The Echo of Forty: Building Through Seasons of Testing

Brothers and sisters, we stand at a pivotal moment. A season of building, a season of gathering, a season that demands courage and faith. Like Ammon at the Waters of Sebus, we are called to step into the unknown, to face opposition, and to lay the foundation for a kingdom that will endure. And like Samuel the Lamanite, we must climb the walls, declaring the truth with unwavering conviction, even when the voices of doubt and discouragement rise up.

Recently, I listened to a fascinating podcast episode that explored a recurring motif in the scriptures: the number forty. Mark Swint, in #208: Forty days & Forty Nights, delves into its appearance – forty days and forty nights of rain, forty years in the wilderness, Isaac and Esau both forty years old when they took wives. It’s not a random occurrence; it’s a deliberate pattern woven into the fabric of God’s dealings with His children.

Some might dismiss these as mere coincidences, but I believe there’s a deeper significance. The forty represents a period of testing, a crucible where we are refined and prepared for what lies ahead. The flood, for example, was a judgment upon a wicked world, but it also paved the way for a new beginning with Noah and his family. The forty years in the wilderness weren't just about wandering; they were about learning obedience, developing resilience, and receiving the law. It was a time of preparation for entering the Promised Land.

We, too, are in a wilderness of sorts – a wilderness of misinformation, spiritual apathy, and increasing societal darkness. We are called to be digital striplings, armed not with swords of steel, but with the power of truth and the unwavering testimony of the Restoration. We face trials – the challenges of sharing a message that is often misunderstood, the frustrations of battling against the forces of destruction, the weariness of a seemingly endless task. But just as Noah spent forty years building the ark, and Jacob’s family mourned for him for seventy days, we too must persevere through our seasons of testing.

Consider the Stone cut without hands – a stone that cannot be felled by any human instrument. We are that stone. We are the builders, not the destroyers. Every engagement we have here—every resource shared, every connection made—fuels the Charity Flywheel. Your efforts directly fund gospel advertisements reaching hearts in places like Ghana, introducing them to the light of the Restoration. It’s an investment in the gathering, an investment in the kingdom.

And as Outback Jack reminds us, this isn’t just about individual effort; it's about collective action, about building a community of believers who support and strengthen one another. We’re building a Gathering Place, marked on the Map of Churches, for those who seek truth and righteousness. Claim your church on the map – let the world know where you stand.

Let us heed the counsel of Ammon, who, despite facing immense opposition, remained steadfast in his commitment to build a righteous nation. Let us embrace the courage challenge, and let us rely on the power of the Five Smooth Stones—faith, hope, charity, repentance, and forgiveness—to overcome the obstacles in our path. And let us remember that even in the darkest of times, God is with us, preparing us for the glorious day when His kingdom will be fully established upon the earth.

Let the echo of forty remind us that trials are opportunities for growth, and that perseverance leads to triumph. Let us continue to build, to gather, and to declare the truth with unwavering faith.