How Old Were Famous Bible Characters When God Changed Their Lives?

According to Luke 1:36, Mary, the mother of Jesus, visited her cousin Elizabeth, who was already six months pregnant with John, when Mary was informed of her impending pregnancy by the angel Gabriel. Therefore, by the time Jesus was conceived by Mary, John the Baptist was already in his sixth month of gestation.

When Mary, now pregnant with Jesus, visited Elizabeth, the baby John leaped for joy in Elizabeth’s womb as soon as he heard Mary’s greeting. This event is commonly referred to as the Visitation.

Both Jesus and John the Baptist were unborn children during this event, dignifying the worth of children in the womb. God can use people in the womb. God speaks to and touches people in the womb, clarifying his love and interest in the unborn. Further, he even connects them to an eternal purpose before birth.

This miraculous encounter is a profound testimony to the divine plan of both individuals and the unique roles they would play in God’s plan of redemption. John’s leap of joy in the presence of the unborn Messiah foreshadowed his future role as the forerunner of Jesus, preparing the way for His ministry and proclaiming His coming as the Lamb of God who takes away the world’s sins.

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Sarah was around 65 when God called her and Abraham to leave Ur. She received the call to be the mother of nations shortly after. This call from God included a son being born to her and Abraham. According to the biblical account in Genesis 17:17, Sarah initially laughed when she heard the news from God, finding it incredulous due to her advanced age and inability to conceive throughout her life. However, God assured her and her husband, Abraham, that she would bear a son despite their old age.

This divine promise marked a significant turning point in Sarah’s life and the fulfillment of God’s covenant with Abraham. It demonstrated the Father’s power to accomplish the seemingly impossible and underscored the importance of faith and trust in His promises.

Sarah’s journey to motherhood serves as a testament to God’s faithfulness and ability to work beyond human limitations. Despite her age and initial disbelief, Sarah ultimately gave birth to Isaac, fulfilling God’s plan to establish a great nation through Abraham and Sarah’s descendants.

For many people, getting to old age means the end of their life, but for Sarah, her story had just begun. Our culture may expect us to “retire” and fade away. However, God still wants to include older saints in his redemptive purposes, sometimes giving people new and miraculous roles later in their lives.

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Moses was approximately 80 when God called him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. According to Exodus chapters 2 and 3, Moses had fled from Egypt to Midian after killing an Egyptian who was mistreating an Israelite. He spent several decades living in exile, tending to the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro.

During this time, while Moses was tending the flock near Mount Horeb, he encountered the burning bush through which God spoke to him. God called Moses to return to Egypt and deliver the Israelites from their oppression under the rule of Pharaoh. Despite his initial reluctance and feeling inadequate, Moses eventually accepted God’s call and embarked on the monumental task of confronting Pharaoh and leading the Israelites out of bondage.

Moses felt himself unworthy for a few reasons. First, 80 years old meant he was toward the end of his life, not to begin a God revolution. Second, murdering an Egyptian meant he had a criminal past. Third, Moses possessed a speech impediment as an obstacle to communicating God’s word to Pharoah and Egypt. Yet God had saved Moses from death as a baby for a reason, and the Father called Moses in his time and purposes to stand up to tyranny and lead the nation of Israel into the promised land.

Neither should we allow our limitations to limit the call of God upon our lives. His power proves to be enough in every situation where he leads us for the good of all people.

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Noah was 600 years old when God called him to build an ark. According to the biblical account in Genesis 7:6, God instructed Noah to construct the ark to prepare for a catastrophic flood that would wipe out all living creatures due to the wickedness of humanity.

Despite his advanced age, Noah obeyed God and diligently worked on building the ark to serve as a means of salvation for himself, his family, and a remnant of every animal. The ark’s construction was a monumental undertaking that required years of effort and dedication. Despite his age, Noah’s unwavering commitment to the task at hand is a powerful example of faith and obedience for believers throughout history.

Noah’s obedience demonstrated his trust in divine providence even in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges. The completion of the ark paved the way for preserving life on earth during the deluge, illustrating the profound impact of one individual’s faithfulness.

As men and women reach the end of their lives, they often begin to consider their legacy and what they leave behind. As Christians, we are tasked with passing on the faith and life to others, whether our children or others in the faith. Just as Noah built an ark to save the lives of those he loved, we must allow God to lead us in ways to leave a legacy to give hope and save others.

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Samuel was a young boy, likely around 12 years old, when he first heard the voice of God. According to the biblical narrative in 1 Samuel 3, Samuel served as a boy under the priest Eli’s mentorship at Shiloh’s tabernacle.

One night, as Samuel slept, he heard a voice calling his name. Samuel assumed it was Eli and went to him, but Eli had not called. This happened three times before Eli realized God’s voice was calling Samuel. Eli instructed Samuel to respond to the voice, saying, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”

When Samuel heard the voice again, he responded as Eli had instructed, and God spoke to him, delivering a message of judgment against Eli’s household. From that moment on, Samuel became known as a prophet of God, receiving divine revelations and serving as a spiritual leader for the nation of Israel.

Samuel’s encounter with God at a young age illustrates God’s ability to call and use individuals of any age for His purposes. When we deal with children in our families and churches, we must expect that God also speaks to them. Jesus taught that we must be like a child to enter the Kingdom of God; children are closer than most to that reality. We can help disciple children in recognizing, discerning, and following the voice of God.

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David was a young shepherd boy, likely around 17 or 18, when he bravely faced the giant Philistine warrior Goliath. According to 1 Samuel 17, the Philistine army, led by Goliath, challenged the Israelites to send out a champion to engage in single combat to determine the battle’s outcome.

Despite being the youngest son of Jesse and lacking military experience, David volunteered to confront Goliath. Armed with his slingshot and unwavering faith in God, David stood before the towering giant and proclaimed his confidence in God’s deliverance.

In a remarkable display of courage and trust in God, David defeated Goliath with a single well-aimed stone from his sling, striking the giant in the forehead and killing him. This astonishing victory catapulted David to prominence and earned him the admiration of the Israelite army and the nation.

David’s triumph over Goliath exemplifies faith, courage, and reliance on God’s strength rather than human might or conventional weaponry.

We can learn two lessons from this narrative. First, God counts our heart and faith as true strength, not our age, outward physical appearance, or even our battle skill. Second, metaphorically, we all face giants in our daily lives, whether spiritually or in other conflicts. Our victory is more dependent upon God’s might than people’s strength.

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Mary was likely a young teenager, traditionally believed to be around the age of 14 or 15, when she became the mother of Jesus. According to the biblical narrative in the Gospel of Luke, Mary was betrothed to Joseph, a carpenter from Nazareth, when the angel Gabriel appeared to her to announce that she would conceive a child by the Holy Spirit and give birth to the Son of God.

Despite her youth and the societal norms of her time, Mary responded to the angel’s message with faith and humility, declaring, “Let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). This divine conception, known as the Annunciation, marked the beginning of Mary’s role as the mother of Jesus, the long-awaited Messiah.

Mary’s miraculous pregnancy and subsequent giving birth to Jesus in Bethlehem, as recounted in Matthew and Luke, fulfilled ancient prophecies and ushered in the fulfillment of God’s plan of salvation for humanity.

Like he did with Mary, God wants to bring Christ to the world through us spiritually. He could have brought Immanuel in infinite ways, yet he chose to bring Jesus through a human. He still desires to reveal Christ through people, now through the indwelling Holy Spirit, Christ in us. Let us also say yes to this call and find the joy of new life.

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