How many times during Bible studies, especially at conferences, have we heard some older
brother say, "I would like to give a word to the young people here today. ‘Resist the devil, flee
youthful lusts, beware of the world’" (or words to that effect). Or perhaps we have heard older
people say, "I certainly don’t think children and young people should watch television (or go to
movies, or whatever)," which might suggest that older people would not be harmed by such
things, or, "Children and young people should attend meetings regularly," as if it does not hurt
older ones to miss from time to time. (We realize that it may be difficult for the aged to attend
meetings because of infirmities, but their presence can be an inspiration to others.)

Please bear with me while I quote a few Scriptures.

"For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other
gods; and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father"
(1 Kings 11:4).

"And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord His God" (2 Chron. 14:2).
"In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah….
Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the Lord and of the
king’s house, and sent to Benhadad king of Syria … saying, There is a league between me and
thee, as there was between my father and thy father; behold, I have sent thee silver and gold; go,
break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me…. And at that time
Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the
king of Syria, and not relied on the Lord thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria
escaped out of thine hand…. Herein thou hast done foolishly; therefore from henceforth thou shalt
have wars. Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage
with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people the same time…. And Asa
in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding
great; yet in his disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians" (2 Chron. 16:1-12).

"Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem….
And Joash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest….
Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then
the king hearkened unto them. And they left the house of the Lord God of their fathers, and served
groves and idols; and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass" (2 Chron.
24:1,2,17,18).

"Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in
Jerusalem…. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his
father Amaziah did…. But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction; for he
transgressed against the Lord his God, and went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense upon
the altar of incense. And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of
the Lord, that were valiant men; and they withstood Uzziah the king…. Then Uzziah was wroth
. . . and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the

priests in the house of the Lord…. And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death" (2
Chron. 26:3,4,16-21).

These Scriptures should be enough to convince us that even a person who starts out depending on
and living to please God may be led astray in later years if he forgets his dependence upon God
and allows those around him (the world) or his own sinful flesh to influence him. The flesh is still
present in older believers and will manifest itself if allowed. Satan is just as eager to influence
older Christians as younger ones, and the world can be alluring to older persons, especially those
who have not already found out that all to be found there is "vanity and vexation of spirit." And
now let me say a word to those not-so-young:Resist the devil, flee fleshly lusts, beware of the
world, for you are just as susceptible to all these things as are young people. Do not let your
testimony fail in later years as the kings mentioned above did, but grant that it might be said of
you, "They shall still bring forth fruit in old age" (Psalm 92:14).