Do not let the years pass you by. When you reach my age, life will become primarily a memory. Don’t let the bad overpower the good.”
–Donald L. Robertson (Lonesome Justice)
“Since his days are determined. The number of his months is with You; and You have set his limits so that he cannot pass.”
–Job 14:5 (NASB)
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March 17, 1883, saw the funeral of one of the most influential men of modern history. Through his philosophy of socialism/communism, more people have died than any throughout history. Eleven people attended the funeral of Karl Marx, penniless, almost friendless. He once penned these words to Engels, “A lousy life like this is not worth living.” He was not young, but by no means old. Bob Beasley reminds us, “Even if a wicked person should live many years, they will be years filled with the guilt and sorrow that accompany unforgiven sin.” And I will add, they will go to the grave uncertain of what lies behind the veil.
Proverbs 10:27, “The fear of the LORD prolongs days, but the years of the wicked will be shortened.” (NKJV) First to remind you as you contemplate this verse, and I use the words of Chad Bird, “Proverbs are general observations, not an ironclad guarantee. Proverbs are not promises.” You could name many strong Christians who died young, as you can probably name several reprobates who lived to be of old age. Therefore, I would admonish you to not “claim” any of the Proverbs as promises, but use them to guide your life, and in saying that I am not diminishing the illuminating presence of the Holy Spirit to highlight some of them for your life.
Bob Beasley gives some good advice and examples of how the fear of the Lord brings long life:
1) Our actual days on earth may be lengthened by a life led by the Holy Spirit. Our habits will be purer and our minds will not be beset with worry and anxiety.
2) The days themselves will be longer, as we are given a fuller more meaningful life.
3) Our years will never end if we live and continue in the fear of the Lord.
Days will be sweeter and fuller, life will have more meaning to ourselves and to others. And for sure, eternal life is a “better quality of life as well as quantity.” (J. Vernon McGee)
Laughter may be a cover up for fear. Anxiety often fills the wicked. All sorts of escape methods are used to aid in living this life without the knowledge and fear of the Lord. “A soul without godliness is a complicated mechanism which has never been rightly adjusted,” says J.L. Flores. “There is no ruling principle, no guiding hand, one passion wars against another, the man bears the burden of life alone.” The wicked live their life with relative truth, then when death hovers over them, there is uncertainty. But as Samuel Miller says, no matter how long the righteous live, his days “are great and noble, and the wicked’s days are mean and small.”
The words from an old hymn come to me that is from 2 Timothy 1:12:
“But ‘I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able
To keep that which I’ve committed
Unto Him against that day.'”
–Daniel W. Whittle
Our trust is in Him, for every year, for every day, for every hour. David tells us, “The LORD will fulfill His purpose for me. LORD, Your love is eternal; do not abandon the work of Your hands.” (Psalm 138:8, HCSB)