And they returned from searching of the land after forty days. And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land. And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan. (Numbers 13:25-29)
Throughout the Bible, the number 40 has great significance. It represents a shift from the old to the new, a metamorphosis from one state of being to another. Jesus, after His baptism, spent forty days in the wilderness—a period of testing and preparation. Also, after His resurrection, He remained with His disciples for forty days, teaching them and preparing them for His departure.
The Israelite spies were initially sent in to look at the land God promised them for 40 days. Those days were meant to get them full of faith to come back and encourage the people to go and take what God had said. Instead, the report of the ten spies clouded the people’s vision and because of doubt and unbelief, God made them wait another forty years to get into the promised land.
Are you in a forty-day season of life? These are times that challenge, refine, and ultimately transform. Like the Israelites, we may face challenging obstacles, but in these moments of challenge we are called to echo the same faith-filled proclamation of Joshua and Caleb: “Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it” (Numbers 13:30).
Practical Application
If you’re in a season of 40, as you are shifting from one level of faith to another or one position to another, don’t be discouraged. You will make it if you keep your eyes on God’s Word. Don’t speak doubt and fear. Say, “Whatever the task, I am well able.”