02 - Old Age Is Usually Accompanied by Physical Decline

This is the first fact that we have to recognise as we begin to examine the biblical teaching concerning advanced age and the child of God. Generally there is some physical decline in old age, even for the Christian. While there are cases of old people who seem to show no signs of their age, the general rule is that age does show itself in a physical way: ‘Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not dim nor his natural vigour abated’ (Deuteronomy 34:7). Caleb could say: ‘Here I am this day, eighty five years old! I am as strong this day as I was on the day that Moses sent me; as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war’ (Joshua 14:10-11).