Three Score and 10?

"For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.

Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.

For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.

The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away." - Psalm 90:7-10

This psalm of Moses, giver of the 10 Commandments and more, is a prayer for God's mercy not a definition of God's intent.

This is not saying we are allotted 70 to 80 years; the number, in context, is indicated a result of sin and God's wrath, as is the description of labor and sorrow. We are intended for Joy¹

In Christ we have been delivered from God's wrath.² Our lives are not bound by 70, 80, or any number of years. The bible indicates we can shorten our life³ or lengthen it,⁴ and when we give our life to Jesus we give him our death, too.

Whether we live 5 or 105 years on this earth, in Christ our focus is no longer the number of years but God's purposes and grace.⁵

Moses, himself lived to be 120 with his most productive years after age 80, don't set low expectations.

Someone once said, "I would rather aim high and miss by a little than aim low and hit it."

-fritz

^{1 - See Post from July 31, 2010 - "Intended for Joy"
2 - Romans 5:9
3 - Psalm 55:23
4 - Proverbs 3:2
5 - Philippians 1:23}

The Coming one is Our Friend and Savior

"And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come" - 1^st Thessalonians 1:10 (KJV)

The belief in the return of God, or a Messiah, is as old as history. The Jews called it the day of the Lord and said it will be a dreadful time (Mal 4:5). Isaiah called it the day of desolation (Isa 10:3), a day of judgment, vengeance, and wrath.

An editor said he could reduce the Bible down to four (4) sentences:

He came.
He went.
He's coming back.
He won't be happy when he gets here!

Other religious groups also have beliefs in a coming person to bring judgment to the earth.

The New Testament doesn't dispute this, but it adds a wonderful detail - the one coming has a name, Jesus, who has delivered (note the past tense) us from the wrath (of God) to come.

The Bible says his return will cause distress to the nations (Revelation 6:16), but to those who are part of his secret society anyone can join, it will not be a distress but a joy! The one coming is not going to be our enemy, but our Savior and friend, who has already delivered us by his work on the cross!

More complicated than it has to be

"...how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come." - 1st Thessalonians 1:9b-10 (KJV)

We make being a believer much too complicated and here Paul reduces it to three verbs: Turn, Serve, and Wait - in that order.

Being a Christian is simply turning from idols (the things we value more than God), Serving the living and true God (not accomplishing great things for God, just simply serving Him), and waiting for Jesus to return.

Pretty simple.

Fritz