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.)