We often see the number 40 in Old Testament readings, a number which has great symbolism. Many Scripture scholars see the number 40 as symbolic of a time of testing or judgment. In today’s reading from Genesis, 40 is the period of days and nights that it rains when God destroys the earth with a great food. After Moses killed the Egyptian, he flees to the desert of Midian where he spends 40 years watching over flocks of sheep before he goes back to lead the Jewish people. Moses was on Mount Sinai for 40 days and 40 nights. Moses also intercedes on Israel’s behalf for 40 days and 40 nights. The law of God put forth in the book of Deuteronomy specifies the maximum number of lashes a man could receive for a crime at 40 lashes. We probably all remember that while the Israelites wandered for 40 years before arriving in the promised land, Jesus spent 40 days and nights in the desert, just as we celebrate 40 days of Lent. And Goliath taunted Saul’s army for 40 days before David arrived to slay him.
Whether or not the number 40 really has any significance is still debated, but it seems that the Bible indeed uses the number 40 to emphasize a spiritual truth. After they left the ark for dry land, Noah built an altar and offered burnt offerings from each of the clean animals that had been in the ark in thanksgiving to God for being saved. God was pleased with the fragrant odor of this sacrifice and pledged never to curse the earth again because of the sins of humanity nor would he destroy all living creatures again, although individuals might be punished. Unfortunately, because of original sin, we human beings still have a tendency to sin, which has not been lessened after the Great Flood. We are all called to try our best to resist the temptation to sin, but when we do, we repent and turn back to the Gospel. In God’s love and mercy, he is alway there to help us, he always gives us another chance.
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