Why 40 Days?

by Tamar SC · Published February 11, 2016 · Updated April 9, 2018

Let’s talk about the significance of 40 days of Lent.

Whenever God wanted to prepare someone for his purposes, he took 40 days.
– Noah’s life was transformed by 40 days of rain.
– Moses was transformed by 40 days on Mount Sinai.
– The spies were transformed by 40 days in the Promised Land.
– David was transformed by Goliath’s 40-day challenge.
– Elijah was transformed when God gave him 40 days of strength from a single meal.
– The entire city of Nineveh was transformed when God gave the people 40 days to change.
– Jesus was empowered by 40 days in the wilderness.
– The disciples were transformed by 40 days with Jesus after his resurrection.
– Jesus, after being baptised, was led by the spirit into the wilderness, fasted and prayed for 40-days, echoing Israel’s 40 years in the wilderness where they were tested as Jesus was.

Now the purpose of Lent and why we observe 40 days of it before Easter is this: To get our eyes off the things of this world and focus them firmly on God. Jesus asks us to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow him (Matthew 16:24) That means the only things that Jesus asks us to deny ourselves of are what will rob us of eternal joy.