The numeral adjective forty is used so frequently, and in such connection in the Scriptures, as to leave the student of "the word of the kingdom" without a doubt of its significancy in relation to the times appointed, bearing upon the events to be manifested in the closing up of "the times of the Gentiles," and the restoration of the kingdom of God again to Israel. In the following lines, then, I propose to cite the instances in which it strikingly occurs, that we may be able, if possible, to extract the thing of which it is exhibited as the sign.

The Noahic deluge, whose incidents were so arranged as to make it convertible into a sign of things pertaining to Israel, was the result of rain for forty days and forty nights—Genesis 7: 4.

Noah opened the window of the Ark forty days after the tops of the mountains were seen above the waters—Genesis 8: 6. Moses was in Mount Sinai in the presence of Jehovah’s glory forty days and forty nights—Exodus 24: 18.

When he came down the second time from glory, where he had been interceding for Israel, and bringing with him the new tables of the Covenant, it was after an absence of forty days and forty nights. On this occasion his face shone intensely with the glory of the divine majesty he had been contemplating; so that the Israelites could not behold it unveiled—Exodus 34: 28.

The twelve representatives of the Twelve Tribes of Israel were forty days among the seven nations of Canaan spying out their affairs—Numbers 13: 24. These forty days became a sign of the duration of time in which they should continue to bear their iniquities before entering into the possession of the land under the victorious Jehoshua, the son of Nun. The time signified by the sign was forty years—a day for a year—Numbers 14: 34.

Elijah travelled towards Horeb during forty days and forty nights, in the strength of one meal of bread and water—1 Kings 19: 8.

Ezekiel lay on his right side forty days as bearing the iniquity of the House of Judah. This, with the 390 days he lay on the other side for the Ten Tribes, was "a sign to the House of Israel," that they should eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles during 430 years, from the destruction of Jerusalem by the King of Babylon; of which 430 years’ national vassalage, 40 years were on account of the transgressions of Judah, when the government of the whole nation was in the hands of that tribe, under Solomon, from the foundation of the temple to the revolt of the Ten Tribes from the house of David, on the 4^th of Rehoboam’s reign—a year for each day of the sign—Ezekiel 4: 3-13.

Jonah announced to the king and nobles of Nineveh, the capital of the great Assyrian monarchy, that if they did not repent, their city should be overthrown at the end of forty days—Jonah 3: 4.

Like Moses and Elijah, Jesus fasted forty days and forty nights in the wilderness—Matthew 4: 2. He was afterwards forty-two months, or 1260 days preaching the gospel of the kingdom as Jehovah’s "dove"—Matthew 3: 16—bearing the olive leaf to Israel—Acts 10: 36. John the Baptist preached the same gospel for the same length of time before him, or 2520 days for both.

Forty days elapsed between the resurrection of Jesus and his ascent from the Mount of Olives; during which interval he discoursed with his apostles concerning the things pertaining to the kingdom of God—Acts 1: 3.

The symbolical "Holy City," or "those that keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ," that is, the saints, were to be trodden under foot of the Gentile governments for forty-two sign-months—Revelation 11: 2; 12: 17; and these papal powers were to practise their oppressions for forty-two similar months—Revelation 13: 5.

Such are the principal places where forty occurs in connection with days and months; let us see now what the Bible suggests in relation to the phrase