I Am Young in Days

Review

We’ve been looking at Job and last week we started to look at Job a little bit differently. We began to see that besides being miserable counselors - they were clueless when it came to giving comfort, they had some very good insight into the things of God.

Last week we learned about the importance of words, and also their vain emptiness. We looked at how there is a certain segment of the church that has lost their effectiveness because they’ve stopped caring about what God says and instead focus on being liked by the world. While they claim it’s for ministry purposes, we know that in the end they fall for the deceitfulness of flattering lips.

When the Youth Step Up

One of the things I’ve noticed on Christian TikTok, is a lot of young people stepping up and being bold for Jesus. This actually is very encouraging. It is exciting to see young people on fire for God and unafraid to stand for the truth. There is definitely a place for them to speak up, but they are in a season in life where they have a certain type of ministry for the most part. This is not to denigrate them, it is just a plain fact. While in their exuberance, they are eager to share what they know, it’s sometimes unbecoming for them to assume that they can reprove a person much older than they. It is unseemly . And yet this is exactly where we pick up.

Job 32:1–5 TLV

So these three men stopped answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. Then Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite of the clan of Ram became very angry. He was angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God. He was also angry with his three friends because they had not found an answer, and yet had condemned Job. Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were older. When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, his anger was aroused.

Why They Do It

Elihu had just been sitting there eating his popcorn waiting for the great take down of Job. He was sure Job’s buddies were going to handle the guy and knock him down a few pegs (you know, for his own good right?) But instead he sees Job fend off every accusation, he sees Job put the others in their place, and finally he can’t take it anymore. The funny thing about young people. They are very good about stepping up when they think they’ve seen an injustice. The problem is that while Young people can be very clever, they have all kinds of energy and can absorb facts like a sponge, they lack something that they cannot learn in schools or from books. They lack life experience. And with life experience comes wisdom. Here’s the thing though.

Fighting for a Cause

Young people often step up when they see the older folks being ineffective. Do you remember David?

1 Samuel 17:17–31 NKJV

Then Jesse said to his son David, “Take now for your brothers an ephah of this dried grain and these ten loaves, and run to your brothers at the camp. And carry these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand, and see how your brothers fare, and bring back news of them.” Now Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the Valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. So David rose early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper, and took the things and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the camp as the army was going out to the fight and shouting for the battle. For Israel and the Philistines had drawn up in battle array, army against army. And David left his supplies in the hand of the supply keeper, ran to the army, and came and greeted his brothers. Then as he talked with them, there was the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, coming up from the armies of the Philistines; and he spoke according to the same words. So David heard them. And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were dreadfully afraid. So the men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel; and it shall be that the man who kills him the king will enrich with great riches, will give him his daughter, and give his father’s house exemption from taxes in Israel.” Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” And the people answered him in this manner, saying, “So shall it be done for the man who kills him.” Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger was aroused against David, and he said, “Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.” And David said, “What have I done now? Is there not a cause?” Then he turned from him toward another and said the same thing; and these people answered him as the first ones did. Now when the words which David spoke were heard, they reported them to Saul; and he sent for him.

David went to the front lines and expected to see the host of Israel routing the enemy. Instead he saw a bunch of grown men- soldiers quaking in fear, not just the soldiers, the king as well. David couldn’t believe his eyes! He expected more from them! You see David had the dome exuberance and idealism of youth. David cries out, “Is there not a cause?” You see, youth are very easily motivated by a cause, that’s why you see so many young people out there marching for this cause or that. Much like Elihu, they like to step up and take up the cause.

Know Your Season

You see, besides being too dumb to be afraid, young people have strength. I am not too proud to admit that while I may be able to lift heavy objects like a kid, my back hates me for it. So I don’t do it often. If forced to, I can do it, but I’ll tell you it’s not fun. But that’s OK. That’s not my season. If you want to be effective for the kingdom, then you have to know your season.

1 John 2:13 NKJV

I write to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, Because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father.

Notice how each age group has it’s strength. Each age group then, should be walking in things appropriate to their life experience.

Little Children

Little children know the father- they have simple and humble faith. They have the faith and humility that Yeshua says is mandatory for entering the kingdom of Heaven.

Matthew 18:1–4 TLV

At that hour the disciples came to Yeshua, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And He called a child to Himself, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Amen, I tell you, unless you turn and become like children, you shall never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then shall humble himself like this child, this one is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Youth and Fathers

Youth have overcome the wicked one. They have strength, their job is to fight the battles. We older folks on the other hand, have collected our battle scars and have earned a very different job in life.

Proverbs 20:29 TLV

The glory of young men is their strength, and the splendor of old men is gray hair.

Gray hair? Wait what? Well let’s look at Proverbs 16:31

Proverbs 16:31 TLV

Gray hair is a crown of glory, found on the path of righteousness.

What is this wisdom? Well it is saying that Gray hair is proof that you have have wisdom, assuming of course you have made your life’s journey on the path of righteousness.

Here’s the problem with Elihu then. He’s sticking his nose in a battle of wisdom, and he’s to young to have collected much. Even still, gives it the old college try.

We don’t hear a peep out of Job, it seems like Job isn’t even willing to dignify the long soliloquy of Elihu.

Don’t Step Out of Your Calling

The difference between David and Elihu is that David recognized a lack of emunah or faith amongst his peers. He saw the other young men trembling out of fear. He stepped up in his wheelhouse and called them out for fearing the Philistine that was defying the armies of the living God. David was qualified to walk this path. He had developed the skills in battle from fighting lions and bears, and he knew what it would take to defeat the giant.

Elihu on the other hand, was stepping outside of his own calling and was treading on a path that he was not qualified to walk. When wisdom is needed, it is seldom the young who can deliver it.

1 Kings 12:1–20 TLV

Then Rehoboam went to Shechem for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. Now when Jeroboam son of Nebat heard about it, he was still in Egypt where he had fled from the face of King Solomon and settled in Egypt. They summoned him, so Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam saying: “Your father made our yoke burdensome. Now therefore lighten the harsh labor of your father and his heavy yoke which he laid on us and we will serve you.” He said to them: “Go away for three more days and then come back to me.” So the people departed. Then King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon while he was still alive, saying, “How do you advise me to respond to these people?” They spoke to him, saying: “If you will be a servant to this people today, serving them, granting them their petition, and speaking favorably to them, then they will be your servants forever.” But he rejected the counsel the elders had given him, instead consulting with the young men who grew up with him and stood before him. So he asked them, “How do you advise me to respond to these people who have spoken to me saying: ‘Lighten the yoke that your father laid on us?’ ” The young men who had grown up with him spoke to him saying: “Thus you should say to these people who spoke to you saying ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you, make it lighter on us!’ thus you should say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins! So now, my father laid on you a heavy yoke, and as for me, I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but as for me, I will chastise you with scorpions.’ ” Then Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king told them, saying, “Come back to me on the third day.” The king answered the people harshly. He rejected the counsel the elders had given him, and spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.” So the king did not listen to the people. For it was a turn of events from Adonai fulfilling His word, which Adonai spoke by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat. But when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king saying: “What share have we in David? No inheritance in Jesse’s son! To your tents, O Israel! Now look at your own house, David!” So the Israelites departed to their tents. But as for the children of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram who was over the forced labor, but all Israel stoned him to death. Then King Rehoboam hurried to mount his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. Israel has rebelled against the house of David to this day. Now when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they summoned him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah remained loyal to the house of David.

Putting it All Together

God has given us all an assignment in our season in life. We are to walk in our strengths. For most of us here, that strength is the wisdom that God had given us. We don’t have the physical strength we did when we were younger, our bodies aren’t as robust as they once were, but we do have the benefit of wisdom.

Elihu like David, saw a lack and chose to take on a cause. Unlike David, he stepped out of line.

To my older saints, if there is heavy lifting to be done, let the kids do it. If there are battles to be fought, allow the kids to do that. Our job is to provide wisdom and counsel.

Young saints, if you focus on fighting the good fight, don’t forsake the counsel of those of us who have been there before. We earned our gray hair by surviving and overcoming. You need our wisdom a much as we need your strength. If we each learn to stay in our own path, we can together become more effective for the kingdom.

And finally, do not despise your season in life, do not be anxious for the next nor yearn for the former. You are where you are for a reason. Trust God and embrace your season.