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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | what is important about 40 | Bible general Archive 4 | biblicalman | 229547 | ||
I cannot agree that if we give a significance to a number in certain contexts it has to be consistent throughout the Scriptures. The use of numbers developed over time. It may well be that in some cases a number had a significance for a certain time, and that that significance was then dropped. I would see the 40 years old of Isaac and Esau when they married in that light (although I suppose marriage could be seen as a trial - lol). The periods of forty years in the wilderness, forty years rest on Judges (three times), forty years of Eli's rule, forty years of David's rule, and forty years of Solomon's rule are in a cluster. They may well indicate 'a generation'. But this does not tie forty down to always meaning a generation (it could only do so in the case of years). Or it could be that the same number has twofold significance, used in one way sometimes, and another way the other. The Bible was written by a large number of different authors and they could well have had their own viewpoint. This is why when a pattern does emerge it suggests that it is significant. The spies went out for forty days (possibly a round number) which may well have been intended to indicate a significant period of testing out the land. The 'forty years' of wandering, was in fact thirty eight years. Thus the 40 years brought in their journeying, and encampment at Sinai, before they started wandering. But it was called forty years because instead of Canaan being tested, they were being tested. Note how in fact they are deliberately contrasted. The forty men who sought to kill Paul parallesl the forty days of Goliath's testing of Israel. Both had a death in mind. It was certainly a test of Paul's faith, and of his calling, as it was with Israel. 1 Kings 6:17 and 7:38 are measurements which may well not have been seen in the same light. There is in fact a forty year period during which Israel was under the rule of another country (Judges 13.1), and this may well be intended to cotrast with the 40 years periods of rest. It was thus both a period of trial, and indicating a generation. I am not sure why just because forty is intended to indicate a period of testing and trial it must therefore follow that all periods of testing have to be forty years. Approximate length of time also has to be taken into account. Incidentally Judah were not in Babylon for seventy years. Even if we commence the period from the first exile in 605 BC the period was only 67 years. But Jeremiah did not say that they would be. His seventy year prophecy was concerning the period when 'these nations (including all the nations round about) will serve the King of Babylon'. Thus we can date it from 609 BC (when Nebuchadnexzzar first operated against the nations) to 539 BC. And of course 70 is the number of divine completeness. We can compare the deliberate manipulation of the names of the patriarchs who went into Egypt (Genesis 46.8-27), who of course went with 'their households' probably numbering a few thousand. Best wishes |
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2 | what is important about 40 | Bible general Archive 4 | Searcher56 | 229553 | ||
Point 3 ... On 70 ... in Numbers 7:37 "his offering was one silver dish whose weight was one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels" ... so does that mean one bowl was of "divine completeness" and the other not? Also read other passages (Jdg 1:7, 8:30, 9:2 …) |
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3 | what is important about 40 | Bible general Archive 4 | biblicalman | 229557 | ||
Point 3 Searcher said: ... On 70 ... in Numbers 7:37 "his offering was one silver dish whose weight was one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels" ... so does that mean one bowl was of "divine completeness" and the other not? Also read other passages (Jdg 1:7, 8:30, 9:2 …) My reply: as I said when measurements are in use we would expect exact numbers. However in the case of your Judges examples they may well all indicate divine completeness to the author, which is probably why he stresses them. Adoni-bezek may well have been using a round number with the idea that the kings he had mutilated were given to him by his god. The numbers 7 and 70 were almost universally seen as indicating divine perfection at the time. Best wishes. |
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4 | what is important about 40 | Bible general Archive 4 | Searcher56 | 229561 | ||
God's day to you, biblicalman, "The numbers 7 and 70 were ALMOST universally seen as indicating divine perfection at the time" ... is my reason not to assign numbers, because there are excpetions. Remember, creation was completed in six days (Exo 20:11, et. al.). All I need is one verse to prove the exception. I do not twist Scripture to fit what I want. I could make numbers, names ... show a code. For me they are just numbers, names ... Searcher |
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5 | what is important about 40 | Bible general Archive 4 | biblicalman | 229562 | ||
LOL We don't know whether there were exceptions or not, as we don't have histories of all the peoples in the world. How can that affect anything? But it was true throughout the Middle East (the Ancient Near East). Everyone in Palestine, Sumer, Babylon and Assyria saw 7 and its multiples (e.g. seventy sevens) as indicating divine perfection, and thats good enough for me. No, creation was finished in SEVEN days, six was the number of MAN (just as 666 is the number of the Man of Sin) and man was created on the sixth 'day'. But creation was completed when God blessed the seventh day. Apart from you everyone speaks of seven day creation. However, it doesn't really matter what you think or decide to do. What matters is that I have provided the information requested, and everyone can judge for themselves. Best wishes |
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