AN INSIDE LOOK

In light of my new book, CRAVING, I wanted to provide a small sample of what you can expect, while still leaving you with a challenge to think on over the weekend.

Psalm 34:8 - Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.

"Being a bit of a bookworm and also a fan of research, I often find myself digging in Scripture for what the Bible really says. When I read the Bible, I normally read it with the intention of looking up words in the Hebrew or Greek in order to get a solid understanding of that word. With this in mind, I decided to look more in depth at the Hebrew words here in Psalm 34:8, the words ‘taste’ and ‘see’.

Taste – TA’AM – to taste, eat, perceive

See – RA’AH – to see, look at, inspect, consider

In looking at just these first two words it becomes clear that David is encouraging us to both eat of the Lord and inspect the Lord. Why? Because as the phrase continues, he wants us to perceive just how good, how pleasant, how excellent (TOWB in the Hebrew) the Lord really is.

When I decided to go to college I chose a school in Oklahoma. I wasn’t trying to get away from my family who lived 2600 miles away in California, it just so happened that this school was where I felt God calling me to attend. But beings that my family was not abundant in finances, I was not able to inspect and explore the campus in person beforehand. Instead, the knowledge I had of the school was based on what I read in pamphlets, heard from current and past students, and saw on the school’s daily prayer show.

When I finally arrived at the school, there was so much more to be experienced. The buildings were bigger than I had pictured in my mind. The campus itself was bigger. The student life was abundant with clubs and organizations I had not even fathomed. And as I walked the sidewalks between the classes, dorms, cafeteria, chapel, and library, I began to take in for myself the fullness of this place. I began to see then how both my imagination and the reports of others failed in comparison. In this case, what I saw was becoming my knowledge of the school instead of the knowledge of someone else.

I can attest this same concept in some ways to the birth of my children. While my children were both in the womb, I did not know them fully. I knew I was having a child, but with both we did not know the gender till the actual delivery. With both there was that feeling of excitement in the air. But the details were not known. Would the baby be a boy or girl? Would the baby have brown hair, blonde hair, or no hair? Would the child be colic, or would the child be one to rarely fuss? As long as the child was in the womb, these questions could not be answered. I could only wonder. However, once the birth happened I was then able to begin to know the child for myself. And this is what God is wanting of us – to know Him for ourselves.

I am reminded of Moses also. Moses became the channel of communication between God and the people. But this was never supposed to have been. In Exodus 20:18-19 we read, When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, ‘Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.’ God wanted a relationship with His people, to talk directly with them, but they refused a relationship with Him. Instead, their whole experience in the desert was based on Moses’ relationship with God as opposed to their own personal relationship. While they may have been hungry and thirsty to get out of Egypt, they did not appear to be hungry and thirsty enough to seek God for themselves."

Thank you for allowing me to share this portion with you, but as I said in the beginning, I want to leave you also with a challenge for the weekend. First I would question of you, how hungry and thirsty for God are you? Have you tasted and seen for yourself how good God is? Do you find yourself craving God and all He has? Or are you, like the Hebrews, hungry and thirsty only to leave your situation but not to have a relationship with God? Take some time to think about it this weekend.

If you would like a free ebook copy of CRAVING in exchange for your written review of the book, please email me at: danonthevanguard@yahoo.com

PRESENT AGAIN

Hello...

It has been a while, I know. You may be wondering where I went and what I have been doing. The answer is a little bit of everything. I have been busy with second jobs, school, writing books, raising kids. Don't worry, I'll will touch a little on it all.

My last post shows February 2016. I had returned from England in January and soon after dove into my schooling so that I could finish my Master's program. I am happy to say that in July of 2017 I finished my Master's degree in Business - Human Dynamics. However, as if school was not taking up enough of my time, I felt the prompting of the Holy Spirit to finish the book I had started in 2009. So in October of 2016 I self-published my baby, ON THE VANGUARD. (If you are looking for a good read that mixes war history, the Bible, and real life together, then I would suggest this book.) It wasn't soon after I completed my Master's, though, and life threw a little curve ball. As such, I had to go out and do the 2nd job thing. Since October 2017 I have worked as a dessert caterer, worked at Fed Ex loading trucks, and begun driving for Lyft. About 4 nights per week I find myself driving for Lyft, and while some may not think this is the job for them, I absolutely LOVE it.

In March 2018 I had this pull to return to school again, in addition to the 2nd job. I am currently working on my PhD in Theology with an expected graduation of Sept 2019. Why go back? Well I feel a pull to open a Bible School. In working with a friend from India, God has spoken to us both to team up together and open Warriors of God Global Bible Institute. It is still in its early stages, but you are free to check it out here and even enroll in the 3 classes we currently have up and running.

Capping off my disappearance, I actually just released my 2nd book, also in June 2018, titled CRAVING. This book is the first in a 6 part series of Bible Studies I felt God orchestrate.

So as you can see, I have been busy, but I have also returned. Writing and teaching remain my passion, so I plan to be around again for a while. This time around, however, I want to engage the audience more, highlight the writings of my friends more, and make new friends also. So I am calling out to all the writers, bloggers, and poets; to all those who have God's word in your heart and a pen in your hand...I would love to read and highlight what God has given you. Please feel free to send me a chapter, book, post, etc and let's help each other out as we move toward the goal of where God is leading.

A RECAP OF ENGLAND

Greetings! So it has been about a month now since I was sitting on the plane bound for the United Kingdom. As I reflected on this thought, I realized that many of you have not heard the stories of all that I saw God do while out there. For this reason I felt that for my entry today I should share. While I understand that to some this may be nothing more than boring chatter, I trust that for others it will be a moment of encouragement as you also begin to feel faith rising in you.

The journey in many ways does not start on January 7, 2016, but rather months before in June, 2015. It was here that I felt myself putting faith into action as I told my contact I would come to his city. I had no idea how it would all happen, how the money would come about, or even what God would have me to share. I only knew I was to go. As the months turned into weeks and days, God gave me ideas for fundraising and quickly brought in beyond that amount needed. But God also began to plant in me His words that I would share with the people. He began to give me an urge to speak boldly in faith, even though I was no one special, and to usher in to this church God's wave of urgency.

The plan was to speak in the church's Bible School on the topic of Spiritual Leadership, but also to share in two evening services and a Sunday service as God was leading. Quite honestly, my first sermon was written in the Dublin airport as I waited on my transfer. But from the moment the pen touched the paper, I felt God stirring my faith with an expectancy. God was about to do something big. He didn't really need me, but was allowing me to be the tool that He would minister through. As the evening service began, God moved on the people and brought an awakening to spirits. (More details on this message can be found in the prior blog).

The next day began with teaching in the Bible School, and ended with a late night at McDonalds. But the events that transpired in between still have me in awe of who God is. When I was about 10 or 11 years old, my local pastor asked me to pray over all the men in the church, laying hands on and staying till I felt a release. I had felt God's power then. But as I shared once more in the evening service now, I felt God's power once again. With a simple message concerning taking God at His word, believing the book of Acts to be true, and testing if in fact God was the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb 13:8), I invited people to the front for prayer.

As God's tool once more, I felt His Spirit again like I did as that young child. I laid hands on people and God's words came through me. Prophecy was coming forth, people I barely touched were falling out, and healings were being done. When the presence began to subside I was in tears, thankful to have been a tool of God. There was no doubt that God was doing something for these people, but the fact that God was doing something in me was just as important.

The final service was had on that Sunday morning, where again God showed up. It wasn't in the form of healings and such, but in the form of rallying the troops. The message God had put on my heart was Joshua 3:5, to be consecrated. Before the army of God under Joshua's command was able to cross into the Promise Land and take possession of what was theirs, God needed them sanctified. It is no different today. God is moving this year, and He is moving us into what He has for us. But if we are not consecrated, we will not enter. In this grand chapel where His Spirit was moving, God was consecrating His people, and I was a tool used by Him to spur His people.

I came back from England a different man. I came back able to hear His voice in a new way, to move out in a boldness that wasn't fully developed prior, and hungry for what He has. A few days back, as we were having our family Bible time, my wife felt I was to pray over all the kids. It was as if the Spirit was standing next to me. I was seeing visions, hearing words of warning and prophecy, and breaking the grips that the devil wanted on our kids. This time, though, while still allowing myself to be the tool, I knew that God could and was doing it. I knew His power.

Before Jesus ascended into heaven in Acts 1, He spoke about how the Spirit would come upon the disciples in power, enabling them to be His witnesses. Not before this trip have I ever felt this degree of His Spirit and power. But who I am that I should experience it and not you. So it is to you that I want to offer this encouragement - that you too shall receive power after the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you too shall be His witnesses (Acts 1:8). Do not discredit yourself, for God has plans to use you in a big way.

AWAKE!

"Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God."
Revelation 3:2

In the first few days of 2016 I had an opportunity to travel to Wolverhampton, England, where I was asked to teach in a Bible School and preach in evening services for a pastor friend of mine. As I prepared my messages, I specifically heard God telling me that it was time to call the people to AWAKE! God took me to Revelation 3:1-6, where the letter written by John to the church of Sardis is found. As I read this passage again, with eyes as if reading for the first time, I began to see clearly what God was saying to the church I would be sharing with, but also to church as a whole.

It is recorded that in the history of the city of Sardis, the city had been captured twice before while sleeping, both in 549BC and 219BC. Was it coincidence that now, years later, they were being called out for sleeping again? Truth be told, the church at Sardis was going through the motions. From the beginning of John's writing we read that the church had a reputation for being alive, but in reality was dead. The church had at one time had a fire, but now they were on cruise control and simply leaving an image that they were still following hard after God. The truth was that they had allowed too much of the world to come in and now they were living off of the reputation of the good old days. If we were to be honest, how many of us does that define today. How many of us were at one time sold out for God, but along the way began inviting sin in? To the outsiders we may still appear to be godly, but to God we are seen as dead.

To this church, and to people who fall into the same definition today, the answer was given...WAKE UP! I love how in the New International Version there is an exclamation mark. This isn’t a nice suggestion, it is a urgency. WAKE UP! Stop being dead. Stop living off the 'used to be' reputation of the past. WAKE UP! Give what is being said here real attention. God is telling people that He sees what no one else sees. He sees that the church is skating by. He sees the inside areas and they are death. WAKE UP! To this urgent plea God then adds to strengthen what remains and is about to die. It is time to restructure your life before it is too late. It is time to refill what has been lacking. It is time to retake action and be that positive reputation again that you used to be. Shake off the dust that has sat on you and remember what God has given you. Come out from the cloudy fog that rested on you and now begin to obey God's Word, and repent from the allowance of things you have let come into your life. If you chose not to, you will be robbed from. So that this does not happen, God is saying to re-engage in the intimacy you once had with Him.

When are we going to stop hitting the snooze button on our alarm clocks? I am guilty of this. I know my alarm will go off at 5:00am every weekday. I set it at that time so that I can allow myself time for devotions in the morning before the rest of the house is up and moving. But there have been many days when 5:00am comes sooner than I want it to. As a result, I hit the snooze button. then I hit it again, then again, then again. Before I know it, I have hit snooze so many times that now I am late to get in the shower, let alone spend time in devotions. But with every press of the snooze physically I am pushing the snooze spiritually. God is calling me to WAKE UP, and I am choosing to remain under the covers.

One of the greatest pictures God gave me in illustrating this point was that of a defibrillator. Having being trained in using one, I know that you must clear the people away from the action before allowing the machine to charge the patient. But how many of us could use a good dose of Godly defibrillating? Just like the church of Sardis, we are on the verge of death in the path that we are going. Just like the church, we have a reputation of godly living, but we are on the verge of death because of our sins.

If you, like me, are serious about coming back to life, then make this your prayer: God, I pray, place the paddles of Your defibrillator on my heart and AWAKEN me. Bring me back from the death of my sin. God I cry out to You and ask that You would forgive me of my sin. God I make the choice to obey You. I chose to remember what I have received and heard from You. AWAKEN ME God, before it is too late.

THE MENIAL INTERN

“Then Moses set out with Joshua his aide, and Moses went up on the mountain of God.”
Exodus 24:13

In the summer of 1997, with almost all my classes out of the way, I set out to complete the mandatory 150 hours of church service required for my Bachelor’s Degree program. There were specific tasks that were needed, such as preaching on a Sunday, working with the church’s financial office in balancing a monthly budget, and both preparing and leading a worship service. But the rest of the hours were a collection of church related items. I found these hours being filled with such items as folding bulletins, serving at a soup kitchen, and working with the youth group. In truth, I pretty much lived at the church during the whole summer of 1997.
When I arrived back to the university, I turned in my signed papers from different leaders of the church. I also handed over a collection of sermon tapes and videos from the times I had been able to preach or teach in the church. The whole lot of items was reviewed by the Theology Department heads and a final grade was given. With my ‘A’ in hand, I thought I had served my time and was ready to become a pastor. Notice, I thought I was. God thought different.
Following graduation I was given an opportunity to serve as an intern in Kalispell, Montana. The terms were simple. In exchange for room and board and $200 a month, I would in essence become the youth pastor’s shadow. This sounded like a good deal to me straight out of college, so I loaded up my car and drove up the day after graduation. On arriving, I found about 20 youth, all at different stages in their spiritual walk, yet all still in need of wanting more.
Ready to serve and assist, I was given my first ‘youth intern task’ – watch them skateboard. Really? I am a babysitter? The church I worked for had their own half pipe open to the community. However, it was only open at certain times, and because of insurance reasons, only under adult supervision. So it became my routine to serve two hours three days a week as the supervision. You have no idea how many days I prayed for rain. I had come to Montana ready to preach, ready to pour out my years of college education to the next generation, and here I was serving as a chaperon.
My chance to preach finally did come a few weeks later in the mid-week youth service. I rehashed an old message from my sermon-prep class that had gotten me an ‘A’, but was now getting me nothing but blank stares. When the night was done, the youth pastor pulled me aside and said, “You have no relationship with them. To them you are just another adult telling them what to do. Fix the relationship by getting on their level.” Heeding these wise words changed everything.
Now I didn’t become a skateboard advocate, but I did spend more time with them. I began to attend their special events, began to drive them around town, and began to listen. I began to serve the youth pastor also, becoming a real intern, and seeing myself as not an answer to everyone’s prayers, but as a servant. With each new serving opportunity, God began to open a new door. Over the course of the summer I moved from the new kid on the block to a trusted friend. I would even venture to say that it was this internship that helped to sharpen some of the leadership abilities I have today. But notice, it all started with me getting past my personal pride and learning to serve.
The Bible tells us in Exodus 24:13 that Joshua was Moses’ aide. “Then Moses set out with Joshua his aide, and Moses went up on the mountain of God.” This word ‘aide’ is the Hebrew word SHARATH, meaning literally to attend as a menial. Joshua then in reality was Moses’ menial intern. The word also is used in scripture as contributor, servant, or one who waits on. Before Joshua ever became the leader we know him as in history, he was first a servant, doing menial tasks for Moses. Maybe HE-BREWed Moses’ coffee (get it, he-brew, Hebrew), or fetched Moses’ staff when it was forgotten in the tent. Perhaps Joshua served in other menial ways we do not know of. But either way, Joshua started out as Moses’ intern. In time, God raised Joshua up through the ranks, though, and into management.
Perhaps you want to be a leader. I know I do. If this is true, then how are we going about moving into leadership? Are we just born with the ability and should therefore be placed into this titled position, or should we allow God to promote us as we work the menial tasks of our internship? Even though we see in Joshua that he was Moses’ aide, perhaps our biggest clue in how to move into leadership comes from Jesus Himself, as He came not to be served, but to serve (Mark 10:45). Are we willing to be a menial intern and serve others? That is where true leadership begins.

THE CURE FOR THE CURSE

"So the LORD God said to the serpent, 'Becuase you have done this, Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life.'"
Genesis 3:14

A few weeks back when I was in worship at church, we sang a song that grabbed my attention. The title is Seas of Crimson, and the lyrics read:

"For every curse, You're the cure / For every sickness, You're the Healer
For every storm, You're the calm / For all that's lost, Oh what a Savior"

Now I cannot state whether the writter of the song, or even the worship leader leading me, had this in mind when it was sung, but when I joined in to worship singing these words, God spoke to me.

If you look at the word CURSE and the word CURE, you find that all the letters are the same and in perfect order. The exception, however, is the letter S. If you take the S out of the word curSe, you end up with cure. And then I felt God speaking that the S in curSe was representative of the snake, the enemy himself.

Look with me at Genesis 2 and you find that God makes the beautiful Eve for the manly Adam. They are given the freedoms of the garden with no knowledge of sin. The only rule laid before them was to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But move ahead just a chapter and we find in Genesis 3 the snake, crafty in his ways, twisting the words that God spoke just enough to intice. With Adam at her side, Eve ate the fruit and shared it with Adam. The cure, life in the Garden of Eden and afternoon walks with God, was suddenly taken away because the curSe slithered in.

How many other times can we look at see curses popping up in our lives? It seems we are bombarded with the curse of poor self-esteem, anger, or lack of finances. But what about the curse of infirmity? Or how about the curse of bad luck. Or dare I say, how about generational curses as a whole. In all these areas and so many more, the snake has slithered his way into the lives of people simply to bring their demise. Yet what should our response be?

According to the song, for every curse Jesus is the cure. To me, that simply means that to break the curSe I need to get the S out. I need to get the snake out! I need to not allow the enemy to come in and shift my stance on God's Word. If Eve had done what Jesus did in Matthew 4 and used God's truth against the serpent instead of allowing her mind to be twisted, then the curse would be been broken before it started. While this piece of Biblical history cannot be changed for Eve, it can be changed for us. Because Jesus Christ broken the power of the enemy's curse, we can walk in freedom.

I urge you, take the S, the snake, out of your life and allow God to provide His cure. Get the snake out! Remove his ability to enter your life so that the curse will stop, and the cure will begin.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF FORTY

The following is based on a series of studies I did during the summer of 2012. At that time I felt an urge to review the Bible from beginning to end, and take note of the number 40. As these recent days have passed by, however, I have felt that it was time to take a new look at the significance of the number “forty”.

FORTY
You may or may not know this, but numbers are important when it comes to the Word of God. For instance, a quick look at the number three and you may see it to mean “entire”. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one, making up the entire God-head. In Hebrews 13:8, we read that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever/tomorrow.” Jesus also rose from the dead on the third day, showing the entire work of the enemy defeated. We can look at seven the same way. Seven is known as “spiritual perfection”. In Genesis 7:2, Noah is instructed to take seven of every clean animal into the ark and only two of every unclean animal. God rested on the seventh day as we also are commanded to (Ex 20:8-11). On and on we could go concerning the number seven. So as you can see, numbers are important. But I want to direct your attention to a number that you may not think of right away. I want us to look at the number forty.
Now we are not going to take forty days to learn about the number forty, but I again want to bring this number to the forefront. The reason why is because we are currently in the Jewish season of Teshuvah. To give a quick understanding of Teshuvah, every day for forty days, the shofar is blown as a wake up call for all people to repent and seek God for forgiveness. This season ends with Yom Kippur, which is the holiest of all Jewish holidays. What we chose to do concerning the horn’s blast is between us and God.
But why does Teshuvah last forty days, and is the number forty really all that special? To answer that I point out that the number forty is named in the New International Version of the Bible 141 times. That is quite a few times for us to just sweep this digit under the rug. Yet, did anything of significance happen concerning forty? I bring your attention now to Genesis 7:4. “’For in seven more days I will cause it to rain on the earth forty days and forty nights; I will wipe out every living thing that I have made from the face of the earth.’” It is here that Noah hears from God that He is sending a flood to wipe away the sinful people, and that through Noah, and because of his devotion, the world would be renewed. The rains that were to come would last forty days and forty nights.
An important piece of data to understand is that forty in the Bible is referred to as a time of testing, trial, probation, or chastisement, but not judgment. A forty day, month, or year period ends with a period of restoration, revival, and renewal. We see this also in the events following the flood, where the earth was reborn.
So then, why does Teshuvah last forty days? According to Jewish tradition, Teshuvah is a sort of death and rebirth. This season is likened to the forty weeks it takes for a human fetus to be formed within the womb. This then is a season of moving past the barren, dead womb and into a time of new life. More so, it is a season of our awakening from the sleep of our sinful ways and into the ways of our God. The shofar is blown daily in these forty days, serving as our alarm clock to wake up from the sinful slumber we are in. Do we really need forty days to repent and confess our sin; to prepare ourselves? Maybe this is better answered by again looking at the meaning of forty. I can confess my sin now, but who’s to say that on day ten I will not move back into my sin. I need to stand in these forty days, to be reminded with each daily blast of the shofar of the trial I am in, and the victory I want to see. Relief from my sin may come on day one, but restoration is proved on day forty-one.

LIFESTYLE OF FORTY
All through life we see the details of forty. We claim “Life begins at forty.” And whether talking concerning the 40 weeks for the baby or the forty years for the person, this is a true statement. But why forty? It is said that it takes 21 days to form a habit, but it takes 40 days to form a lifestyle. Let us look now at the lifestyle that God was outlining for His people, then, in relation to His servant Moses.
After leaving the land of Egypt, Moses led the people from Rameses to Succoth, and then on to Etham on the edge of the desert before eventually landing at the waters of the Red Sea. As ordered by God, Moses stretched out his staff and the waters parted, allowing all of Israel to pass. After defeating the Amalekites, and learning a few lessons from his father-in-law, Jethro, the nation rested at the base of Mount Sinai. It was here that the people received the Ten Commandments and the instruction for the Tabernacle, for it was here that Moses left the camp and met God on the mountain for forty days and nights. “The Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. And he stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights,” (Ex 24:18). In this alone time with Adonai, Moses was being given the download of the ages. Every blueprint for the Tabernacle, and every stitch concerning the garment of the priest was being explained to Moses. Yet when he descended down the mountain, his eyes landed on the sights of the people worshiping an idol. In anger he destroyed the image (Ex 32:19).
According to tradition, it was on the 17th of Tammuz that Moses descended and saw the golden calf. History would later show that this date became associated with all sorts of calamity for the nation of Israel. It is thought by many that in Exodus 32:30, when Moses states he will go before God to make atonement, that Moses may have again remained on the mountain top for another forty days. The Bible is unclear of this fact, but we do know that Moses did ascend in Exodus 34:28, separate from speaking to the people again in Exodus 33:4. It was in this time that again God continued in the giving of the blueprints for the lifestyle He desired. Details concerning the Ark, the lamp stand, and the altar to name but a few were given in precise order, as they would be used to draw His people to Him.
So here is a question I have for you as we consider once more this number, forty. What lifestyles have you formed? In the winter of 2012 I took part in my first 21 day, water only fast. Personally, the fast helped me to make a habit in the way I sought God during the day, listened for His voice, and searched His ways. But I want more. I want a lifestyle change and not just a habit change. I do not want only to form a standard prayer time, but rather I want to create a lifestyle of prayer. I want to form a lifestyle of drawing close to Him, of removing any part of ‘me’ that gets in the way and prevents me from truly knowing Him. I want to go up the mountain and like Moses, speak with Him. This is not a charge for a “40 Day Challenge”, but rather a challenge for you to look at the lifestyle you are living in. Perhaps, like me, you desire more.

NOTEABLE FORTIES
We have already seen how the number forty played a part in the lives of Noah and of Moses, but I want us to take a look at a few more people and events where the number forty is concerned. Again, remember that forty is a number related to testing and trials, and as we will see, these people and events found their share of testing in the forties. Let us begin back in Genesis.
Following the flood which we have already talked about, the next ‘forty’ is found in Genesis 25:20. It is here we are told Isaac was forty years old when he wed Rebekah. In the next chapter over we read that Esau was forty years old when he married Judith and Basemath, much to his mother’s disgust (Gen 26:34). And completing the book of Genesis, we read that as Jacob was in Egypt when he passed away, the custom of Egypt was for him to be embalmed. This process took a full forty days (Gen 50:3).
While those events may not seem off-hand like times of testing and trials, these next few definitely are. Forty years the nation of Israel wandered in the desert because of the spies response concerning the Promise Land after their return forty days later (Num 13:25). This meant that for forty years the people ate the same meal of manna and quail. That alone would be enough to test me. Yet in the end, God comforted His people in Deuteronomy 2:7 by letting them know He had provided for them during the full forty years. With this, they entered the land and were renewed. I think it also good to point out here that Moses was forty when he left Egypt on his own. Forty years later he returned for God’s people. And forty years following still, he looked from afar into the Promise Land as the people entered. Joshua also said in Joshua 14:7 that he was forty when as one of the spies, he surveyed the land. This then places him at eighty when he took over as the commander of the Israelite people.
In Judges 3:11 we read that the land of Israel had rest for forty years following the death of its judge, Othniel, and the stand he led the nation in. At the end of Deborah’s song in Judges 5:31, we see another forty year rest as again the land began its revised stand for God. Following the leading of Gideon (Jud 8:28), another period of rest for forty years was found in the land. But in Judges 13:1, we find that because the people forsook the ways of God, they were slave to the Philistines for forty years. Following the stand of Samson to break this forty year time of testing, events led to Eli being judge for forty years as recorded in I Samuel 4:18. All these past events lead us to I Samuel 17:16. “Meanwhile, the Philistine approached with his challenge every morning and evening for forty days.”
It wasn’t until just recently this verse jumped out at me. For forty days already, the army of Israel stood at attention to hear the condescending blasphemy of the giant, Goliath. For forty days he spit out his usual chant of defiance against God and His people. But what Goliath did not know, was that the day David arrived was day forty-one. Remember, forty is equated with testing, trial, probation, or chastisement. For forty days the men of Israel were being tested in the Valley of Elah. Guess what Elah means. Elah is the Aramaic word for ‘awesome’, its origin meaning ‘reverence’, and is one of the names of God. Goliath and his fellow soldiers were standing in the Valley of an Awesome God. An awesome God He was indeed, for on this forty-first day, His Spirit came over David and the victory over the giant was had. Remember again that following a forty day, week, year, or anything period comes forty-one, which means restoration, revival, and renewal. Israel had just walked into their time of renewal.
Maybe right now you feel like you have been standing face to face with Goliath. Perhaps you feel as though you have been tested for forty days yourself. Maybe forty years. But I urge you to notice where you are standing. You may find that you have been standing in the Valley of Elah. And looking at your calendar, you may realize that today is day forty-one. Prepare yourself, then, for you are about to see His Spirit move you into a period of restoration, revival, and renewal. Are you ready for it? I know I am.
Going on, King David ruled for forty years (I Kin 2:11). His son, Solomon, also ruled for forty years (I Kin 11:42). Additionally, one other king is credited as ruling for forty years, that being Joash (II Kin 12:1). In I Kings 19:8 we read that with the angel of the LORD coming a second time to Elijah to provide for him food and drink, the meal was enough to suffice him for forty days while he went toward Horeb. God called Ezekiel to do something bazaar in Ezekiel 4:6, commanding him to lay on his right side for forty days to bear the guilt of the house of Judah. And finally, in the book of Jonah, we read that the prophet who first protested, was now in Ninevah declaring that in forty days God was going to overturn Ninevah to its enemies. The city took this personally, and as a whole they sought God in teshuvah and God relented.

EAGLES AND FORTY
There is no coincidence that forty is such an important number in the Bible. But did you know that forty also links the Bible to eagles? Let me explain. In Isaiah 40:30-31, we read, “Young men may grow tired and weary, even the fittest may stumble and fall; but those who hope in Adonai will renew their strength, they will soar aloft as with eagles’ wings; when they are running they won’t grow weary, when they are walking they won’t get tired.” Now in addition to researching the number forty, I have also researched on eagles. Check this out. When an eagle begins to feel old, he will fly up to the mountain and get as close as he can to the sun. Then, one by one he will begin to pluck out each feather. It is said that the eagle is not concerned with the pain in this process, as much as he is the progress in this process. Then, newly de-feathered, the eagle bathes and waits. Animal scientists have studied this behavior and have found that the waiting process is purposed, and that it takes forty days for the re-growth of new feathers. Forty days! When the feathers have grown back, the eagle is renewed in strength and ability.
How does this relate to us? I am glad you asked. I know for myself I have times when I feel ‘old’, especially now that I am 40. There are times when my spirit feels weak, weary, and unable to keep pace. It is in these times that so as the eagle goes up the mountain toward the sun, that I need to find myself going up the mountain to the Son. My strength can only come from Him. But, I cannot have renewed strength until first I remove the ‘feathers’, or the weights that hold me down. These need to be removed, one by one, regardless of how much they hurt or how bald I may look. It is only in striping these feathers that I will find the renewed strength I so long to have. Yet as the feathers do not grow back on the eagle overnight, so I must remember that they will not also grow back on me overnight. It is a time of waiting for the new feathers to come in. It is a time of decision, where lifestyle is reborn.

JESUS AND FORTY
As we come close to wrapping up our study, I want us to look at the number forty and how it relates to Jesus, Yeshua. There are two specific instances relating our Savior with this number, and my goal is to look at both. However, in both I think you also will see that this number is in fact related to the testing and trials that we have learned it to relate to.
We start with the events following Jesus’ baptism. Matthew 3 concludes with Jesus coming out of the waters of the Jordan and having the Spirit come upon Him as a dove, and the voice of the Father declaring His pleasure in His Son. Then in chapter 4, we are told that the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted. “Then the Spirit led Yeshua up into the wilderness to be tempted by the Adversary. After Yeshua had fasted forty days and nights, he was hungry,” (Matthew 4:1-2).
Before we go on, let us define a few words in the Greek concerning this portion of scripture. First, I think it is good for us to define ‘wilderness’. In the Greek this is EREMOS, meaning a solitary, lonely, or uninhabited place. Second, let us define ‘tempted’. This is the word PEIRAZO in the Greek, and its meaning is one of a trying to see if a thing can be done, a malicious test, or a testing for the purpose of determining quantity and behavior. In short, then, we see the Spirit leading Jesus into a solitary time and place to determine through the malicious tactics of the enemy just what Jesus was made of. When offered the ‘things’ of this world, would Jesus buckle under the pressure, or buckle up in character?
After a time of forty days of being tested, with the enemy offering food, safety, and the kingdoms of this world, and all the while Jesus overcoming each temptation with the Word, the enemy left him alone (Mt 4:11). I would like to point out real quick the relationship between this event and the words of James 4:7. When we resist the enemy, he will flee. It was in this season, these forty days, that the enemy wanted to see what Jesus would do. In His weakness, the enemy probably expected Jesus to give it to the temptation. Yet He held His ground and fought with the Word when the enemy came at Him. Jesus showed not a habit, but a lifestyle. Still, let this also be a reminder to us in our times of testing that God’s Word remains our weapon.
Lastly, I want us to look at Acts 1:3. Following the death of Jesus we read that He appeared to the disciples and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive over the course of forty days. As we just read, Jesus Himself was tested for forty days, and now we see that the disciples were being tested for forty days. The fact that Jesus had to convince the disciples it was Him speaks volumes. Yet Jesus gave proofs, TEKMERION, the assurance that He was surely and plainly known with evidence to support Himself. In these forty days following Jesus’ victory over death, He made it His mission to prove that He was the fulfillment of Scripture.
So what does this say to us? Perhaps in reading this you have seen yourself. Maybe you have realized that you are in a time of testing. As shared, you may be on day one, or day forty. In any case, day forty-one is close at hand, and so is your renewal. But, maybe like the eagle, it is time for you to fly to a place where you are closer to the Son, strip yourself of you, and allow the refreshing and renewal that only He can give.