Shortened Life-span

Generally speaking, the person who lives to be ninety years has an advantage over the one who dies at the age of sixty-five. If both spent the first forty years of their lives learning how to use time, then the one who dies at sixty-five had only twenty-five years during which to apply himself to the call of GOD on his life, whereas, the one who dies at the age of ninety has fifty years during which to apply what he has learnt. Shortened lifespans are evidence of GOD'S disfavour.

Man was not created to die. GOD had intended that man would choose the fruit of life but unfortunately for man, he did not choose it. After eating the forbidden fruit, GOD sent man out from the garden of Eden and barred him from living forever. After the fall of man, came death. When GOD allowed death to be introduced into HIS creation because of sin, people lived for about nine hundred years in general. From Adam to Enosh, people lived nine hundred years and above. This trend continued until there was further sin. The reduction of man's lifespan to one hundred and twenty years did not come into effect suddenly. Rather, GOD allowed it to come in gradually.

Noah was a righteous man in his generation and he lived nine hundred and fifty years. He was the last man to live so long on earth. There was a steady decrease from then. Noah's son, Shem, lived for six hundred years. His Arpachshad lived for four hundred and thirty-eight years. His son Shelah lived for four hundred and sixty four years. Eber's son Peleg lived for two hundred and thirty-one years. Peleg's son Reu lived for two hundred and thirty nine years. Reu's son Serug lived for two hundred and thirty-nine years.

Nahor's son, Terah lived for two hundred and five years. Abraham,Terah's son lived for one hundred and seventy-five years. Isaac Abraham's son lived for one hundred and eighty years. Jacob, Isaac's son lived for one hundred and thirty-seven years. Joseph, Jacob's son lived for one hundred and ten years. We can put it out as follows:

Noah - 950 years

Shem - 600 years

Arpachshad - 438 years

Shela -433 years

Eber - 460 years

Pele - 239 years

Serug-230 years

Nahor-148 years

Tera -205 years

Abraham -175 years

Isaac -180 years

Jacob-147 years

Joseph-110 years

The final decree to man's lifespan is given in the HOLY BIBLE as seventy or eighty years. The average man would live between 70 and 80 years. Some would live slightly above, while others will live slightly below. Those who offend GOD in a special way are eliminated very early. It is obvious then that sin will lead to a shortened life, while obeying the LORD will lead to a longer life.

The body is a servant to be tamed and used. A man can by choice increase or decrease his lifespan within some limits. The matter of exercise is an example. Studies have shown that the person who regularly and rigorously exercises his body can increase his lifespan by up to ten years. The person who moderately and regularly exercises his body can increase his lifespan by five years. Those who are burdened with the call of GOD on their lives will labour to exercise their bodies in order to give themselves more years to serving the LORD.

There is also the matter of food. A certain woman asked a preacher that can she eat pork and still go to heaven. The preacher replied that the more pork she ate the sooner she will be there. Gluttony is a killer. It is suggested that every kilogramme of excess weight reduces a man's life span by six months. This means that for a man of 65 kilogrammes (height 1.65cm) who allows himself to become obese and weigh 85 kilogrammes, other factors being equal, he will die ten years younger than he would have died. If he were to throw away the 20 kilogrammes through disciplined eating, he would bring his lifespan to normal. If he exercised vigorously, he could live for an additional ten years.

In conclusion, no one who is taking the call of GOD on his life seriously can afford to ignore this aspect of time. Do not ignore it!.