--one year for each of the forty days you explored the land-you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.

Goliath came for forty days before being killed by David

(1 Sam 17:16 NLT) For forty days, twice a day, morning and evening, the Philistine giant strutted in front of the Israelite army.

Elijah strengthened by one angelic meal went forty days to Mount Horeb where the Lord passed by and he heard the voice of God

(1 Ki 19:8 KJV) And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

Jonah warned the City of Nineveh they had 40 days until God would overthrow the city. The people repented in those 40 days and God spared the city.

(Jonah 3:4 and 10 KJV) And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.

And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

Jesus fasted for 40 days in the wilderness

(Mat 3:17 KJV) And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

(Mat 4:1-2 KJV) Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. {2} And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered.

Jesus was seen in the earth 40 days after His crucifixion

(Acts 1:3 NIV) After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.