Psalms 92:12-15
“The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God. They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, to declare that the LORD is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.”
“The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God. They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, to declare that the LORD is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.”
A goal for many people in life is a happy retirement.... They spend years saving and planning for the time in which they retire. They look forward to the free time to do what interests them. But is the concept of retirement applicable to the kingdom of God? We may rightly retire from secular jobs, what about our service in the church? Granted, physical infirmities may sometimes be a hindrance, but is such a valid reason for “retiring” from the work of the church? In Psalms 92:12-15, we find a description of the righteous in which they are described as palm trees and cedar trees flourishing in the house and courts of God. -- Note vs. 14: “They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing” This passage certainly suggests that there is a place of service for the elderly in the work of God. They are able to “bear fruit” and remain “fresh and flourishing”, despite their old age. That God can and does use the elderly should be rather apparent, especially when we take a few moments to consider God’s use of older people in the Bible.
Consider Moses and Aaron. They were chosen to lead the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage at the ages of 80 and 83 - Exo 7:7 “Now Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron eighty-three years old, when they spoke to Pharaoh.” They were already past the normal life span - Psa 90:10 “The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.” (written by Moses Psa 90:1a “A Prayer of Moses, the man of God.”)
Consider Joshua and Caleb. Joshua was given the charge of leading the conquest of Canaan, during the last thirty years of his life (he lived until he was 110, Josh 24:29 “After these things Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being 110 years old.”). Caleb was also very much involved in the conquest while in his eighties - Josh 14:6-11 “Then the people of Judah came to Joshua at Gilgal. And Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, "You know what the LORD said to Moses the man of God in Kadesh-barnea concerning you and me. I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land, and I brought him word again as it was in my heart. But my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt; yet I wholly followed the LORD my God. And Moses swore on that day, saying, 'Surely the land on which your foot has trodden shall be an inheritance for you and your children forever, because you have wholly followed the LORD my God.' And now, behold, the LORD has kept me alive, just as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the LORD spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. And now, behold, I am this day eighty-five years old. I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming.”
Consider Daniel. He served God from the days of his youth, for over 70 years! - Dan 1:21 “And Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus.” He was well over eighty when he served as one of three governors over the kingdom of Babylon - Dan 6:1-3 “It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom; and over them three presidents, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these satraps should give account, so that the king might suffer no loss. Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other presidents and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.”
He was well over eighty when thrown into the lions’ den – (Dan 6:4-27); Prospered in the reigns of Darius and Cyrus the Persian – (Dan 6:28); and received a series of visions – (Dan 8-12).
Consider Zacharias and Elizabeth. These were the parents of John the Baptist. They were “both well advanced in years” - Lk 1:7 “But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.” Yet he was serving in the temple, and she gave birth to John!
Consider Simeon and Anna. Two elderly people who bore witness to the Christ child when presented to the temple to be circumcised - Lk 2:25-38. Anna was at least 84, and had been serving God “with fastings and prayers night and day”
Consider Paul, the aged. As he refers to himself in Phile 9 “yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you--I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus”. Yet we know at this time in his life, he was busy writing letters (Eph, Col, Phi, Phe), even while in prison; traveling, visiting, encouraging churches, when he was released from prison.
There are many other examples of how God used those in their “golden years” to serve Him. These we have considered certainly illustrate how the elderly can “still bear fruit in old age”. But what about today? We'll consider God’s use of older people in the church today in our continuation of this lesson.
