This month of May, 1988, has a special significance for the nation of Israel and for the entire world interested in, and affected by Israel. It was just forty years ago that the present nation came into existence. Since then the tiny, weak and struggling country has gained in strength and prominence as a power on the earth to be reckoned with.
From the earliest time of Israel's history as a separate people delivered out of Egypt, the number forty has been frequently displayed as dating a time of testing or trial. The book of Numbers records the account of the spies being sent to search out the land of promise for forty days. As a result of the evil report and unbelief in Jehovah, there was a judgment of forty years' wandering in the desert placed upon them. (See Num. 14:3434After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise. (Numbers 14:34).)
Many other testing times of forty years are found in the history of Israel. King Saul, the people's choice, reigned forty years. Then King David, the victorious conqueror. the man after God's heart reigned forty years. Next Solomon in peace and glory likewise was on the throne for forty years.
One of the noteworthy periods of about forty years not found in Scripture is the time from the cross to the destruction of the temple and the city of Jerusalem. However, Luke 21 prophetically tells of this time.
Considering these things it is easy to raise the question of the forty years that are about to be fulfilled now concerning the present nation of Israel. If God bore with the nation for forty years after the cross, is He now giving another like time for them before He brings in the time of "Jacob's trouble"? (Jer. 30:77Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. (Jeremiah 30:7).)
We do not know the answer and hasten to say that God is not bound by men's thoughts nor calendars. What we do know is that the Lord's coming for His purchased possession is before the time of "Jacob's trouble" or the tribulation period of seven years.
Another thing that we are sure about we find in 2 Peter 3:99The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9). "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." The very long period of this day of grace still going on shows this. Truly we who are seeing such stirring events at this late date in the history of this world as well as of Israel, ought to look up in expectation. "The coming of the Lord draweth nigh." James 5:88Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. (James 5:8). "And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed." Rom. 13:1111And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. (Romans 13:11). Ed.