p. 5 | God's Aged Prophets by Stephen N. Haskell

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 3, 1907

God's Aged Prophets

By Stephen N. Haskell

It is a mistaken idea to conclude that because one is old, the Lord can not sustain him. It is also a greater mistake to conclude that if the servants of the Lord have been faithful in their past lives in the work of God, God does not and can not sustain them in their old age. It is contrary to reason and in direct opposition to the Bible to conclude that he does not.

The apostle to the Gentiles says, “Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.” 2 Cor. 4: 10-12. He then adds, “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.” Verse 16.

The apostle Paul must have been a man of great infirmity, for a physician always accompanied him, and we might reasonably conclude that some of his brethren thought he was a burden to them physically. When he uttered the words quoted above, it is reasonable to conclude, although we can not state his exact age, that he was at least sixty or seventy years old. The most of his writings were written after he was sixty years of age, and yet he says, “Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.”

His spiritual discernment was more acute, his judgment was more valuable, and his life more beneficial to the church of God, than when he had more physical strength and youth. David says, “Thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” Again the prophet Isaiah says, “Keep silence before me, O islands; and let the people renew their strength: let them come near; then let them speak: let us come near together to judgment.” Isa. 41: 1. When are they to come near and speak?—When their strength is renewed. They had “put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created.” Col. 3: 10. There is such a thing as being renewed by the Spirit of God and the mind growing stronger while the body grows weaker. “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Isa. 40: 31.

Ahijah prophesied that Jeroboam would be king of ten tribes of Israel, and Jeroboam reigned over Israel in fulfilment of this prophecy; but he departed from the Lord, and led Israel into sin. When Ahijah was old, Jeroboam was in trouble; because of his sins he feared to go to Ahijah in person, so he thought he would deceive him. His son was sick, and he told his wife to disguise herself and not let it be known that she was the wife of Jeroboam, and go and consult the prophet in regard to the child. But the Lord defeated the plan of Jeroboam and his wife, saying unto Ahijah, “Behold, the wife of Jeroboam cometh to ask a thing of thee for her son; for he is sick: thus and thus shalt thou say unto her: for it shall be, when she cometh in, that she shall feign herself to be another woman. And it was so, when Ahijah heard the sound

of her feet, as she came in at the door, that he said, Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam; why feignest thou thyself to be another? for I am sent to thee with heavy tidings. Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Forasmuch as I exalted thee from among the people, and made thee prince over my people Israel, and rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it to thee: and yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes; but hast done evil above all that was before thee: for thou hast gone and made thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to anger, and hast cast me behind thy back: therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, . . . and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, . . . for the Lord hath spoken it.” 1 Kings 14: 5-11. Then, before the woman had an opportunity to ask any counsel, he said to her, “Arise, . . . get thee to thine own house,” and told her that the child would be the only one of the house of Jeroboam who would go into the grave, because in this child there was found some good thing toward the Lord God of Israel. Verses 12, 13.

This wonderful prophecy against the house of Jeroboam was fulfilled to the very letter. God did not leave the old prophet to be deceived. A very wise and shrewd scheme was planned, with the idea that because the prophet was old and blind, he would not perceive the deception.

This is the God of the Bible. Let none think that God can not take care of his aged prophets, or that he ceases to guide them and speak through them because of their weight of years.

S. N. HASKELL.