Covenants Group Discussion 1

[Paulpraze]

When it comes to the issue of lifespan in the Bible, there are a number of texts in the Scriptures that have divided opinions, and generated differing ideas on the subject.
The first of these texts that comes to mind is GENESIS 6:3.
There are those who believe that the
There are those who believe that the one hundred and twenty (120) years referred to in this text speaks to the lifespan of man set by God Himself. Proponents of this school of thought believe that the radical and drastic reduction in the lifespan of mankind after the flood of Noah is as a result of this decree from God.
While it is true that there was radical reduction in the lifespan of mankind, there were still people who lived above and beyond 120 years after the flood. GENESIS 11 shows that Noah’s sons and grandsons lived above 120 years after the flood. If GENESIS 6:3 was God setting man’s lifespan, this could not have been the case.
There are others, however, who believe that this time frame in the above text was not God fixing or determining the lifespan of man. They believe that it was a reference to the time gap between when God spoke to Noah about the flood and when the flood actually happened.
According to HEBREWS 11:7, God’s conversation with Noah was a warning about “things not yet seen”. The apostle Peter even described this time period as the period of the “longsuffering of God”. (1 PETER 3:20).
Another interesting text that comes up in the lifespan conversation is PSALM 90:10.
While it is true that the general experience of mankind seems to validate the notion that this is the biblical fixed lifespan for mankind, it is also very important for us to note for the preceding verses and the verse itself, that this text says nothing about God fixing 70 – 80 years as man’s lifespan. What we see rather is a description of the experiences of people who were under sin’s grip and rule.
In the New Testament, we do not find any text that speaks to specific numbers concerning the believer’s minimum time on the earth.
However, like we saw in our previous class, the idea of abundant life has to do with not just quality but quantity as well.
Some people might argue that Jesus lived only thirty three years and 6 months on the earth, suggesting that He did not long. What they fail to recognize is that His death was substitutionary. He was died in our place and for our sins for the very reason that sin and it effects should no longer have dominion over us, including but not limited to dying prematurely. ROMANS 5:11-21.
Finally, we see the apostle Paul showing us in very clear terms that the man in Christ has a say in his or her time of transitioning from the earth. Between PHILIPPIANS 1:20-24 and 2 TIMOTHY 4:6-8, we can see that an untimely or premature death of a believer is an error, in spite of what people’s experiences may suggest.
If men under the rule of death live 70 – 80 years on earth, Caleb gunning for a new adventure in God at 80 years of age (JOSHUA 14:12), and the apostle having a say about his time of death and living until such a time when he could confidently say that he has been “poured out as a drink offering”, then it is my conclusion that the man in Christ should live the abundant life indeed, both in quality as well as in quantity.

[Wechie]

I completely agree that man in Christ should live the abundant life, both in quality and quantity.

God is the giver of life, and death was never part of His original design for humanity. In the Garden of Eden, Adam was free to eat from the Tree of Life and enjoy unbroken fellowship with God. However, sin introduced both spiritual and physical death (Genesis 2:17). As a result, God restricted man’s access to the Tree of Life to prevent eternal life in a fallen state. Death, then, is not natural but a judicial consequence of sin (Romans 8:20–21).

Through Christ’s death and resurrection, the curse of mortality is reversed. Believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit, who guarantees the promise of eternal life (John 3:16; Ephesians 1:14). Scripture shows a steady decline in human lifespan—from Adam’s 930 years to David’s 70—reflecting the effects of sin and brokenness. Psalm 90:10 affirms that most people live between 70 and 80 years, underscoring life’s brevity and the need to live wisely (Psalm 90:12).

I believe that we exist for a purpose, and we are meant to live until we have completed our course. This appointed age may differ from person to person. The grave should not come for us prematurely; rather, we should go to the grave at a rightful time—after fulfilling our God-given purpose. As Job 5:26 says, “You shall come to the grave at a full age, as a sheaf of grain ripens in its season.”

[femionas]

My response to Wuche
Yes, death is not natural in the original created order, but rather, a judicial consequence of sin. Romans 8:20 -21 strongly supports this claim. Death is not intrinsic to human nature. Humans were created for life, fellowship with God, and dominion over creation (Genesis 1:26-28). Death entered as a penalty for sin. Death is not natural in the biblical worldview. It is a legal penalty, the fulfillment of God’s warning. Genesis 2:17)
And as such, there is no minimum age for a believer to expect death because the scriptures did not give a precise age to live. However, when we examine biblical themes, covenant theology, and God’s sovereign purposes in life and death, we can explore how age, longevity, and divine intention relate to the life of the believer.
I do not believe that there is a minimum age that a believer should expect to live; I believe that every believer’s faith will carry him /her through. (Habakkuk 2:4).
Every believer should not normalize death: it is an enemy, not a friend (1 Corinthians 15:26). Believers should live purposefully, as those awaiting full redemption 9Romans 8:23), and share the gospel of Christ because only in him can people be freed from death’s power.

[Ben]

When it comes to the number of years a believer is supposed to live on earth, I won’t say there is any stated number of years or minimum age for a believer to live. However, before Christ came, many lived for very long number of years and we also see some instances in the Bible before Christ came where a minimum number of years was given to man.

We see a minimum number of years for man to live given by God in Genesis 6:3 .
In this verse, God set the minimum number of years that His people should live. God is not saying that man is supposed to drop dead the second that he reaches the age of 120 but that man should at least reach the age of 120 before he dies. When this pronouncement was made, Noah was 500 years (Genesis 5:32) and in Genesis 7:6, Noah was 600 years old when the flood covered the earth. Eventually, Noah lived to be 950 years before he died.
After the flood that covered the earth and from the time of Abraham, there seemed to be a shortened life span unlike the number of years men had lived before the flood. Abraham died at 175, Isaac at 180 and Jacob at 147. No record going forward from this point showed a person lived beyond 140 apart from Job (Job 42:16). This would mean that a person should live to be somewhere between 120 and 140 years of age.

Some Christians say that we are only supposed to live for 70 or 80 years according to Psalm 90.
But to say that Christians can only live for 70 or 80 years is ridiculous, because there are many Christians, as well as many sinners, who live well beyond the age of 80. So this couldn’t be what this Scripture is referring to.
This Scripture (the 90th Psalm) was written by Moses when the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness for 40 years waiting for all the people who were adults when they first reached the Promised Land and refused to go in, to die. These people all died when they were about 70 or 80 because of their numerous sins of not believing God; murmuring and complaining during the first year when they came forth out of Egypt (Numbers 14:22–23, 26–35).
There are some verses in the Bible where God promises us long life and this should be the focus of the believer: long life. Some of which are; Exodus 20:12, Exodus 23:25-26, Deuteronomy 5:33, Deuteronomy 6:2, 1 Kings 3:14, Psalm 91:14-16, Proverbs 3:1-2, Proverbs 4:10, Proverbs 9:11, Ephesians 6:2-3.

The believer has a promise of long life and as such should not focus on a minimum age of 120 or 70/80 but should have his focus on enjoying a satisfying long life where he goes to the grave at what he sees as his ripe old age and the grave not coming to him.

[Paulpraze]

MY REPLY TO BEN
My first observation concerns your interpretation or understanding of GENESIS 6:3.
I disagree with the idea that God, in this text, was fixing the minimum age for which man ought to live. I do not believe that this text has anything at all to do with man’s lifespan on the earth.
I am with the school of thought that the one hundred and twenty years mentioned in this text is a reference to the amount of time that man had before God’s flood judgment would coke upon the earth. God striving with man would be not wanting to put up with his wickedness, and yet giving him the chance and opportunity to find salvation in Noah’s Ark. It was God being patient and kind, or longsuffering as the Apostle Peter described it on 1 PETER 3:20.
However, I agree with you, that the believer ought to live a long and satisfying life, for Scriptures are replete with such promises from God to His people.
The believer should not be bothered or concerned with any ideas or beliefs that contradict what God has clearly revealed in His word about his or her length of days on the earth.
A long and satisfying life is God’s promise, and therefore the portion of the believer who chooses to believe, hold on to and insist on God’s word.

[Ben]

MY REPLY TO PAUL

Yes, it is true that God had put out the minimum number of years for man to live but at the same time, it doesn’t mean the maximum number of years one is to live. Standing on God’s Word definitely should be our proposition. However, while I do not disagree with the Word of God or going by the Word, I am coming also from the angle of God’s Word that offers an abundant life even through our Saviour Jesus Christ ( John 10:10) which none of the old testament saints had.

Therefore, seeing or appreciating the truth about the old testament account for men who were not yet redeemed from the curse of the law which obviously shortened their life span; we must use the understanding of the type of life and covenant of long life we have in Christ to affect our days on earth (hence no minimum or maximum but what we believe for even with God). I believe that we can affect how long we live on earth; by our faith declaration, healthy lifestyle (our choices) and our believe. We should not just see that there’s a minimum number of years one can live but be focused on the possibilities of getting to a very ripe old age. So we have the right to speak life or death. To prolong our days or not.

[Author]

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