Last year, I turned 60. I don’t know if I count as an old person yet. Granted, when I was twenty, I thought sixty was ancient, but I now realize that barring a major illness or accident, I still could have a lot of years ahead — possibly even decades.

Still, turning 60 has got me paying more attention to people even older than I, and has made me more attentive to old people in the Bible — and whatever advice they give. The news source Axios has recently been gathering advice from older people (examples , , and ). Similarly, I’ve decided to “interview” old people in the Bible and listen to their advice. Here’s a synopsis of the advice of the Bible’s old folks. Most of their advice is good; some of it not. (I’m skipping blessings and prophecies uttered by elderly biblical characters, which fall into different categories.) What can we learn from the instructions or advice of older people?

Jacob (to his sons): Don’t bury me in Egypt; bury me in the promised land next to Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, and Leah. (Genesis 47:29-31; 49:39-33)

Joseph (to his sons): Carry my bones with you when you leave Egypt; bury me in the promised land. (Genesis 50:24-26)

Jethro, father-in-law (to Moses): Stop wearing yourself out by trying to judge all the people yourself. Place judges over tens, fifties, hundreds and thousands. If a case is particularly difficult, go ahead and adjudicate it yourself. (Exodus 18:14-27)

Moses (to the people of Israel): Cross the Jordan. Let God fight for you. Be strong and courageous. God will never forsake you. Publicly and repeatedly read the Law. Pass it on to your children. Listen to Joshua. Don’t turn away from the Lord. Don’t forget to sing the song I taught you. (Deuteronomy 31-33)

Joshua (to the people of Israel): Possess the remainder of the promised land. Keep the covenant. Put away foreign gods. Have nothing to do with idolatry. Cling to the Lord, love the Lord, serve the Lord. Choose today whom you will serve. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 23-24)

Deborah (to Barak): Gather 10,000 people and attack Sisera’s army. Yes, I will accompany you, but be forewarned that God will deliver Israel through the hand of a woman. (Judges 4:4-10)

Naomi (to Ruth): Find a field and glean some grain. Boaz is nice to you? Stay in his field. Better yet, go to Boaz while he’s sleeping, uncover his feet, and tell him that he’s your kinsman redeemer. Don’t worry, Boaz is a good man; he’ll settle the matter before the end of the day. (Ruth 2-3)

Samuel (to the people of Israel): You sinned in demanding a king. Still, if you will fear and serve the Lord, it will go well with you. But if you rebel, the hand of the Lord will be against your king and you. Don’t get distracted by empty things. The Lord will not forsake you. I’m praying for you. (1 Samuel 12)

Ahithophel (to Absalom): Publicly shame David with his concubines. Send a small and fast army to destroy David. (2 Samuel 16:20-17:4)

Hushai the Archite (to Absalom): Don’t listen to Ahithophel. Gather a huge army and only then pursue David. (This gave David’s troops time to rally.) (2 Samuel 17:5-14)

A Wise Woman from Tekoa (to David): Bring Absalom back to Jerusalem. (2 Samuel 14:1-24)

A Wise Woman in Abel (to the people of the town of Abel): Cut off Sheba’s head; you’ll save the whole city from destruction at the hands of Joab and his army. (2 Samuel 20:14-22)

David (to Solomon and others): Be strong. Man up. Faithfully keep the commands of the Lord. Figure out a way to punish Joab and Shimei. Show kindness to the house of Barzillai. Build a temple for the Lord. Set your mind and heart to seek the Lord. Don’t be afraid. The Lord will not forsake you. (I Kings 2:1-9; 1 Chronicles 22:6-19; 28:1-21).

Rehoboam’s Elders (previous counselors of Solomon) (to Rehoboam): Serve the people. Speak pleasant words to them. Tell them you’ll lighten their load (1 Kings 12:1-20; 2 Chronicles 10:1-19). (Rehoboam listened to his young friends instead, and the kingdom was divided.)

An Old Lying Prophet (to a younger prophet whom God had instructed not to eat or drink): Come and eat bread with me. What? You can’t? I also am a prophet. God told me to invite you to my house for dinner. (Then after the young prophet went and ate…) You’ve disobeyed the word of the Lord and brought judgment on yourself! (1 Kings 13:18-32)

Jehoida (to the temple guards; later to the people of Israel): Guard the boy, Joash, with your life. Proclaim Joash king. Execute Athaliah. Keep covenant with the Lord. Tear down the altars of Baal. (2 Kings 11-12; 2 Chronicles 23:1-16)

Elisha (to king Jehoash): Shoot an arrow out the window; God will give you victory over Syria. Strike the ground with the arrows. You should have struck it five or six times, not just three! (2 Kings 13:14-19)

Mordecai (to Esther): Beg the king for protection from those trying to eliminate God’s people. Don’t think you won’t perish along with the rest of us! Perhaps you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this. (Esther 4:12-17)

The Mother of Proverbs 31 (to her son): Don’t give away your strength to women not your wife. Be careful about drinking hard liquor. Defend the rights of the poor. Marry a Proverbs 31 woman. (Proverbs 31)

Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar (to Job): The reason you’re suffering must be because you sinned. C’mon, just admit it. (Job 4-31)

Daniel (to Belshazzar): Keep your gifts. God drove Nebuchadnezzar from his throne because of pride. You haven’t humbled your heart before God. Your rule is over. (Daniel 5)

Zechariah and Elizabeth (to neighbors): His name is John. (Luke 1:60, 63)

Anna (to everyone who came to the temple): The redemption we have been waiting for has come (Luke 2:38)

Gamaliel (to the Sanhedrin): Think carefully about what you might do to these men (apostles Peter and John). Other “messiah” followers have come and gone. If this plan is of human origin, it will fail; but if from God, you will not be able to overthrow it. (Acts 5:34-40)

Paul (to Timothy): Don’t be ashamed of the testimony of the Lord. Guard the good deposit. Join me in suffering. Stand strong in grace. Pass on the message to faithful people. Don’t quarrel. Accurately handle God’s word. Flee youthful passions. Pursue righteousness. Watch out for godless people. Follow my example. Teach God’s inspired word. Patiently correct the errant. Fulfill your ministry. Watch out for Alexander the coppersmith. (2 Timothy 1-4)

Peter (to Christians): Supplement your faith with virtue, steadfastness, and love. Confirm your calling. Listen to the inspired prophetic word. Watch out for false teachers. Be forewarned that scoffers will come. Know that a year is like a day to the Lord. The day of the Lord will surely come; be ready for it. Live lives of holiness. Don’t be led astray. Grow in grace. (2 Peter 1-3)

The “elder” John (to the “elect lady and her children” and to Gaius): Love one another. Watch out for deceivers. Don’t receive false teachers into your house. Support fellow workers in the truth. Watch out for Diotrephes. Demetrius has a good testimony. Hope to see you soon. (2 & 3 John)

Lots of good instruction and advice here! Most of it (with a few exceptions—e.g., Job’s three friends and the lying prophet) is good counsel. Let’s keep listening to the advice of older people, and in particular, the guidance given to us by the godly elderly folk of the Bible!

—â¶Ä”â¶Ä”-

(Honorable Mention (not in the Bible): Polycarp. See , , and .)

Notes

One of the funniest lines in the Bible is Josh 13:1: “Now Joshua was old and advanced in years, and the LORD said to him, “You are old and advanced in years…” See my collection of hilarious Bible verses HERE.