We are in Exodus chapter four with our word for today. זָקֵן old, elders. It is used 179 times in the Old Testament. We find our word used to describe an older person. Exodus 10:9 Moses answered, “We will go with our young and our וּבִזְקֵנֵ֖ינוּ old, with our sons and our daughters, and with our flocks and herds, because we are to celebrate a festival to the Lord.” Proverbs 17:6 Children’s children are a crown to the זְ֭קֵנִים aged, and parents are the pride of their children. Genesis 18:11 Abraham and Sarah were already very זְקֵנִ֔ים old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. Most of the time our word is used in the sense of a mature leader of the community who is entrusted with being a part of the decision making process of the community. Exodus 3:16-18 Go, assemble the זִקְנֵ֣י elders of Israel and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—appeared to me and said: I have watched over you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt. And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt into the land...flowing with milk and honey.’“The elders of Israel will listen to you. Then you and the וְזִקְנֵ֨יelders are to go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God.’ This is how our word is used in our chapter today. Exodus 4:29-30 Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the זִקְנֵ֖י elders of the people of Israel. Aaron spoke all the words that the Lord had spoken to Moses and did the signs in the sight of the people. We also see our word used to describe this same group throughout the Bible. Joshua 24:31 Israel served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the הַזְּקֵנִ֗ים elders who outlived him and who had experienced everything the Lord had done for Israel. Judges 11:8 The זִקְנֵ֨י elders of Gilead said to him, “Nevertheless, we are turning to you now; come with us to fight the Ammonites, and you will be head over all of us who live in Gilead.” Ruth 4:9, 11 Then Boaz announced to the לַזְּקֵנִ֜ים elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses… Then the וְהַזְּקֵנִ֖ים elders and all the people at the gate said, “We are witnesses. 1 Kings 12:6 Then King Rehoboam consulted the הַזְּקֵנִים֙ elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. “How would you advise me to answer these people?” he asked. When churches were started we see this group being formed to serve as leaders of the church. Acts 14:23 Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. We also see the Holy Spirit speaking through the Apostle Paul giving the church qualifications for this group in 1 Timothy 3:1-7. In this passage the group is referred to as Overseers. We see in Acts 20:17-38 that Paul uses the words overseers, shepherds and elders to refer to the same group. Acts 20:17, 28 From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church…Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. From the instruction in this and other passages we see that the primary role of elders is spiritual care of the people, protection of both the people (church discipline) and sound doctrine (teaching and correcting from God’s word). And the word elder itself implies a maturity from being a certain age which doesn’t guarantee wisdom but life experience is essential as well as spiritual experience in God’s word and prayer. I’ll close with this encouraging challenge to elders who lead Christ’s church. Acts 20:32 Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
