The young and old alike should consider the words of the Bible Book of Ecclesiastes, written by King Solomon. There we will gain the Lord’s view and wisdom with reference to humans growing old.

The matter of growing old can’t be separated from ‘the meaning of life’ and the question that ask; what kind of legacy will we leave at this life’s end. Solomon provides a wise look at aging and the issues related to it.

The Bible presents growing old as normal for all of us, as the natural part of human life in these fallen corruptible bodies while in this corrupted fallen Satan dominated world. Yet, there is honor involved in the aging process, because growing old is normally accompanied by increased wisdom and experience.

³¹ The hoary head [gray head] is a crown of glory [honor], if it be found in the way of righteousness.” (Proverbs 16:31).

²⁹The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the gray head. (Proverbs 20:29).

God wants us to remember that life is short and that the vigor and beauty of youth is soon gone like steam vanishing from a kettle, while lives lived in sin are usually cut short.

¹⁴ Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your [human] life? It is even [as] a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. (James 4:14)

²⁴ For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: (1 Peter 1:24)

We are born into this world with a natural tendency to ‘live for the moment,’ which is why we hear advertising that says “Get all the gusto you can get.” The ultimate futility of that approach is the subject of Ecclesiastes 1–7. There we read of the hollowness and deceit of “pleasure in sin” but Solomon also goes onto say… so is virtually everything (good and bad) that is initiated by man … apart from God’s written guidance and/or inner prompting of the Spirit. We also read of how the great works of man are vain, the wisdom of man is also vanity, being empty of that which will last eternally.

The Holy Spirit through Solomon tells us the only thing that is NOT vain (empty of eternal value) is our labor that is carried out in accord with…  the will and work of God. Then, no matter how common and ordinary in our station in life as a parent, husband, wife, or employee, godly living is honorable as ‘good works,’ having eternal value that is seen by God as fruit born ‘of God’ and unto God… thus, All Glory is of Him.

³² And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32 (KJV)

Generally, as people grow older and begin to feel the increasing impact of their own mortality, they typically try to invest their diminishing years and resources in projects that to them seem to hold more promise of lasting meaning, most especially the hope of perpetuating THEIR own “name” in a lasting legacy. Unfortunately, our man-conceived plans and ventures will not have lasting value or any significance in God’s eyes (Eccl. 3:1-15). Ultimately such work leads to varying levels of disillusionment and even despair over life’s brevity and the apparent injustices “under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 3:16–7:29).

We know that in the very end mankind’s Godless works will all be judged and found wanting of eternal value. One may build a business or career over their lifetime, but in the end … it is gone and meaningless … because the work of man’s hands is vain, void, empty of lasting eternal value in God’s sight.

²⁷ Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which Endureth Unto Everlasting Life, which the Son of man [the Lord Jesus] shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. John 6:27 (KJV)

To the Christians believer the Apostle Paul warns;

⁴ No man that warreth [as we do against Satan’s evils on a spiritual level by preaching the gospel of the grace of God] entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier [of the Lord Jesus Christ]. 2 Timothy 2:4 (KJV)

The level of satisfaction in such man-conceived activities, including the ‘Religious Works of Man’s pitiful Manmade Religious Institutions,’ are invariably shallow and fleeting. We see this similarly witnessed vividly by the lives of many famous and humanly rich people who commit suicide. Solomon’s hope is that people will grow wiser in their use of their God-given “Portion” as Solomon refers to it. We are given time and talent as an allotment to us during this ‘temporary human life’ to be used under the Lord’s instruction and guidance. We need to invest our “portion” in the eternal.

¹² So Teach Us to Number Our Days, That we may Apply Our Hearts Unto Wisdom. (Psalm 90:12)

¹⁹ Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his PORTION, and to rejoice in his labour; this is The Gift Of God. (Ecclesiastes 5:19)

Our ‘Portion’ in the wisdom of God grows in relation to our awareness of our ‘limited time and our coming ‘accountability at judgment.’ We need such a divine perspective in the face of life’s brevity and its apparent injustices (Ecclesiastes 3:15c–17; 8:5b–8, 12b–15; 9:11–12; 11:9; 12:14).

¹³ Let us hear The Conclusion of The Whole Matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the Whole Duty Of Man. ¹⁴ For God Shall Bring Every Work [Of Man] Into Judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)

Of course, the matters of ‘accountability and judgment’ are different for three classes of people;

     1) The unsaved will face eternal damnation at ‘the Great white Throne Judgment’ of the lost unbelieving souls of all ages.

¹² And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. ¹³ And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. ¹⁴ And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. ¹⁵ And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire [of everlasting destruction], 2Thes 1:9). Revelation 20:12-15 (KJV)

2) The genuine believers of the Nation Israel, who will ultimately co-reign with Christ on the new earth in “the Kingdom of heaven” come to earth (Rev 5:10, 20:6).

3) The members of the Gentile Church called “the body of Christ” who live under God’s pure grace (Rom. 6:14, 11:6) and are to be Raptured to dwell in and co-reign with Christ “eternal in the heavens” (cf. 2Tim. 2:12, 2Cor. 5:1b).