LIKE AS A SHOCK OF CORN

JOB 5:2

A. "THOU SHALT COME TO THY GRAVE IN A FULL AGE"
  1. Good Old Age:
    1. Was looked upon by God's people as a special favor from the Lord - Prov. 3:2
    2. Long life was conditional, based upon obedience to God's commandments - Ex. 20:12; Deut. 4:40; Eph. 6:1-3
  2. Bible characters who lived a full and useful life:
    1. Abraham -- the father of many nations - Gen. 25:8
    2. Isaac -- One of the heirs of God's promises - Gen. 35:29
    3. Anna -- a devout widow had a long and useful life - Luke 2:36, 37
B. BLESSINGS OF GOOD OLD AGE
  1. Life is the gift of God: Acts 17:25-28; Dan. 5:23
  2. Life is opportunity: The longer one lives, the greater the opportunities -
    1. Opportunity for usefulness to God and humanity.
    2. Opportunity to develop character. This is one of the main reasons for long life -- to develop character that will endure.
    3. Long life is long fellowship with God - Gen. 5:22
  3. Life is responsibility: 2 Cor. 5:10; Gal. 6:7-9; Responsible to our Maker as to how we use this heavenly gift; and also to our fellowmen how we apply our talents to bring blessings to others.
C. "THOU SHALT COME TO THY GRAVE IN FULL AGE, LIKE AS A SHOCK OF CORN COMETH IN HIS SEASON."
  1. Old age is compared to a shock of corn:
    1. We have first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear - Mark 4:28
  2. Then comes the harvest of the golden grain: Mark 4:29
  3. Thus is good old age so often misunderstood by so many:
    1. Old age is looked upon as the time when life has lost its usefulness.
    2. That should never be so, but good old age should be the time when years of service and development of character should bring a rich harvest of fruitfulness to God, His cause and to humanity.
  4. Examples of such ripened lives:
    1. John the Beloved wrote the Gospel of John and the book of Revelation in his old days.
    2. Paul wrote most of his Epistles in his old age.
  5. Hear the voice of God from heaven as to those who have long labored in the heat of the day: "Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord from henceforth, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them." - Rev. 14:13
    1. Abraham died a long time ago, yet in his works he continues to live. This is true of many other Bible characters.
    2. Ellen G. White died in 1915, yet she lives a very useful life through her literature.


Design © John Bryant 2011