Secrets of Longer Life

“It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees.”

2 Kings 20:10

As the year fades away, what wouldn’t you or I give for an extra day or two?

Perhaps the thought of turning the calendar excites you. It used to excite me. The anticipation of next year as a child was: new friends, new places, new opportunites. They all promised to be waiting just beyond the flip of a page, the changing of the final digit in a number.

Yet the hastening of years has brought more hesitation into my steps. With every forward march into the new, a footprint is left on the never-again.

Hezekiah was granted by the grace of God an additional 15 years to his life. Isaiah offered an option of a sign to guarantee God’s gift to him. “This sign shalt thou have of the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees?” (2 Kings 20:9) This was more of a miracle than we give it credit for. Every timekeeping instrument we carry now can be altered with the swipe of a finger or the turning of a knob to adjust the time. Hezekiah’s clock was the sun dial of Ahaz- likely a stone slab with an immovable iron style at its center. It would take heavy labor to turn the plate of the substile, yet that was a light thing compared to moving the sun!

But that’s exactly what God did: He added 15 years and signified it by reversing the sun’s progress by 10 degrees (about 40 minutes).  Hezekiah was the first person to witness ‘time travel!’ And of course he will not be the last…

In our distracted state, we wouldn’t recognize 40 minutes coming or going. The spirit of antichrist presently thinks “to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand…” (Daniel 7:25) Daylight savings, leap years, and alarm clocks have time running raggedly against us. I only ask that you spare a moment to read a little further. Does the Bible have anything to say about adding to your life?

Find a promise, and keep it.

The Epistle to the Ephesians reaffirms the promise of the Fifth Commandment. It was originally given to Moses for the children of Israel, but Paul claims it in the New Testament for the sons of God.

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.

Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.”

Ephesians 6:1-3

Do you want to live long on the earth? Who would say ‘no’ to that? But many children today tell their parents, “NO,” all the time.  They must not love living. Honoring your parents is a secret of longer life.

It shouldn’t be a secret, but it is. Hospitals are filled with mysterious cases in young people that do not make sense medically. Spiritually, it is a sign of the times that in the last days “men shall be… disobedient to parents.” (2 Timothy 3:1-2)

Find a vice, and despise it.

Solomon has some insider advice on living a long time. He was offered ANYTHING he wanted from God. Instead of asking for long life, riches, or victory his enemies, he asked for wisdom (see 1 Kings 3:5-14). God was so impressed– which is hard to do– that He gave Solomon all the things he did not ask for.

Solomon encapsulated this early event in his reign in a single Proverb for us to easily digest:

“The prince that wanted understanding is a great oppressor: but he that hateth coveteousness shall prolong his days.”

Proverb 28:16

The Apostle Peter gave similar admonition:

“For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.”

1 Peter 3:10-11

Sometimes, the best way to add years is to subtract lusts. Sin wastes life, but loving righteousness carries with it another secret to a longer life.

Find a song, and sing it out.

David was a singer. His action-packed life was decorated with a regular sprinkling of praise. He was the most prolific song-writer of inspired music. He sang because he was blessed:

“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.”

Psalm 32:1-2

But there were seasons of his life that were silent. What effect did those pauses have on his health and well-being?

“When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.”

Psalm 32:3

What made David the warrior, the king, the prophet, the blessed of the LORD, feel old? When he held back from praising and worshipping.

Do you want to turn back the clock? Do you want to put a little more life into the time you have left? SING! SHOUT! Lift up the high praises of God and sing aloud. You’ll be amazed at how young you’ll feel when God’s music fills your heart, soul, and mouth. Singing praises to God for being forgiven is a secret of longer life.

Live Ready to Leave

I hope you’re not disappointed in our discoveries today. The secrets of youth are in abundant life, and abundant life is found only in the Bible. There is no supplement, diet, exercise regimen, or psychological perspective that can add 1 second to your life. “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this the judgment:” (Hebrews 9:27) Your appointment may not come for 5, 10, even 15 more years, but you cannot cancel it.

Are you prepared to die? If you were to die TODAY- are you 100% sure you would be welcomed into the presence of Jesus Christ? If not, why not take TODAY to repent of your sinning and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ?

The Bible says, “In him (Jesus) was life; and the life was the light of men.” (John 1:4) Old age without Christ is a slow torture. Any age with Christ… now that’s real living!

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