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The number 40 - YYZ Skinhead - 05-07-2012 04:51 PM
http://www.blueletterbible.org/search/translationResults.cfm?Criteria=forty&t=KJV
According to the Blue Letter Bible (KJV), the word "forty" appears 158 times in 145 verses in the KJV. To quote all of them, which I had planned to do, would take like 4 pages. I am referring to the verses where "forty" is not part of a bigger number (e.g. 840, 42, 40,000). Forty days and forty nights, forty years in the widerness, forty stripes, et cetera. Particularly 40 days and 40 nights, since it occurs very often.
RE: The number 40 - Vic - 05-09-2012 05:52 PM
Hey LM,
Interesting. God chose those amounts for each. Some get caught up in Biblical numerology, because some want to associate mysticism etc with the words/letters/numbers found within the Scriptures and which then leads to kabbalah or Bible codes etc . However, I believe it's the context that matters, and while some numbers are very much a pattern, or spiritually important to us, (ex. 7 days in a week, seven churches, seven spirits of God, etc)--but totally in context, purpose and use.
Some people like to focus on the no. seven, because it is also used so much. In fact it is found in 391 verses and 463 times in those verses. But sometimes it's just counting sheep so to speak.
The number 3 is also pointed to as being spiritually significant. It is found in 426 verses with 485 times within those verses.
Ten is viewed by some as also being very significant. Its used in 223 verses and 249 times. So we can see, if we look at all prime numbers and go up by the tens, with the number usage in the Scriptures we can probably find many numbers used that have specific significance, some are a little more mundane in the usage and so on. So while the specific usage, purpose and context can be a really interesting study, I would be careful how to approach it.
Btw, did you get yourself a kitty? Nice pic.
RE: The number 40 - YYZ Skinhead - 05-09-2012 08:24 PM
I figured that there was some reason that God picked those specific numbers and occurrences of same. The fact that Jesus, Noah and Moses all had significant experiences of forty days and forty nights made me think that there was something symbolic about forty. It may be that God wants us to remember all of those events so He used a recurring numerical theme.
I know what you mean about being careful when studying numbers in a Biblical context. Kabbalists and occultists in general invariably have to give numbers a numerological meaning, haven't they? I used to believe in numerology, of course, before I found out it was every bit as dumb as astrology. Unfortunately a lot of other Christians still believe in it. Remember that after the WTC murders, Christian sites contrived all sorts of illuministic "11" symbolism around them? The worst one was saying that the WTC towers formed a gigantic 11, as if that had something to do with why the terrorists picked them.
Unfortunately the beautiful cat isn't mine, but I hope to get a couple of kittens that resemble him. I love yellow- and green-eyed black shorthair cats.
RE: The number 40 - Mary - 05-11-2012 06:57 PM
I don't think there is anything mystical or significant about it. I think it is just easy to remember.