Overview
Scripture treats old age as the season God awards wisdom, not the season He sets people aside. Rico Magnelli reads Isaiah 46:4, where God says that even to old age and hoar hairs He will carry and deliver, and renders that carrying as sustaining. Psalm 92 promises that those planted in the house of the Lord shall still bring forth fruit in old age. Job 12:12 says that with the aged is wisdom. Physical prowess and agility diminish, but God makes up for that with wisdom, and Titus 2 gives the aged men and women work to do with it.
Transcript
God’s Plan: Wisdom as the Treasure of the Golden Years
Let’s take a look at Isaiah 46, please. This topic is wisdom, the treasure of the golden years. God’s plan is wisdom, skill, or the art in living as a treasure that’s awarded in the golden years.
There’s much that the Word of God says about wisdom, and we’ll see a little bit of it. And there’s many examples in the Word of God where individuals that were advanced in years continued to walk with God and carry out his will and receive his blessings. Like Noah was 500 when he began to build the ark.
Biblical Examples of Men Advanced in Years
Five hundred. Now, I know people lived longer in those days because they were closer to the original paradise. But Jacob, years and years later, the son of Isaac, lived to be 147.
And on his deathbed, he’s pronouncing revelation over his sons. So he was sharp of mind to be able to receive from God even at that stage in his life. How about Moses? Moses was 80 years old when he leads the children of Israel out of Egypt.
And he leads them for 40 years. He just didn’t do it for a couple of weeks. He did it for 40 years.
And most estimates, he led possibly about two and a half million people out of Egypt. This was a mighty man. And the Word says that his eye was not dim, nor his natural strength abated at 120.
Simeon and Anna are great examples that met the baby Jesus when he was being presented at the temple when he was eight days old. Paul refers to himself as Paul the aged. There’s many great examples in the Word.
And it’s not just for individuals in the golden years. But we need to set vision for the young people in learning to seek wisdom. We go to God.
Isaiah 46:4 — Even to Your Old Age, I Am He
And God has also given us those that have navigated the waters of life successfully with His Word that are able to help us. And here in Isaiah chapter 46, verse 4, it says, And even to your old age, I am He. And even to hoar hairs, that’s talking about the white hair, will I carry you? I have made and I will bear, even I will carry and will deliver you.
God will carry us. Another way to render it is to sustain us. Where do we get this idea that you reach a point that now He puts you on the shelf and you’re kind of second fiddle to somebody that’s younger necessarily, or He pays more attention to someone else? Not true at all.
He will sustain us. He will bear us up, even in our old age. Look at Psalm 92.
Why God Does Not Put You on the Shelf
See, where do we get this idea that you reach a certain age or a category, and then we become obsolete? Now, I know our physical prowess and agility, they diminish, but God makes up for that with wisdom. David says in Psalm 37, verse 25, I have been young and now am old, yet I’ve not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread. That’s a testimony of a person that’s worth listening to.
I have been young and now am old, yet I’ve not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread. You’re not going to beg bread either. Absolutely not.
Psalm 92 — The Righteous Shall Flourish Like the Palm Tree
Because God will sustain you and carry you, even into old age. Look at Psalm 92, please. Verse 12, the righteous shall flourish like the palm tree.
Got plenty of these down here in Florida. He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. And the righteous are those that are right before God.
And we are righteous through the justification, through the faith of Jesus Christ. We are right or acceptable to God. Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God.
What It Means to Be Planted in the House of the Lord
Now, what does it mean to be planted in the house of the Lord? To be planted in the house of the Lord is to invest our heart and soul into what God is moving at that time. And in the Old Testament, it was the central activity of the spiritual essence of Israel was the temple, the courts of the Lord. In our day and time, it’s the body of Christ in the household of faith.
We plant ourselves, we invest ourselves in that truth. And what’s the benefit? They shall still bring forth fruit in old age. They shall be fat and flourishing.
That means that you’re not going to be without. That’s a figure of speech. It has nothing to do with your weight.
It has to do with that you’re not going to do without. You bring forth fruit in old age. See, it might be different in a sense, but it’s still the fruit of the quality of the Word of God living within you.
Bringing Forth Fruit in Old Age
This is a promise of God. Verse 15, to show that the Lord is upright. He is my rock and there is no unrighteousness in him.
In other words, what God is saying here is when you get older, I don’t leave you. I don’t drop you off and say, well, you know, thanks. Great job.
I’m going to go to somebody younger now. He doesn’t do that. He wants us to produce fruit in our old age.
So we’re fat and flourishing. Flourishing means green, like a green garden, that green growth that you see in the spring on a plant. You know it’s living because you can see the green growth.
Why This Runs Counter to the Culture
Fantastic. Look at Job, please. See, I know that this is counterculture.
The culture doesn’t teach this. The culture teaches that you reach a certain level or stage or season in life, and then you got to move on and step aside. I don’t read that in the Word.
It’s up to you what you want to accomplish with God, not the culture. We got to get the culture out of our heads, because the culture will limit you. It will not endorse the things of God, and it puts labels on people, and those labels can be convenient at times, sure.
Job 12:12 — With the Aged Is Wisdom
They help us sort things out, but it’s not where you derive your identity from. We’re looking at Job, Job chapter 12, verse 12. With the ancient, and that means the aged, with the aged is wisdom, and in length of days, understanding, and this is something that Job was speaking in chapter 12, and it’s interesting that those that came to help him, the miserable comforters, were more than likely a lot younger than he was.
They thought they knew everything. Job had a challenge, and they really didn’t help him, but you can see it right here. With the aged is wisdom.
Wisdom Is the Right Application of Knowledge
That’s what God wants for the golden years, for us to be able to apply the Word in situations more readily. Look at Proverbs 16. Wisdom is the right application of knowledge, and as we season in life, and as the Word lives within us, we can streamline so much of the nonsense that the world sends at us.
Haven’t you seen that as you develop, and as you grow, and as you mature, and as you season in life, and you navigate the waters of this world? You don’t waste time where maybe 30 years ago you wasted time. You don’t waste time. You just move right forward with the things of God.
What about the wisdom of forgiving people? How it significantly blesses, and heals, and strengthens our soul? See, that’s wisdom. That’s the right application of knowledge, and moving on, sure. Proverbs 16.
You know, you realize that things that took you days and weeks only take you a short amount of time. I’m not talking about necessarily physical things, but we’re able to get to the essence of a matter quicker. We’re able to resolve situations sooner.
Proverbs 16:31 — The Hoary Head Is a Crown of Glory
That’s part of the wisdom. Proverbs 16, in verse 31, the hoary head is a crown of glory. That’s the gray hair.
That’s representative of the wisdom of years. If it be found in the way of righteousness, that’s right. The more we go the way of God’s way, the more we go God’s way, we have that crown of glory, that wisdom.
Leviticus 19:32 — Rise Up Before the Hoary Head
Look at Leviticus 19, please, and as we go to this word of God, there’s probably things that you’re thinking about, and how the culture limits, and tries to corral us, and make us go down this very narrow path. Don’t listen to them. It’s a waste of time.
This is the literature of eternity. Listen to this, and certainly don’t derive your identity by what the world tells you. Leviticus 19, please, verse 32.
It says, thou shalt rise up before the hoary head. You know what that means? You stand up. You stand up in respect for someone that is that seasoned person in life.
Now again, you can do this physically, and it doesn’t mean anything. It’s we do it in our heart. We stand up in our heart with respect, and honor the face of the old man.
Look at that, and fear thy God, or respect thy God. I am the Lord. Part of respecting God is respecting the wisdom that He provides to us, and part of it is showing that respect.
See, this is important for young people to hear. They don’t have to waste so much time in the school of hard knocks if they seek the wisdom of God, and they seek those that have that wisdom. Look at Ecclesiastes, please.
Ecclesiastes 9 — The Poor Wise Man Who Delivered the City
Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes chapter 9. In Ecclesiastes chapter 9, verse 14, it says, there was a little city, and few men within it. And there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it.
Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no man remembered that same poor man. They forgot about him.
Often that’s what people do with God. Then said I, wisdom is better than strength. Nevertheless, the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
It’s not that people overtly despise it, is they don’t heed it, but it’s just like despising it. They don’t heed it. Watch this.
The Words of Wise Men Are Heard in Quiet
The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools. You got people spouting their opinions all over the world on every platform and social media available. Why do we listen to these people? That’s the cry of him that ruleth among fools.
But the wisdom of the wise is heard in quiet. That means you just got to be peaceful, relax, and you’ll be able to hear that wisdom. Be quiet on the inside.
2 Corinthians 4:16 — The Inward Man Renewed Day by Day
Look at 2 Corinthians chapter 4 please. Now there’s no question about it as we get older, 2 Corinthians chapter 4, our physical bodies do not have the same agility and prowess that they had before. But God makes up for that in the golden years by providing and pouring on that wisdom if we want it.
And we’ll look at what we can do with it afterwards. 2 Corinthians chapter 4 verse 16, for which cause we faint not, but though our outward man perish, that’s this physical body. Everybody’s got one.
The outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. That’s the Christ within. Look at Luke please, Luke chapter 2. We want to cultivate the things of the Spirit because we know from wisdom that it’s not a waste of time to pray.
It’s not a waste of time to speak the Word. It’s not a waste of time to seek somebody out and listen to them. It’s not a waste of time to spend time with people and build the Word in their life.
We know this from wisdom. The world will tell you that unless you’re getting something out of it, you’re just wasting your time. But we know that that’s not true.
Simeon: Walking by the Spirit
Here on the day that the baby Jesus Christ is being presented at eight days old in the temple, two individuals meet him. Look at this, Luke chapter 2 verse 25, and behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel. And the Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit was upon him.
So not everybody was wigged out by the time Jesus Christ came on the scene. There were people that were faithful. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Spirit.
That means God told this man that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. Wow, how significant would this been for this man? And then that God records it. And he came by the Spirit into the temple.
You know what that means? That he was walking by the Spirit. Walking by the Spirit means that you and I elevate spiritual knowledge above natural knowledge as a lifestyle. We elevate spiritual knowledge above natural knowledge as a lifestyle.
So when that time comes where that still small voice communicates to us and God is moving us in a direction, we recognize. And he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him after the custom of the law, then took he him up in his arms and blessed God and said, he lifted up the baby.
And more than likely, when you lift up a baby, you look into the face of the baby. You don’t turn his head and look at the back of his head. You look at the face.
Can you imagine what it would have been to look in the eyes of the Christ child and looking into the eyes and knowing that this is the answer to all questions? That this individual is the key to all history? This is the key to all salvation? This is the Christ? Aha, well, this is the first coming. We will see him at the second coming at the gathering together of a church. We will see him face to face.
Lord, Now Lettest Thou Thy Servant Depart in Peace
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation. God had something for him to do.
What does God have for you to do? It’s probably not this. In fact, it’s not this. He’s got something and he will provide whatever you need when you need it, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people, a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel.
And Joseph and his mother marveled at those things which were spoken of him. They were probably 17, 16, 15 years old. Amazing.
The young people need to see us walk by the spirit. They need to see it. So we model it and then they can follow.
And Simeon blessed them and said unto Mary, his mother, behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be spoken against. Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. He was telling her that she’s going to have some challenges ahead and she did, but she saw it through.
Anna the Prophetess: A Widow of Four Score and Four
And then at this very moment, look at this, verse 36, and there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Aser or Asher. Her actual name in Hebrew is Hannah. Hannah.
She was of a great age and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity. Virginity means she was a young woman of marriageable age. If we assume that at minimum 12, they married very early in this culture, you add seven years to that, that’s 19.
And then keep reading. And she was a widow of about four score and four years. That’s 84 years.
So you add 84 plus 12 plus 7, that’s 103, more than likely, somewhere around there. Which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. So let me ask you, can you serve God with fastings and prayer? Yes, absolutely.
Fastings doesn’t mean you just stop eating. It may involve that. Fastings, like we talked about in Isaiah, is where we set aside daily routines in order to focus in on the things of God for something, which can involve eating.
She Came In That Very Instant: Wisdom Involves Timing
So she did this night and day. And watch this, verse 38, and she coming in, in that instant, look at the timing here. Wisdom of God involves timing.
Gave thanks likewise unto the Lord and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem. And so she goes out and spreads the word. These records are just so full and rich.
She came in at that very instant. What that would have done for Joseph and Mary in the early part of their marriage, look at Psalm 71, please. Psalm 71.
Psalm 71:18 — Showing God’s Strength to This Generation
So she must have been sharp. She must have been tuned in, if you will, to the things of God. Psalm 71, verse 18.
Now also, when I am old and gray-headed, O God, forsake me not. Watch this. Until I have showed thy strength unto this generation and thy power to everyone that is to come.
They need to see the power of God. They need to see what it looks like for someone to love when they’re not loved by others. They need to see what it looks like to have a conviction your own and not be subject to the public opinion, necessarily, unless that’s what you believe.
They need to see that. And that takes the power of God. That takes the strength of God to stand.
Wisdom Is Not Living in the Past
Fantastic. Look at Ecclesiastes, please. Ecclesiastes chapter 7. I’ll tell you what wisdom isn’t.
Wisdom isn’t living in the past. Ecclesiastes chapter 7, verse 10. Say not thou, what is the cause that the former days were better than these? For thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
There’s nothing wrong with fond memories. God gave us memory. And part of that is to enjoy.
We like fond memories. We look at photos. We enjoy those things.
And then part of memory is also for learning. But the past is not to be lived in. The best examples for all involved are people that live in the moment.
They live in the moment. They learn from the past. They enjoy fond memories.
Proverbs 20:29 — The Beauty of Old Men Is the Gray Head
But they live in the moment. Look at Proverbs 20, please. In Proverbs 20, verse 29, the glory of young men is their strength.
Absolutely. Young men are just amazing. And the beauty of old men is the gray head.
What is that referring to? He’s not referring to gray hair. He’s referring to the wisdom that comes with being seasoned in life. He’s referring to that wisdom.
That’s the beauty. That’s the beauty. God replaces the physical prowess and agility with the gray head, with the wisdom.
Titus 2 — What the Aged Men and Women Are to Do
Amazing. Titus, Timothy, Titus, please. This will go against the culture.
And you’ll see advertisements. You’ll see commercials. You’ll see advertisements.
All these different things that are telling you something that the Word of God doesn’t say. So you have to make up your own mind. Well, what do we do with this wisdom? Well, Titus chapter 2, verse 2, that the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.
Charity is love. They’re to be sound in faith. That’s the household faith.
They are to be sound in the accomplished work of Jesus Christ. They don’t carry any bitterness. They don’t carry any resentment.
They don’t carry any ill will towards anyone. They’re sound in the faith. It’s the accomplished work of Christ, that faith of Jesus Christ that gave us eternal life and the potential to walk like him.
And then the aged women is in verse 3. The aged women likewise that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things, that they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the Word of God be not blasphemed. I didn’t write the book. That is still what it says.
Philemon 9 — Paul the Aged and the Motivator of Love
And let’s close in Philemon. Next book over. All this wisdom, all this wisdom is so valuable to your life and to others.
And God will continue to open doors unto your life. He will provide the avenues in the past for you to take. It doesn’t matter whether you’re retired, quote end quote, meaning not working a job, or you are working a job.
That has nothing to do with it. It’s not disengaging from God. Not disengaging from God.
And then when we engage with God, we do the next thing. We engage with people. And here, Paul, in one of his last writings, is engaging a man by the name of Philemon on behalf of his servant, Onesimus.
And look what it says here in verse 9. Paul is very accomplished. He’s an apostle. And yet at this point, he still remembers that love is the great motivator in all things.
Not knowledge, titles, or prestige. Philemon 9. Yet for love’s sake, I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, he was advanced in years at this point, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ. How magnificent this is.
That it’s not how much we know, it’s how much we love. Paul did it right. In other words, as he aged, as he moved into his golden years, he received the wisdom of God.
But not only that, he never lost sight of what’s most important, and that’s love. Loving God, loving yourself, and loving people. What a tremendous example of working with and encouraging others in your golden years.
Key Takeaways
- Isaiah 46:4 has God carrying and sustaining His people to old age and hoar hairs, which rules out the idea of being shelved for someone younger.
- Psalm 92 promises fruit in old age to those planted in the house of the Lord, which Rico Magnelli defines as investing heart and soul into what God is moving at that time.
- Job 12:12 puts wisdom with the aged, and wisdom is the right application of knowledge, which is why seasoned believers resolve matters faster.
- Leviticus 19:32 asks for the hoary head to be honoured, and the standing up is done in the heart, not just physically.
- Ecclesiastes 7:10 rules out living in the past, and Ecclesiastes 9:17 says the words of wise men are heard in quiet rather than in the cry of him that ruleth among fools.
- Titus 2 and Philemon 9 give the golden years an assignment: soundness in the faith, teaching the young, and love as the great motivator rather than knowledge, titles or prestige.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Isaiah 46:4 say about old age?
God says that even to your old age I am He, and even to hoar hairs will I carry you. Rico Magnelli renders that carrying as sustaining: God does not reach a point where He puts you on the shelf, makes you second fiddle to somebody younger, or pays more attention to someone else. Physical prowess and agility diminish, but God makes up for that with wisdom.
What does it mean to be planted in the house of the Lord?
To be planted in the house of the Lord is to invest our heart and soul into what God is moving at that time. In the Old Testament that centre was the temple, the courts of the Lord. In our day and time it is the body of Christ in the household of faith. Psalm 92 attaches a benefit to it: they shall still bring forth fruit in old age.
What does Titus 2 say the aged men and women are to do?
Titus 2 says the aged men are to be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. Being sound in the faith means being sound in the accomplished work of Jesus Christ, carrying no bitterness, resentment or ill will toward anyone. The aged women likewise are to be in behavior as becometh holiness, teachers of good things, that they may teach the young women.
Scripture References
Isaiah 46:4; Psalm 92:12-15; Psalm 37:25; Job 12:12; Proverbs 16:31; Leviticus 19:32; Ecclesiastes 9:14-17; 2 Corinthians 4:16; Luke 2:25-38; Psalm 71:18; Ecclesiastes 7:10; Proverbs 20:29; Titus 2:2-5; Philemon 9
This text was prepared from the teaching audio and notes. Please verify scripture references against your own Bible.
