Topical Encyclopedia
Definition and Overview:Longevity refers to the length of an individual's life, often implying a long duration. In the biblical context, longevity is frequently associated with divine blessing, wisdom, and righteousness. The Bible presents various perspectives on longevity, highlighting its significance in the lives of individuals and its connection to obedience to God's commandments.
Biblical Instances and Teachings:1.
Patriarchal Longevity: The early chapters of Genesis record extraordinary lifespans for the patriarchs. Adam lived 930 years (
Genesis 5:5), Methuselah reached 969 years (
Genesis 5:27), and Noah lived 950 years (
Genesis 9:29). These extended lifespans are often seen as indicative of a closer proximity to the original creation and a time when humanity was less affected by the cumulative effects of sin.
2.
Promises of Longevity: The Bible frequently associates longevity with obedience to God's laws. In the Ten Commandments, the promise of a long life is explicitly linked to honoring one's parents: "Honor your father and mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you" (
Exodus 20:12). Similarly,
Deuteronomy 5:33 states, "Walk in obedience to all that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess."
3.
Wisdom and Longevity: The Book of Proverbs often connects wisdom with a long life.
Proverbs 3:1-2 advises, "My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; for they will add length to your days, years and peace to your life." This suggests that living according to divine wisdom contributes to a longer, more fulfilling life.
4.
Righteousness and Longevity: Righteousness is another key factor associated with longevity.
Psalm 91:16 declares, "With long life I will satisfy him and show him My salvation." This verse implies that those who dwell in the shelter of the Most High and live righteously are granted the blessing of a long life.
5.
Contrasts with Wickedness: In contrast, the Bible often portrays the wicked as having their days cut short.
Proverbs 10:27 states, "The fear of the LORD prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be shortened." This highlights the biblical principle that a life lived in opposition to God's ways may result in a reduced lifespan.
6.
Eternal Perspective: While the Bible values earthly longevity, it also emphasizes the eternal perspective. Jesus teaches that eternal life is the ultimate goal, transcending earthly longevity. In
John 11:25-26 , Jesus says, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies. And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die." This underscores the belief that true life is found in a relationship with Christ, offering eternal longevity beyond physical death.
Conclusion:The biblical concept of longevity is multifaceted, intertwining physical, moral, and spiritual dimensions. It is portrayed as a blessing from God, often contingent upon obedience, wisdom, and righteousness. While earthly longevity is valued, the Bible ultimately points to eternal life as the greatest form of longevity, attainable through faith in Jesus Christ.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(
n.) Long duration of life; prolonged length of life.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
LONGEVITYlon-jev'-i-ti: In the part of Genesis ascribed to the Priestly Code (P), the names and genealogies of the patriarchs are given (Genesis 5;Genesis 11). In the three versions which are our chief sources, Massoretic Text, Septuagint and Sam, the age-numbers given for these patriarchs are hopelessly at variance. It is in accord with what we find in the earliest legend of most races that in these chapters a great length of life is ascribed to these; thus Berosus attributes to the first 10 kings of Babylonia a span of 430,000 years, and Hesiod (Works and Days, 129) says that in the Silver Age childhood lasted 100 years, during which a boy was reared and grew up beside his mother. On the other hand the evidence of prehistoric archaeology shows that the rate of development of the individual in the early Stone Age differed very little from that of humanity at the present day. It is possible that, in the case of the Hebrew record, the names of certain pre-Abrahamic patriarchs were derived from an ancient tradition, and that in the desire to fill up the chronology of the period before the call of Abraham, these names were inserted and the time which was supposed to have elapsed was divided among them; on the basis of some such hypothesis as that which is said to have existed among the Jews, that the Messiah should come 4,000 years after Adam.
We know from the archaeological evidence that the antiquity of primitive man extends to a date very much farther back than 4,000 years. Indeed, we can prove that before 4000 B.C. there were settled nationalities both in the valley of the Nile and that of the Euphrates, and that among these the duration of individual life was much the same as at the present day. The first three dynasties in Egypt, starting at or about 4400 B.C., consisted of 25 consecutive kings, the average length of whose several reigns was about 30 years. The biographic sketches of Biblical persons other than those in Genesis showed that their longevity did not exceed that of our contemporaries. Eli was blind and feeble at 98. At 70 David was bedridden and frail. Manasseh, the king of Judah whose reign was longest, died at 67; Uzziah died at 68. The statement inPsalm 90:10 attributed to Moses is a correct estimate of what has been the expectation of life at all time.
At the present day among Palestinian fellahin very old men are uncommon. I have never seen anyone among them who could prove that he was 80 years of age; the rate of infant mortality is appallingly high. Maturity is earlier, and signs of senility appear among them sooner than among the same class in Great Britain.
Alexander Macalister
Library
Eternal Life.
... of being. Now it will speedily appear that a distinct relation exists, and
must exist, between complexity andlongevity. Death being...
How it is that Cain's Line Terminates in the Eighth Generation...
... Their numbers in the period before the deluge must have been greater, if the date
of puberty bore no proportion to theirlongevity, and they had children...
Life of Bunyan
... houses sprinkled about in the picturesque confusion, and with the easy amplitude
of space, which gives an old English village its look of leisure andlongevity...
Christian Morals. Part iii.
... of their hearts were evil, only evil, and continually evil; it may be feared that
their sins held pace with their lives; and theirlongevity swelling their...
Field Hymns.
... It is a finished piece of work, but it owes itslongevity less to its structural
form than to its spirit. For generations it has been sung to "Pleyel's Hymn."....
Synagogues: their Origin, Structure and Outward Arrangements
... as it is written in Jeremiah 12:4; while, on the other hand, the practice of early
resorting to the synagogue would account for thelongevity of people (Ber.8 a...
Preaching the Gospel, Healing the Sick
... The yellow coat is his protection from stings and bites, the tiny trousers from
measles, andlongevity is secured by a heavy silver padlock, which hangs from...
My Second Year in Benares.
... are. Thelongevity of many of the South African missionaries bears remarkable
testimony to the salubrity of their climate. This...
Chapter i
... appears from the following three facts: first, the number of links in the chain
of persons from Adam to Abraham was very few because of man'slongevity at this...
Baptism.
... years and six, we are certainly not at liberty to infer, without any evidence, and
in the face of probabilities, that he had now attained a greaterlongevity....
Thesaurus
Longevity...LONGEVITY.
... The biographic sketches of Biblical persons other than those in Genesis
showed that their
longevity did not exceed that of our contemporaries.
...Patriarch (2 Occurrences)
... But the expression "the patriarch," by way of eminence, is applied to the twelve
sons of Jacob, or to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. "Patriachallongevity presents...
Longeth (9 Occurrences)
Patriarchs (6 Occurrences)
... Even here thelongevity of Jared and Methuselah is given similarly in the Hebrew
and the Septuagint; and probably represents the reading of the source...
Antediluvian
... Even here thelongevity of Jared and Methuselah is given similarly in the Hebrew
and the Septuagint; and probably represents the reading of the source...
Long-forbearing (1 Occurrence)
Long-forbearing.Longevity, Long-forbearing. Long-haired . Multi-Version
Concordance...Longevity, Long-forbearing. Long-haired . Reference Bible.
Patriachs
... The problems connected with thelongevity ascribed to the patriarchs in the genealogies
and narratives in Genesis are dealt with in special articles....
Sarai (13 Occurrences)
... She was now far past middle life, even on a patriarchal scale oflongevity, and
there appeared no hope of her ever bearing that child who should inherit the...
Sarah (38 Occurrences)
... She was now far past middle life, even on a patriarchal scale oflongevity, and
there appeared no hope of her ever bearing that child who should inherit the...
Life (6001 Occurrences)
... possible (Psalm 91:16). Thelongevity of the ante-diluvian patriarchs
is a problem by itself (see ANTEDILUVIANS). It was one of...
Resources
How old was Adam when he died? | GotQuestions.orgWho was Herod the Great? | GotQuestions.orgHow tall was Adam? | GotQuestions.orgLongevity: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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