A Quick Look at Old Timers in the Bible Quiz

Answer: True

True. Luke 3:37 lists Methuselah in the genealogy of Christ. He is the oldest man in the Bible, dying at the age of nine hundred and sixty nine years. In other words, he was thirty-one years short of living a millenium. According to Genesis 5:21, Methuselah was the son of Enoch and the father of Lamech.

No details are given in Scripture as to the number of children he fathered. One can only suspect it was a substantial number.

Answer: He was taken away suddenly by God

Enoch did not die a natural death. According to Genesis 5:24, Enoch was taken away by God. The verse in the NKJV states: "And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him."

Hebrews 11:5 explains things this way: Hebrews 11:5 "By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, 'and was not found, because God had taken him'; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God."

According to Genesis 5:21, Enoch became the father of Methuselah at age sixty-five years. No details are given about Enoch's wife.

Answer: 4th

Adam was nine hundred and thirty years old when he died, making him the fourth oldest person in the Bible. Only Methuselah at nine hundred and sixty nine years, Jared at nine hundred and sixty-two years, and Noah at nine hundred and fifty years were older.

Other old timers in the Bible were Seth who died after nine hundred and twelve years, Cainan who died after nine hundred and ten years and Enosh who lived to be nine hundred and five years old.

Answer: Isaac

Isaac, of course, is the correct answer. Scripture tells of Jacob deceiving his elderly father and obtaining the blessing intended for his slightly older twin brother Esau. According to Genesis 27:1, Isaac "was old and his eyes were so dim that he could not see" at the time.

It is believed Isaac was more than one hundred and seventy-five years old at the time, based on the fact Genesis 35:28 states he was one hundred and eighty years old when he died.

Jacob was assisted by his mother Rebekah in pulling off his ruse over Isaac.
Details can be found in Genesis 27:1-46.

Answer: Eli

Eli is another old timer mentioned in Scripture. According to 1 Samuel 4:15-18, he was obese, basically blind and ninety-eight years old when he fell backward off his chair and died after breaking his neck. Scripture states Eli had just been informed about the capture of the ark of God and the deaths of his two sons, Hophni and Phinehas.

The Philistines, arch enemies of the Israelites, were responsible for capturing the ark of God.

Answer: Barzillai

Barzillai was an old-timer in the Bible who is best known for assisting King David and his followers when Israel was engaged in a bloody civil war. One side supported David, while the other side backed David's son Absalom in his quest to become king. For a time, it appeared Absalom was about to fulfill his dream, and David and his supporters took refuge in Mananaim.

It was at Mananaim that Barzillai, an eighty-year-old Gileadite, provided David and his followers with much needed supplies. 2 Samuel 17:27-29 tells of Barzillai, contributing a large number of essential items, including "beds and basins, earthen vessels and wheat, barley and flour, parched grain and beans, lentils and parched seeds, honey and curds, sheep and cheese of the herd." In addition to Barzillai, Shobi and Ammon also provided essential items to David and his followers.

Scripture goes on to tell of David winning the civil war and extending an invitation to Barzillai to move to Jerusalem, vowing he would take care of his needs. However, Barzillai declined David's offer, explaining his age prevented him from moving to Jerusalem.

In his response to David's invitation, Barzillai is quoted in 2 Samuel 19:34-35 in the NKJV as saying: "How long have I to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? I am today eighty years old. Can I discern between the good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear any longer the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be a further burden to my lord the king?"

Answer: Abishag

Abishag, described as "young" and "beautiful" in 1 Kings 1:3, is the correct answer. According to Scripture, she was selected after an extensive search was conducted for a young woman to care for King David when he was elderly and frail.

In his final years, David's health was failing and he was at the point where he "could not keep warm even when they put covers over him," according to 1 Kings 1:1. The answer to the problem was to have Abishag sleep with David to keep him warm. Verse 4, however, points out although David slept with Abishag, he did not have sexual relations with her.

Answer: Zacharias and Elizabeth

Zacharias and Elizabeth were the elderly parents of John the Baptist. Their ages are not given but Luke 1:7 states Elizabeth had been unable to conceive and "they were both well advanced in years."

Scripture goes on to tell of the angel Gabriel appearing before Zecharias and proclaiming Elizabeth would give birth to a boy. When Zecharias expressed doubt about the birth of a son, the angel rendered him unable to speak. Only when the baby was born and named John did Zecharias regain the ability to talk.

In the NIV, Zecharias is known as Zechariah.

Answer: Simeon

No age is given for Simeon, but it definitely appears he was an old timer, and then some. In Luke 2:25-35, it states the Holy Spirit had revealed to Simeon he would not see death "before he had seen the Lord's Christ". When he saw the Child Jesus at the temple, Scripture states Simeon took Him into his hands and stated he was now ready to die because he had seen God's salvation.

In Verses 26-32, Simeon is quoted as saying:
"Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace,
According to Your word;
For my eyes have seen Your salvation
Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,
A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel."

In Verses 33-35, Simeon goes on to proclaim, "Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."

Luke is the only book in the New Testament to report about Simeon meeting the Child Jesus.

Answer: Luke

Anna, an old timer who was a prophetess, is mentioned in only the Gospel of Luke. According to Luke 2:36-37, Anna was "of a great age... and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years."

Some people interpret the passage as stating Anna was eighty-four years old while others see it as stating she had been a widow for eighty-four years.

However, one thing is certain: Anna was devout. Scripture states she "did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day."

Anna is mentioned in only Luke 2:36-38 and no where else in Scripture.