The Superiority of Youth When There is Truth

Ecc 4:13 CAB Better is a poor and wise child than an old and foolish king, who knows not *how to take heed [* MT: “receive admonition” (WEB)] any longer.

Psa 119:99-100 CAB I have more understanding than all my teachers; for Your testimonies are my meditation. 100 I understand more that the aged; because I have *sought out [* MT: “kept” (WEB)] Your commandments.

Ecc 12:1 CAB And remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of evil come, and the years overtake you [MT: “the years draw near” (WEB)] in which you shall say, I have no pleasure in them.

And this ‘evil day’ comes upon most everyone, especially after departing from their youth, because nearly all are slain in the deceitfulness of sin (Heb_3:13; Ecc_4:13) which this life slowly kills us with.

The Path to Heaven

Hopefully we will remember Jesus' words and agree with them:

Mat_18:3-4 MKJV …Truly I say to you, Unless you are converted and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven. 4 Therefore whoever shall humble himself like this little child, this one is the greater in the kingdom of Heaven. (Also see Mar_10:15)

Notice that He did not say we would be great if we were as, “a child,” but said, “humble himself like this little child” which clearly does not include spoiled children in the perversion of modern societies today which are often undisciplined and indulgent and don’t fear to disrespect those older than them.

Luk_10:21 WEB …Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said, "I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight." (Compare Mat_11:25)

Mar_10:14 MKJV …Jesus… said to them, Allow the little children to come to Me and do not hinder them. For of such is the kingdom of God.

It’s kind of strange. Though we know that the renewal of godly youthfulness is supposed to be our goal:

Psa_103:5; Jer_2:2-3; Ezk_16:43; Hos_2:15; Rev_2:3-5

And we also know that the Bible repeatedly exhorts us not to despise youth:

1Sa_2:18, 26; 3:1, 4, 7, 10-20; 17:33-37, 42-50; 2Ki_22:1; Jer_1:6-10; Dan_1:17 wisdom; Zac_4:10; Mat_18:10; 21:16; 1Co_1:28; 1Ti_4:12; Joe_2:28/Act_2:17; Heb_11:23

…yet we still do it anyway!

Though we all seem to know and quote so many passages about how we are to enter heaven like a child, we still habitually look down on youth as being a disgraceful quality, even if a young person’s faith is greater than our own!

The Potential

Though most youth are observably fickle, we must choose to believe that it is possible to see them walk up-rightly from their youth:

1Sa_12:2; 1Ki_18:12; Psa_71:5, 17

Exo_33:11 CAB And the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as if one should speak to his friend; and he retired into the camp: but his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle.

Oh that older and younger alike would learn to pray with the desperation of Joshua!

I had to correct this translation from the Greek LXX:

Psa_119:139-141 CAB ~~Your~~ [the] zeal [for your house (ὁ ζῆλος τοῦ οἴκου σου)] has quite wasted me; because my enemies have forgotten Your words. 140 Your word has been very fully tried; and Your servant loves it. 141 I am young and despised; yet I have not forgotten Your statutes.

(Compare Psa_69:9; Joh 2:17)

It’s so easy to say, “Boys will be boys,” but it takes faith in Jesus to set your face for greater things, and realistically “…exhort the younger men to be sober-minded, (Tit_2:6 WEB).” And “…train the young women… 6 [and] …exhort the young men… (Tit_2:4, 6 MKJV)."

How Age Should Be Better

Youth Need to Come to Jesus to be Valuable

Youth is not inherently valuable, but rather, youth in-and-of itself is vanity, (Ecc_11:10) and has no value apart from pursuing Jesus:

Mar_10:14 MKJV …Jesus… said to them, Allow the little children to come to Me… For of such is the kingdom of God.

And youth is said to have the foolish sins that we are to flee from: Pro_7:7; Jer_3:25; 32:30; 2Ti_2:22

In Fact, Godly Age Is Greater Than Godly Youth

Although it is often not the case in modern society, older people should actually be leading the way in all zeal, truth, and mighty godliness:

Pro_4:18 CAB But the ways of the righteous shine like light; *they go forth and shine, until the day has fully come [* MT: “That shines more and more until the perfect day” (WEB)].

Pro_16:31 CAB Old age [MT: “Gray hair” (WEB)] is a crown of honor [LXX: καυχήσεως – rejoicing/ boasting; MT: “glory” (WEB)], but [δὲ] it is found [MT: attained (WEB)] in the ways of righteousness.

Ecc_7:8 CAB The end of a matter is better than the beginning thereof; the patient is better than ~~the high-minded~~ [ὑψηλὸν πνεύματι – those exalted in spirit].

Also see: 2Co_3:18; 1Ti_5:1; 1Pe_5:5

But the important point here is that we typically assume that age alone makes us greater and more godly. We say in our heart, we were not sensible at all until we got older, so there’s no way that those youth could have it any better or more figured out than we did when we were young…

It is clear: Godly age is indeed greater than godly youth. But may we not forget that spiritual youth is of infinitely greater value than physical age.

The only reason I put this here is to avoid people misusing this work with bad motives. This is officially copyrighted to protect it from those with money in mind, and to preserve it for free distribution, especially in the unlikely event that someone might think to make money off of it rather than maximizing its distribution. You are permitted and encouraged to freely copy and redistribute this work in its entirety, via standard copy machine or electronic documentation as long as you make no money off of it. If you wish to reproduce this work on any larger scale, please contact me at Josiahs@trueconnection.org. You may also quote this document, by citing the reference as:

“[Name of Bible Study]” By Josiahs Scott, www.TrueConnection.org

PersonalNotes

STATS:

Disappointing?

Heart-breaking?