An elder was an older person who was faithful and wise with regards to life. He was one who was recognized in the community. The word elder comes from a Hebrew root meaning old. It's used of people, trees its often used of people nearing the end of their life.
Psalm 37:25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
Age was the standard of dignity in a patriarchal system. The office of elder was the basis of government; by virtue of greater age and consequently, experience they were best fitted to govern. As in our "alderman," the Arab sheikh = "old man"
In Egyptian bondage Israel retained their national organization and government by elders.
Zāqēn: An adjective meaning elder, old, aged, old man, old woman; as a noun, leader(s).
The word's basic meaning is old or aged. But from this basic meaning, several different meanings arise. The word means aged persons, but the ideas of dignity, rank, and privilege also became attached to this concept.
As we begin to track this word throughout the scriptures we can learn and then apply the many wonderful truths God has for us.
After Moses was called and commissioned to free the Israelites we see that God instructed him to go to the elders.
Exodus 3:16 Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt:
Here we see that even in captivity Israel still had a governing body of elders. They were very influential with both the people and Egypt.
These elders were significant when it came to implementing Gods will. They worked along side of Moses and Aaron, and were for the most part very faithful and godly men.
Exodus 12:1-3 1And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 2This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. 3Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:
Verse 21 gives us the who of the Passover.
Exodus 12:21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the Passover.
Once again we see Moses called for the elders to stand with him on God's word. It was the faithful elders who helped implemented God's plan for the people.
Exodus 17:1-6 1And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the LORD, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink. 2Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the LORD? 3And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst? 4And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me. 5And the LORD said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go. 6Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
Here again the elders were called upon to follow and stand with Moses. The people knew and respected these men. Without their endorsement and allegiance to Moses things may have moved in a different direction.
Now after the death of Moses God told Joshua to settle in the promise land. As Israel obey Joshua and began to take the land you see the elders once again working along with Joshua.
Joshua 24:31 And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the LORD, that he had done for Israel.
Now as we continue to track this word throughout the scriptures you find that these faithful elders were charged with a tremendous responsibility and work for the Lord.
It was the elders who were responsible for the word living and keeping Israel on the right path after Joshua had died. They retained their position in the Judges period.
Judges 2:7 And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that he did for Israel.
You see them serving during the times of the kings.
1 Samuel 15:30 Then he said, I have sinned: yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD thy God.
In Israel's captivity and during the time of the prophets the elders were there.
Jeremiah 29:1 Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders which were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon;
After captivity and during the return once again we see the elders.
Ezra 5:5 But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they could not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius: and then they returned answer by letter concerning this matter.
Now up till this point in time you have a mix of good and bad elders who ruled. For example Judges 2 contains a wonderful verse reflecting the faithfulness and wisdom of the godly elders.
These men kept Israel on the straight and narrow for the Lord. God gives us a hint to what went wrong in verse 10.
Judges 2:8-10 8And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old. 9And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathheres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash. 10And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.
Something had happened. Somewhere along the way the children of Israel lost sight of God in their hearts. The parents did not teach their children to wholly follow the Lord.
They may have gone through the motions but down deep inside they forgot the word of the lord.
It's amazing how history will repeat itself through out the ages. Man kind bounces between God and the devil; for some it's day by day.
Today for the most part evil has been adopted and is defended in every area of life including the church.
We as a nation have failed to teach our children to wholly follow only the lord. God's word has been systematically removed and replaced with the devils catechism.
Today homosexuality is accepted and defended within many churches who call themselves Christian. If any one dare speak out about it they are violently met with chastisement from the mainstream media.
Homosexuality is a detestable sin worthy of death according to God.
Leviticus 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
If what I have written here offends you the devil has already began to reprogram your world view according to his agenda.
Think about it. Leviticus 20:13 is as much as God's word as John 3:16. Are you offended by John 3:16?
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Then why are you offended by Leviticus 20:13? Are they not equally God's inspired word? Does not Revelation 22 also apply to both of these verses?
Revelation 22:18-19 18For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
To be continued.ÿ
Note: All scripture is from the King James Version unless otherwise noted. NIV indicates The New International Version, NLT indicates the New Living Translation, NAS indicates the New American Standard version, NKJV indicates the New King James Version, ASV means the American Standard Version, NJB means the New Jerusalem Bible, BBE means the Bible in Basic English, DBY means the Darby translation, NAU means the American Standard Version, 1995 Edition, and NAB means the New American Bible translation. For more information, go to the Works Cited page.