FAMILY 16 - Life Phases and Retirement
Age of Levites and Priests on duty
- Age of Levites on duty is 30 to 50 years for Kohathites, Gershonites, Merarites
- Here Levites do duty from 25 to 50 years. How can we understand this? Why the two ages (once 25 and once 30)? Does this include the priests (who are one family – Aaron’s house – within the Kohathites)? Is it Levites from 25 and priests from 30?
Why is their a lower age limit of 25 years (or 30 years)?
- The duties had to be learned meticulously, a very young person is more likely to ‘cut corners’ or make an unintended mistake. Youth is usually not so solemn, and this requires much concentration and a commitment. Mistakes could be potentially deadly (Num 10:1-2).
Why is there an age limit (higher end)?
- The duties could be physically taxing (sacrificing, cutting up, washing parts, setting on the altar) > after 50 the actual altar services are no longer performed
What does ‘assisting’ mean?
- There is the “may assist their brothers”, what does it mean?
- That retirement is optional? Not really, as services can no longer be performed.
- That volunteerism and service from the heart is welcome? That definitely, yet still it is stipulated that the nature of service changes.
What is God’s intention?
- God actively instructs a transition to a different life phase.
What would fifty overs have assisted with?
- They have great knowledge and experience, they are resources.
- But also God makes them teachers, disciplers, mentors, encouragers, maintainers of quality, ensurers … if they want. It seems to be free will.
- Transition from doing to coaching.
- Maybe more an ‘elder’ function, with less immediate work or service, but with great understanding and influence. Leadership focusing on the next generation doing well, influence with the express purpose of handing over leadership
People in the Bible working and leading till high age
- Abraham is called at 75, becomes Ishmael’s father at 87, Isaac’s father at 100. He lives to the age of 175 years (Gen 25:7).
- Moses lead Israel from age 80 to 120 years. God supernaturally (?) maintained his bodily strength and functions (Deu 34:7) for this intense job.
- David started serving in the army and at the court from age 17 and was king from age 33 to his death at 73 years.
- Isaiah is called around 739 BC and works as a prophet till 687 BC, speaking to 4 generations of kings over 52 years.
- Jeremiah is called still in childhood (627 BC) and serves as the last prophet to Judah before the destruction for 41 long years till minimum 586 BC.
- Daniel works for the Babylonian and Medo-Persian governments as official and adviser from roughly age 12 (605 BC) to (536 BC) 83 years old.
- John the Apostle is called by Jesus around 26 AD and died in old age in Ephesus around 98 AD, some 72 years of ministry. Till high age he was an elder for the churches of Asia Minor. He taught, traveled and wrote till a high age.
Basic thoughts on retirement
”Even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat.”
- Paul’s basic principle is that all who are able to work should work and contribute responsibility to their living costs.
- Children, sick, severely disabled or the old are naturally excused.
- Paul’s principle is that parents should work (as long as is reasonably possible) to pass on something to their children. Retirement simply because the children now have jobs and can finance parents are not acceptable (see ECO 13 – Savings).
- Again in case of old age, inability and sickness this may no longer be possible, but the principle is to seriously attempt it.
- Abraham is 99 years old when this story happens. We see him rest in the heat of the day, but very actively involved in hospitality and household duties. Some things he does himself, others he passes on to his worker (Gen 18:7).
- In earlier centuries, most people found themselves in the basic profession of being a shepherd, later being shepherd-farmers.
- Most likely many had side professions like handicraft, trade, military functions and local leadership.
- People grew slowly into their professions from childhood, taking over increasing levels of responsibility and acquiring increasing levels of skill and experience. Needed time and on-the-job training was naturally available. Children learned the profession of their fathers and learned the profession from their fathers.
- People could quite naturally ‘grow out of their professions’ as age increased. They could pass on certain functions that required too much strength or stamina and still contribute significantly to the family work, income and stewardship of assets.
- Retirement questions therefore didn’t arise, or at least not with the sharpness they do in modern day work settings.
- Principle: ways to make retirement ages more flexible, more gradual and more function-bound would be preferable.
Example: David getting too old for military functions
- David becomes King of Judah at 33 years old (1011 BC) and King over all Israel at 40 years old (1004 BC). He dies at 73 years old (971 BC).
- Though this is an undated war, it seems to happen when David is already getting older, therefore the exhaustion.
- It seems that David learned from his mistake of not going out with the troops, that had set him up for his adultery with Bathsheba (2 Sam 11:1). Here we find him at far higher age still involved in warfare.
- David ceasing to participate is at the request of his best and most loyal army commanders. They most likely appreciated his effort and identification with the troops, but rightly conclude that the risk of death is too high for him by now (age, exhaustion and being targeted as king). They express that David is needed alive to keep Israel’s government stable. The term “lamp of Israel” reflects their respect for David as a role model.
- Principle? There needs to be no set age limit for retiring from certain functions. There is no need to exclude older able persons nor a need to force a younger unable person. The function itself gives the limit: those no longer able to fulfill it well should retire.
Word study around numbers and ages
25 as number or measure
Jdg 20:35,46, 1 Kin 22:42, 2 Kin 15:33, 18:2, 23:36. 2 Chr 20:31, 25:1, 27:1,8, 29:1, 36:5. Eze 8:16, 11:1, 40:13,21,25,29,30,33,36,41:2, 45;1,3,5,6,12, 48:8,9,10,13,15,20,21. Jhn 6:19.
25 as number or measure
Num 8:24 Levites begin to do service in the tabernacle from 25 years old and upward
Gen 6:15, 11:16,18,22, 18:30, 32:15. Exo 26:8, 36:15. Jdg 10:4, 12:9,14,11-13,19,20:31,39. 1 Sam 9:22. 1 Kin 4:22, 6:2, 7:2,6,23. 2 Kin 18:14. 2 Chr 4:2. Ezr 1:9,10. Es 4:11, Jer 38:10, Eze 40:17, 41:6,22. Dan 6:7, Zec 11:12-13, Mth 13:23, 26:15, 27:3. Mrk 4:8. Jhn 6:19. Ga 3:17.
Gen 18:30 Abraham’s intercession for Sodom .. if thirty righteous can be found?
Exo 21:32 restitution of 30 shekels of silver for killing of a slave
Lev 27:4 redemption of female 30 shekels
Num 20:29, Deu 34:8 30 days mourning for Aaron and Moses
2 Sam 23:13,12,24,39. 1 Chr 11:15,25,42, 12:4, 15:7, 27:6 David’s 30 mighty men
Num 4:3 ,23,30,35,39,43, 47. 1 Chr 23:3 Levites do work at tabernacle from 30 to 50y
Gen 41:46 Joseph was 30 years old when he stood before Pharaoh
2 Sam 5:4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign
Luk 3:23 Jesus was about thirty years of age
Eze 1:1 Ezekiel was 30 at his calling, as a priest without a temple.
Gen 6:15, 7:24, 8:3, 9:28-29. Exo 26:5-6, 10-11, 27:12-13, 18, 30:23, 36:12-13,17-18, 38:12-13, 26. Lev 27:3, 27:16. Num 1:23,25,29,31,43,46, 2:6,8,13,15,16,30-32, 4:36, 16:2,17,35, 26:10,34,47, 31:52. Jo 7:21. 1 Sam 6:19. 2 Sam 24:24. 1 Kin 7:2,6, 9:23, 10:29, 18:19, 22. 2 Kin 15:2,20, 21:1. 1 Chr 5:21, 8:40, 9:9, 12:33. 2 Chr 1:17, 2:17, 3:9, 8:10, 8:18, 26:3, 33:1. Ezr 2:7,14,15,22,29,30,31,37,60, 8:6,26. Neh 5:17, 6:15, 7:10,12,20,33,34,40. Est 5:14, 7:9. Eze 40:15,25,29,33,36, 42:2,7,8, 45:2, 48:17. Hag 2:16. Luk 7:41, 16:6. Jhn 21:11, Act 13:20, 19:19.
Gen 18:24, 26, 28 Abraham’s intercession: ‘if there are 50 righteous’
Deu 1:15 leaders of hundreds, fifties, tens chosen
2 Kin 1:10-13 Ahaziah sends 3 times a captain with 50 men to call Elijah
2 Kin 13:7 Jehoahaz’s army: only 50 horsemen, 10 chariots, 10’000 footmen left
2 Kin 15:25 Pekah assassinates Pekaiah with 50 of the Gileadites
Isa 3:1-3 God takes away leadership: warrior, judge, prophet, captain of 50, counselor, magician, enchanters
2Sam 15:1,1Ki 1:5 Absalon, Adonijah have chariots, horses and 50 men to run before them
1 Kin 18:4,13 Obadiah hides prophets by 50 in a cave
2 Kin 2:7,16,17 50 prophets watch Elijah and Elisha, search troop of 50
Gen 18:24,26,28 Abraham’s intercession: ‘if there are 50 righteous’
Lev 23:16 50 days from Passover to Pentecost
Num 31:30,47 Spoil distribution
Deu 22:29 intercourse before marriage: 50 shekels silver as bride price to father
Jhn 8:57 The Jews challenge Jesus: “You are not 50 years old and have seen Abraham?”
