Life begins at 40, they say.Tonight at our Little Big Church service we looked at the number 40, which features in many Bible stories such as the flood (where it rained for 40 days and 40 nights according to Genesis 7:12), Moses on Mount Sinai for forty days (Ex 24:18, Ex 34:1-28) and the Israelite spies searching the land of Canaan for 40 days. (Num 13:25) God gave Nineveh 40 days to repent and turn from their sins (Jonah 3:4) and the Israelites ate manna and wandered in the desert for 40 years. (Ex 16:35) Jesus was in the wilderness being tempted by the devil having fasted for 40 days (Matt 4:1-11)… and of course, what happened 40 days after the resurrection was His ascension into heaven!
Sir Isaac Newton said that ‘What goes up must come down’, and whilst this applies to gravity, it is true that just as Jesus ascended into heaven in front of His disciples (see Acts 1:1-11), He will also return to earth in the same way (see Matt 24:28-31), returning for His people (1 Thess 4:16-18, Titus 2:13). We remember and celebrate the Ascension each year whilst looking ahead to the return of our Lord Jesus Christ in glory! The story isn’t over yet; there is much more to come!