What would you do or change if you knew you could live to the age of 120 – capable, whole, sound of mind and body, and going strong?  Would you change things you’re doing now?  Exercise more; eat better?  Believe God for even more things to do for Him than you planned to?  Does it sound too good to be true?

It’s not.

Let’s see what the Bible – and God – says.  The Bible states in Genesis 6:3… “My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and twenty years.”

The Message translation says, “Then GOD said, “I’m not going to breathe life into men and women endlessly.  Eventually they’re going to die; from now on they can expect a life span of 120 years.”

Not only did God state how long our days are to be, but He also makes it clear by saying He will bless your food (unless it is something He told you not to eat), your water, take away sickness from you, keep things from being barren in your life, AND promises to fulfill the number of your days – 120.  (Exodus 23: 25-26)

That life span of 120 has never been changed anywhere in the Bible.  That is God’s last and final word on how long we can live on this earth.  THAT IS GOOD NEWS.  There are stipulations – obeying His commandments (His Word), speaking right words out of your own mouth, walking in love, but if you obey you connect to the promise of 120 years.

People often quote Psalms 90:10 as the standard by which we should expect to live – 70 or 80 years.  That particular passage of scripture was dealing with the Israelites in the wilderness and was NOT good news to those who were accustomed to living 300 plus years of age.

It was never meant to be taken as an age we were to strive for.  Seventy to eighty is far below the age God expects us to live to.

There is also the misunderstanding of Ecclesiastes 3 about there being a “time to die”. People have decided that means we all have a specific time (Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020 at 6:00 p.m.) and we will die then and there is nothing we can do about it.  “Well you know, when it is my time to go, I’ll go.”  That is a fatalistic attitude that has hurt many people who die before their time.

No!!  That passage of scripture simply means that if Jesus tarries His return, there will come a time when our physical bodies will die – unless we happen to be on earth when Jesus comes back!  It did not mean a specific year, day and time.  It did not mean a specific year, day and time.

I know what some of you are thinking.  You’re thinking, “Yeah but 120 years, that’s Old Testament.  We live under the New Testament now.”  Ah, but what you do not realize is that this new testament – new covenant – that God made with us includes all that is blessing in the old covenant AND all the good in the new covenant.  Don’t throw out the promises and blessings of the Old Testament.  God didn’t.

So guess what?  Now that you have received this revelation – will you change things in your life in order to live long, strong, and of a good age?  Will you take better care of yourself and quit calling yourself old?  Quit making jokes about old age?  Believe in God’s grace to bring you to 120?

Or will you keep going on thinking you are too old to be of use to God anymore?  Most people start believing that in their 30’s – how ridiculous!  By living to 120, even a person in their 60’s would only be halfway!  A 30 year old would actually be younger than a teenager if they decided to live to 120!!

PLAN TO LIVE LONG AND LIVE STRONG (Psa. 91:16; Pro. 3:2)!

(Oh, and p.s., you don’t have to look like those old apple dolls as you age.  Remember that Abraham’s wife Sarah was so beautiful at 90 that a King wanted her for his wife.  Believe to age well.)

God is Good, always and in all ways!

 

 

 

Scripture Reference:
Deuteronomy 30:19