Some Lessons Older Ladies Teach Us

Feature 1 – May 2020 — Grace & Truth Magazine

Some Lessons Older Ladies Teach Us

Older ladies, especially in the Bible, are generally mothers or widows and should be treated as such according to 1 Timothy. They have a special responsibility that a man can never properly fill. Titus was told to “speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine ... the older women ... be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things – that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed” (Ti. 2:1,3-5 NKJV ).

Interestingly, the words in the Greek for “teachers” or “to admonish,” which the apostle Paul used as he wrote to Titus, are very special words, not used elsewhere. These verses can never rightfully be used to negate the teaching given by the same apostle in 1 Timothy 2:12, where women are told not to take the public role of teaching or exercising authority over men. Unquestionably, some women are far more capable than many men are, but it is more important to heed God’s Word than to follow human reasoning. The best way scripturally in which older women can teach younger women is by their godly example and quiet, helpful, loving, caring, personal instruction and counseling. According to these Scriptures, an older godly mentor will prove to be far more helpful to a young woman than a capable lecturer or a skilled writer. Let’s look at some examples of older women in Scripture.

Sarah
While Sarah is not the first woman the Bible tells us of, she is the first woman to whose family life we are introduced. She is also the only woman whose age at death – 127 years – we are told. Considering that what is recorded about her covers the second half of her life, and in view of all the details given to us about her years as an older woman, she is probably the outstanding example of a godly older woman over a period of time that the Bible presents to us. While there were ups and downs in her life, God points her out as an example of a godly woman in the first six verses of 1 Peter 3. There we are told she was submissive to her husband and had a meek and quiet spirit, precious in the sight of God. Thus God notes her inward beauty in contrast to the outward, which can be made up and put on.

In Genesis 12 we see Abram (later renamed Abraham by God) complimenting Sarah on her beauty. The Egyptians, seeing “that she was very beautiful” (v.14), commended her to Pharaoh, who then took her into his house. Sarah was at least 65 years old at this time. She was willing to sacrifice herself for her husband’s safety when, if Abram had been like Christ, he should have sacrificed himself for her. This readiness to sacrifice herself for her husband is seen again in Genesis 20 when Sarah at age 89 or 90 was expecting the son God had promised to Abraham and her.

Proverbs closes with a song about the ideal wife, giving us many details about her life and work. In the opening verses of the song we read: “The heart of her husband safely trusts her; so He will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life” (vv.11-12). Later, after describing her industrious life taking good care of the home and even beyond, we read: “Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land” (v.23). In the lives of Abraham and Sarah, we see Abraham functioning in public and Sarah interested and very supportive. She was in the tent, listening at the tent door, interested in all the Divine Visitor had to say. Sarah had gone to much labor to provide a refreshing meal for this Visitor and the two angels accompanying Him.

Again and again we see Sarah’s intense desire for a son. At first this had led her to do what seems to have been somewhat customary, from what we read elsewhere in Genesis, but which was not really faith in God. Do not we too sometimes try to help God along, as it were, rather than patiently waiting for Him to work things out in His good time? The result was difficulty in the family. Yet God was on her side and told Abraham that Sarah would bear him a son. Hebrews 11:11 picks up on this, mentioning Sarah’s faith and telling us, “She judged Him faithful who had promised.” It is beautiful to see God noting and commending her faith (and also that of other women in this chapter). Romans 4:19 mentions “the deadness of Sarah’s womb” as well as Abraham’s own inability to father children. We see Sarah’s joyful expectation in Genesis 18:12 and later her joy at receiving Isaac. Finally, we see God telling Abraham in Genesis 21 to listen to the voice of Sarah. Ishmael had not been the son God had intended to give the couple. Galatians 4 builds on this episode to teach us spiritual lessons that go beyond the matters of personal faith and godly family life that are so beautifully presented in the account of Sarah and her husband Abraham.

Elizabeth
Elizabeth is introduced as being “of the daughters of Aaron,” a priestly family. We are also told both she and her husband Zacharias were “righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.” But sadly, “they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years” (Lk. 1:5-7). What a lovely commendation on the one hand, yet what sadness on the other! Further in the chapter we find Elizabeth is spoken of as a relative of Mary, the young virgin who was to become the mother of Jesus.

The angel Gabriel appeared to her husband Zacharias while he was performing his priestly duty of burning incense in the temple. Gabriel told him that his prayers had been heard and his wife Elizabeth would bear him a son whom they were to name John – we usually call this son John the Baptist. The angel also told him what John’s purpose in life would be. Once his time of service was done, Zacharias went home, and soon thereafter Elizabeth was pregnant with the promised son. She modestly stepped out of the public eye for five months, rejoicing in what the Lord had done for her.

In the sixth month of her pregnancy her young relative Mary came to see her. She was in haste, for Gabriel had told her that she would be the virgin mother of Jesus and that Elizabeth also was pregnant. When Mary greeted her, “the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord’” (vv.41-45). What an encouragement this godly old lady was to this young virgin who was going to face reproach, trial and heartache much of her life – a sword piercing through her soul! (2:35). Mary’s beautiful spiritual response in Luke 1:46-55, which is often called the “Magnificat,” doubtless also reflects a little of the encouragement she received from her aged relative with whom she remained for three months.

In due course Elizabeth gave birth to a son. Neighbors and relatives came and rejoiced with her. On the eighth day when the baby was circumcised and the well-wishers wanted to name him after his father, Elizabeth told them, “No, he shall be called John” (v.60). This was the name the angel had told Zacharias he was to be called. The crowd objected, but Elizabeth stood firm, and Zacharias, when asked, confirmed this. How good it is when older saints do not let themselves be swayed by friends or relatives to give up or seek to modify the plain instructions God has given us in His Word.

Anna
Only three verses in Luke’s gospel (2:36-38) are devoted to this woman “of a great age” from the tribe of Asher. Her life had doubtless been a hard one: married for seven years and then a widow the next 84, or an 84-year-old widow, depending on how we are to understand the cryptic wording of the text. She “did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.” What a wonderful occupation for an elderly saint! The Child Jesus was brought to the temple 40 days after His birth, on the day of His mother’s purification, to be presented to the Lord (see Ex. 13:13-15). At that instant, Anna entered and “gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.”

What a circle of acquaintances this dear old lady had! Of these God had spoken through the prophet Malachi, “Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and who meditate on His name. ‘They shall be Mine,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘on the day that I make them My jewels’” (Mal. 3:16-17). How good when godly older ladies have friends like these, with whom they can enjoy fellowship in speaking about the Savior!

Lois
Lois is mentioned in Paul’s last letter to his son in the faith, Timothy. He spoke of Timothy’s genuine faith “which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice” (2 Tim. 1:5). Timothy’s mother is called “a certain Jewish woman who believed” in Acts 16:1, while his father was a Greek, evidently an unbeliever. We must remember that in biblical times marriages were often arranged by parents, and the young people, especially the girls, had little choice in the matter.

Paul encouraged Timothy to “continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them” (3:14). These were probably things that this young man had learned from the apostle himself. However, Paul went on to remind Timothy “that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (v.15). Undoubtedly, his godly mother and grandmother had taught little Timothy the Word of God from early boyhood. This had prepared him to accept the Lord Jesus as His Savior when Paul came to his hometown preaching Christ. Grandmothers often play a similar vital role with their grandchildren today, telling them Bible stories, teaching them God’s Word, and leading them to the Savior of whom it speaks.

Others
The Bible speaks of other older ladies too, and the role they played in the lives of others. There was Miriam, the older sister of Moses, who in Exodus 15:20-21 led the Israelite women in praise to God after successfully crossing the Red Sea and witnessing the destruction of the Egyptian army that had pursued them. Later, in Numbers 12, she and Aaron complained against their younger brother Moses. As a result, she became leprous and had to remain outside the camp for a week before being received back again. In Micah 6:4 God spoke of having brought Israel out of Egypt, the house of bondage, and said, “I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.” Miriam is accorded recognition for her leadership. Yet, although she was older than her brothers, God chose Moses as leader and Aaron as high priest – not Miriam.

Naomi, who had in younger years gone to Moab with her husband Elimelech and their sons Mahlon and Chilion to escape famine in Israel, saw them all die in that enemy land. Later, hearing of God’s goodness to His people in giving them bread to eat, she decided to return to Bethlehem. It is important when we have made mistakes in life to humbly repent and turn to the Lord again. In her bitterness and sorrow she bade her daughters-in-law, also widows, to return to Moab and find husbands there – bad counsel, to be sure.

Orpah returned to her people and her gods, but Ruth refused to leave Naomi. She had been drawn to the true God, perhaps through her mother-in-law’s life and testimony about Him. Back at Bethlehem both widows took a humble place. Ruth became a gleaner, and the time came when aging Naomi encouraged and helped Ruth with better counsel. In Ruth 4 we find Naomi a happy grandmother, helping to care for Ruth and Boaz’s baby son Obed, and a testimony to the neighbor women all around. There is certainly many a place for helpful, godly grandmothers to be a blessing in the lives of their children and grandchildren.

There was Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon. We read her story in 2 Samuel 11–12 and 1 Kings 1–2. She was a granddaughter of Ahithophel, David’s longtime trusted counselor. The husband of her youth had been Uriah the Hittite, a foreigner, yet one of David’s mighty men (2 Sam. 23:8,39). She went through much sorrow in her early life. What must she have thought when King David had her summoned to his palace nearby and sinfully took her for himself. She soon found herself pregnant. Then later she no doubt heard that the king summoned her husband home. However, in his loyalty to his king and his fellow soldiers enduring hardship on the battlefield, he did not come home to her but slept near the palace door with the rest of David’s servants. This happened two nights in a row. The next thing she heard was that he had died a heroic death fighting near the wall of a city the army was besieging. She was soon moved into King David’s harem and in time gave birth to a little son. Her baby took sick and, in spite of her and David’s prayers, died.

In time the Lord gave her another son, Solomon. The LORD had given special revelations about him, choosing him to be David’s successor and to build the temple. Hence, we can imagine how concerned Bathsheba was when she heard that one of David’s older sons, Adonijah, had plotted with some of the leaders in Israel to take the throne upon David’s death. In fact, they were already celebrating while David was still alive – and David was unaware of what was going on! Would the LORD’s will be thwarted and her son Solomon, whom the LORD loved and whom she had brought up for Him, be executed as a potential traitor? She loved her son, she appreciated David’s promise and the LORD’s choosing of her son to reign. Therefore she confided in the prophet Nathan, and together they went to the bedfast king. He confirmed that Solomon should reign and ordered that this son should be anointed king at once, while he, King David, was still alive. This was done to the great consternation, or distress, of Adonijah and those celebrating with him. Bathsheba’s act helped to bring about God’s purposes with regard to Solomon, a type of the Lord Jesus who will soon fulfill God’s purpose that He, the One once rejected and crucified, should reign in righteousness over all the earth. Oh, that we all, not only older ladies, might be desirous of seeing God’s purposes fulfilled and work to that end!

The aged queen mother, probably a wife of Nebuchadnezzar, was not a part of Belshazzzar’s drunken party in Daniel 5, but came when confusion and panic reigned. No one could interpret or explain the meaning of the words written by a hand upon the wall. She reminded them of Daniel, speaking highly of him and his excellent spirit and wisdom, and recommending that they call him. So too, we all should always be ready to testify of our Lord Jesus, to speak highly of Him to people with whom we have contact. He is the wonderful answer for every need of the human heart!

A Warning
Not every older woman in the Bible is a good example; there are bad ones as well. Godly King Asa of Judah in 1 Kings 15:13 courageously removed his grandmother Maachah from her position as queen mother and cut down and burned the idol she had made. Athaliah, the widow of wicked King Joram of Judah and mother of his son Ahaziah, when Ahaziah was killed, tried to kill all his little sons and make herself queen (2 Ki. 11). Only one-year-old Joash was rescued by his aunt Jehosheba and brought up by her and her husband Jehoiada the priest in the temple for six years while Athaliah ruled. She met her well-deserved end in a coup led by Jehoiada and the Levites when Joash was crowned and anointed king. Jezebel, the wicked, idolatrous queen of Israel, stirred her husband Ahab up to do wickedness (1 Ki. 21:25), and is referred to in the New Testament as an example of evil.

May the Lord help us not to follow in the path of such self-seeking women in this day when people are increasingly stepping into roles God has not intended for them. There are many positive things older ladies – all of us – can do to bring glory to the Lord and blessing to hearts.

By Eugene P. Vedder, Jr.