our length of life numbered?

[glow]

I have a question.

It seems to me I was taught once, that we ultimately have no real control over how many days we live on this planet. That God has them numbered.
I have been trying to find the scripture that supports this.If this is true, it makes me wonder if we are diagnosed with a critical(terminal) physical condition, should we even fight it? Yet I know our bodies are the living temple of God so we are suppose to take good care of ourselves also.


What can you share with me. Thank you

[jriccitelli]

Nothing in scripture says God has put a specific number of days on each person, he does seem to adjust the average life spans of human beings, as people long long ago lived up to 900 yrs, then less and less after the flood. Scripture like those in Proverbs speak of prolonging your life through wisdom, Godly behavior and good living. It seems clear that God has allowed us our freewill, and our free choices effect our health. God is the one who created the bacteria and cancerous cells as part of the curse put on 'all' humanity, God created the locust and the posionous venom in animals. We were sent out of the Garden of Eden as a penalty for sin, otherwise we would all be living in the Garden sinning and having a good time, this is not Gods plan. So God gives us life and 'something' will eventually take that away from each and everyone. If we all knew when we would die we would most likely postpone our conversion until the last year. Personally I have to say it upsets me when people say that God took someone home, they are usually implieing that God plans their dimise, God recevies those who die, and He will plan to take some home when it is for Gods purpose, but God does not seem to inflict directly, he says it rains on the evil and the just. The tower that Jesus talks about fell on good and bad people. God allows the natural order to grow trees and apples, it gives birth to rabbits as well as man eating sharks. So that man should give thanks to God for what he has, and hope that we have made our peace with Him is wisdom. God hears and responds to our needs, I always pray for health and healing for my friends, but I think advances in some areas of the health field are just fighting with our biological expiration date and as a result we see horrible manifestations of cancer, anyway God bless and good night.

[Suzana]

I have a question.

It seems to me I was taught once, that we ultimately have no real control over how many days we live on this planet. That God has them numbered.
I have been trying to find the scripture that supports this.If this is true, it makes me wonder if we are diagnosed with a critical(terminal) physical condition, should we even fight it? Yet I know our bodies are the living temple of God so we are suppose to take good care of ourselves also.


What can you share with me. Thank you

Hi Deb,

You may be thinking of Psalm 139 -

Psalms 139:13-16
For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, [And] skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; 16 Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained [for me,] When as yet there was not one of them. (NASB)

There may be other scriptures (I'm sure there must be!), but that one came to mind. Here it does sound like God had ordained how long David would live, unless it's just poetic language.

In any case I believe God is ultimately in control of everything, but that He does expect us to be good stewards of what we are given, which includes our physical bodies. If I had a terminal illness I would be praying for guidance as to what intervention to allow; it may not be my time to die yet & God may have specific reasons for allowing that trial, but bring healing; and if it is my time to die, then I guess I will, no matter what I do to try & prevent it.

[RICHinCHRIST]

It seems to me I was taught once, that we ultimately have no real control over how many days we live on this planet. That God has them numbered.

I also thought of the verse Suzana shared. It seems that that verse would confirm that God has foreknowledge of how long we will live. That does not mean, necessarily, that we have no control on how long we live. God can shorten our lifespan for whatever reason He sees fit (in that case we would have no control). But also, we can shorten our own lifetime by unwise decisions we make in this life. In both cases, since God knows the future, He is still in control of how long we will live. Just because God 'numbers' our days doesn't mean that we don't influence how long that number is. For instance, I heard from a friend (who is a Seventh Day Adventist) that people who follow the Old Testament dietary restrictions often live, on average, five years longer than those who do not. If that's true, then those who do so are making a wise decision it would seem. But God would still know how long they would live because He would foresee that they would make those decisions.

[Paidion]

Consider some other translations of the passage. Do these translations convey the same idea that God has pre-chosen the number of days which we live?

...for, thou, didst possess thyself of my reins, thou didst weave me together in the womb of my mother. I thank thee, in that fearfully was my being distinguished, wonderful are thy works, and, mine own soul, is observing them intently! My substance was not hid from thee,—when I was made in secret, when I was skilfully figured in the lower parts of the earth. Mine unfinished substance, thine eyes beheld, and, in thy book, all the parts thereof were written,—the days they should be fashioned! while yet there was not one among them. To me, then, how precious have thy desires become, O GOD! how numerous, the heads of them! Psalm (139:13-17 Rotherham)

... for thou hast possessed my reins; thou didst cover me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee, for I am fearfully, wonderfully made. marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My bones were not hidden from thee when I was made in secret, curiously wrought in the lower parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my unformed substance, and in thy book all my members were written; during many days were they fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. But how precious are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! (Darby)

... for thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee: for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: wonderful are thy works; and that my soul well knoweth. My substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret, and curiously formed in the lowest parts of the earth. Thy eyes saw my substance, yet being imperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. How precious also are thy thoughts to me, O god! how great is the sum of them! (Webster)