Old Age

1. THE BLESSINGS OF OLD AGE:

A. Old age has its own beauty and glory:

Proverbs 16:31  The hoary [grey] head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness

Proverbs 20:29   The beauty of old men is the grey head

B. God’s Word says that the elderly should be honoured and respected:

Leviticus 19:32   Thou shalt rise up [in respect] before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man

Job 32:4,6   Elihu had waited till Job [and the others] had spoken, because they were elder than he

Proverbs 23:22   Hearken unto thy father … and despise not [respect] thy mother when she is old

C. The passing of years usually brings wisdom:

Job 12:12   With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding

Job 32:7   Days should speak, and multitude of years … teach wisdom

1 Kings 12:1–16   [King Rehoboam’s folly in not following the wise advice of the old men]

D. Long years of trusting God brings assurance:

Psalm 37:25   I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken

E. We shouldn’t be sad about old age:

Ecclesiastes 11:10   Remove sorrow from thy heart … for childhood and youth are vanity

2. GOD’S HELP IN OUR OLD AGE:

Isaiah 46:4   Even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you … and will deliver you

  (See also Psalm 71:8–9,17–18.)

3. DESIRING LONG LIFE:

A. Before the flood, people lived to very great ages:

(See Genesis 5:1–32; 7:11; 9:28–29.)

B. After the flood, lifespans became shorter:

(See Genesis 11:10–32; 25:7–8,17; 35:28; 47:8–9; Deuteronomy 34:7; Joshua 24:29.)  293

C. Today’s average lifespan:

Psalm 90:10   The days of our years are [seventy]; and if by reason of strength they be [eighty] years

D. Old age can be a reward for a righteous life:

Genesis 15:15   Thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace … in good old age

Genesis 25:8   Abraham … died in a good old age … full of years

Deuteronomy 34:7   Moses was [120] years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated

1 Chronicles 29:28   He died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honour

2 Chronicles 24:15   [Godly Jehoidah lived to 130 years of age, at a time when most men only lived to be 70]

Job 5:26   Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a [sheaf of grain] in his season

Psalm 91:14,16   He hath set his love on me … with long life will I  satisfy him

Isaiah 65:22   As the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands

Zechariah 8:3–4   There shall yet [be] old men and old women … every man with his staff in his hand for very age

E. How to obtain the blessing of longevity:

Deuteronomy 5:33   Walk in all the ways which the Lord … commanded you, that ye may live … prolong your days

Deuteronomy 30:20   Love the Lord thy God … obey his voice … for he is thy life, and the length of thy days

Psalm 34:12–14   What man … desireth life, and loveth many days? Keep thy tongue from evil and guile … do good; seek peace

Proverbs 3:1–2   Let thine heart keep my commandments: for length of days, and long life … shall they add to thee

Proverbs 9:10–11   For by me [wisdom] thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased

Proverbs 10:27   The fear of the Lord prolongeth days

  (See also Proverbs 3:13,16; 4:7,10; 9:10–11; 1 Peter 3:10–11; Exodus 20:12.)

F. Praying for more time to live and serve God:

2 Kings 20:1–7   [God revived ailing King Hezekiah and gave him 15 more years to live]

Psalm 71:18   Forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and … to everyone that is to come

G. Wanting to continue living in order to help others:

Philippians 1:23–25   Having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ … [but] to abide in the flesh is more needful for you

H. God sometimes revealed to men their time of departing:

Psalm 39:4   Lord, make me to know … the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am

Psalm 90:12   Teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom

Luke 2:26   It was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen … Christ

2 Timothy 4:6–7   I am now ready … the time of my departure is at hand

2 Peter 1:14   Shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me

2 Kings 2:3   Knowest thou that the Lord will take [Elijah] away today?

I. These were then able to give parting instructions to their family:

Genesis 49:1,33   [Dying Jacob called his sons and gave them instructions, and when finished, “gave up the ghost”]

  (See also Genesis 50:22–26; 1 Kings 2:1–3,10.)

J. The futility of worrying that our time has come:

Genesis 27:1–4   [Aged Isaac thought he was about to die, but lived many more years and died when 180—Genesis 35:28–29]

1 Samuel 27:1   [David despaired:] I shall perish one day by the hand of Saul [but lived over 40 years more]

  (See also Hebrews 2:15.)

K. Trust God to keep you until His appointed time:

Job 7:1   Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth?

Psalm 31:15   My times are in thy hand

Psalm 48:14   God … is our guide even unto death

L. Sometimes, not living to old age is the greater blessing:

Genesis 5:23–24   [Enoch lived only 1/3rd the lifespan of his day; God took him because he pleased Him] (See also Hebrews 11:5.)

Isaiah 57:1   Merciful men are taken away … the righteous is taken away from the evil to come (See also 1 Kings 14:12–13.)

4. GOD CAN MIGHTILY USE AGED BELIEVERS:

A. Promises of fruitfulness:

Psalm 92:13–14   They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be [fresh] and flourishing

B. Material ministering and good deeds:

2 Samuel 19:32–35   [Barzillai, 80 years old, helped support King David in his time of great need] (See also 2 Samuel 17:27–29.)

C. Spiritual ministries:

Exodus 7:7   [Moses was 80 years old when he led the exodus]

Daniel 9:1; 10:1   [Daniel received two of his greatest revelations between the ages of 85 and 90]

Joel 2:28   I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and … your old men shall dream dreams (See also Acts 2:16–17.)

Revelation 1:1,9   [The apostle John received the Book of Revelation in exile on Patmos, in his 80s or 90s]

D. Some conditions to being used of God:

Titus 2:2–3   Aged men be sober, [reverent], temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience [that they may teach]

E. The ministry of prayer:

1 Samuel 12:1–2,16,19  [Samuel, aged and grey-headed, prayed, and God performed a miracle to punish the errant Israelites]

Luke 2:36–37   Anna, a prophetess … of about [84 years old], served God with fastings and prayers night and day

1 Timothy 5:5,9   [Prayer, a special ministry for women over 60]

F. Witnessing:

Luke 2:36–38   [Anna, 84 years old, witnessed to others about Jesus]

Philemon 1:9–11,16   Paul the aged [led Onesimus to receive Jesus]

Acts 28:30–31   [Paul witnessed to all those who came to visit him] (See also 2 Timothy 1:5; 3:15.)

G. God can use those who think they are too old:

Genesis 18:10–14; 21:1–2  [Sarah, at 90, laughs and doubts she can have a child]

  (See also Genesis 17:15–17; Luke 1:36.)

H. God sometimes doesn’t really use us until we’re older and wiser:

Acts 7:23–34   [Moses tried to start his life’s work at 40, but was not really ready for it until he was 80]

I. Keep faithfully serving Jesus till He calls you:

2 Peter 1:12–15   I think it meet, as long as I am in this [body], to stir you up [and establish you in the truth]

J. Enduring adversity in old age:

Philemon 1:9–10   Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner … in bonds

Revelation 1:9   [John, in his 80s or 90s, exiled to the isle of Patmos]

5. STRENGTH IN OLD AGE:

A. God can give us strength and health:

Deuteronomy 33:25   As thy days, so shall thy strength be

Deuteronomy 34:7   [Moses at 120 years old] … his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated

Isaiah 40:29   To them that have no might he increaseth strength

Psalm 103:5   [He] satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s

Joshua 14:7,10–11   I [Caleb] am this day [85] years old. As yet I am as strong this day as I was [when I was 40]

B. Courage and determination give strength and victory in old age:

Joshua 14:10–14   [Caleb, 85 years old:] Give me this mountain [inhabited by giants in strongly-fortified cities] … the Lord will be with me … I shall … drive them out

C. Give God the credit for keeping us during a difficult life:

Joshua 14:10   Behold, the Lord hath kept me alive

6. CAUTIONS REGARDING OLD AGE:

A. We must not assume that age alone always makes us wiser:

Job 32:9   Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged [always] understand judgement

  (See also Psalm 119:100.)

B. Without God, the wisdom of the aged comes to naught:

Job 12:13,20   With him [God] is wisdom … he … taketh away the understanding of the aged

C. Caution against becoming too set in our ways:

Ecclesiastes 4:13   Better is a … wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished

D. Caution against tossing conviction aside in old age:

1 Kings 11:4   When Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with God

E. Unwisely comparing former glories to the present:

Ezra 3:11–12   [People rejoiced to see the new temple, but the old men, remembering old temple, wept] (See also Haggai 2:3.)

Ecclesiastes 7:10   Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? Thou dost not enquire wisely

7. JOY IN CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN:

Genesis 37:3   Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age

Ruth 4:13–16   [Naomi’s grandchild] a nourisher of thine old age

Proverbs 17:6   Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers

  (See also Luke 1:5–7,13,18–20.)