The expression “Our days” is one way of referring to man’s lifetime on this earth, the period between birth and death. And as has been said many a time — how solemn it is to be a human being! Man is born in sin and shapen in iniquity and immediately commences a journey which is to end at the day of death. Thereafter there is heaven and hell, in what Jesus calls “The World to come.” Those who believe upon the divine Redeemer, have the hope of eternal life in heaven with the glorified Redeemer; and those who at the end of their days know not God nor the Saviour and Salvation of the gospel, have but hell in prospect.
Our days, or times are wholly in the Lord’s hand, as to the actual duration of our sojourn on this earth, as He ruleth in the Kingdom of men in this regard as in all other matters affecting us. And whatever stage in life’s journey we are at now, childhood, youth, mature years, or old age, there is in each case an evidence of the long suffering and patience of God and a call to utter from the heart: “He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.” (Ps. 103).
No one, familiar with the Scriptures, can fail to observe how frequently and emphatically the brevity of man’s sojourn in the world is referred to. Although the generations of the patriarchs before the flood recorded in Genesis, make striking reading as to the length of their days — Methuselah living for nine hundred, sixty and nine years — yet at the end of each individual record it states: “And he died.” Even their days were after all, as a shadow especially in the light of the eternal world into which they all entered. And although Jacob in his day stated to Pharaoh that the days of the years of his pilgrimage were an hundred and thirty years, yet he comments on this as follows: “… few and evil have the days of the years of my life been …” At the end of his long life, Jacob was after all impressed with the brevity of his time in the world. Again, the observations of the eminent and afflicted Job emphasises how short a time we shall on earth remain, when he says: “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.” And the Apostle James may be said to sum up this aspect of our days when he asks the question: “For what is your life?” And then he answers it thus: “It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”
In these modern times there is an increasing number of persons living to what is called “old age,” that is, to seventy and eighty years and beyond to ninety and a hundred years in some cases. Moses, the Man of God, in his prayer set forth in the 90th Psalm, stipulates that our days may be as follows: “The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow.” Yet to each individual as we proceed from one stage of life’s journey to another, the actual number of our days and years is uncertain. We know not what a day may bring forth. In the Proverbs of Solomon, man is warned thus: “Boast not thyself of tomorrow: for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” Among other things, “today” itself may bring us face to face with death and the end of our days here. The narrative from the mouth of the Lord Jesus regarding the case of the rich fool is surely a striking example of this very thing. This man while contemplating years ahead of personal ease in the enjoyment of the abundance of the things which he possessed was told: “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee.” The cutting short of his days in a moment suddenly, did not enter his thinking at all. But these matters are written for our learning and admonition. That the number of “our days,” is to us uncertain, is also illustrated in the history of the young and godly King Josiah of Jerusalem and Judah. Just when he had brought a much-needed reformation to the land and had held an outstanding passover, he went out against the king of Egypt to fight with him, although this king declared to him “I come not against thee this day . . .” Thereafter, Josiah was mortally wounded, and taken to Jerusalem where he died. He was indeed a young man when his days came to an end. The words of the Lord Jesus “Be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not of the Son of Man cometh,” may have their principle application to His coming to final judgment; but they do speak to us of the uncertainty of the time of His coming in providence by death.
It is therefore folly and madness, especially in the case of those who have been to any extent conversant with the Word of God and are under the teaching of the gospel, to be living carelessly in sin and walking according to the course of this world, having no regard to their souls salvation, and the brevity and uncertainty of their days in the world. It is here and now, during one’s days in time that sinners must seek the Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ for their eternal salvation, if He is to be found at all. “Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” Sinners may reflect on their days that are past and may entertain the prospect of days in the future, but God speaks thus: “Today, if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.”
As to Christians, they are advised that during their days in the world, they must not expect a full or permanent rest for soul or body. “This is not your rest.” Although believers have found rest in Christ and His precious blood here, yet many influences are at work to disturb their peace of heart and mind, from within and without: “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.” And they are in a gracious, spiritual manner to labour to enter into that rest: during their days in the World, they are not to be slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience, inherit the promises. They are to pass the time of their sojourning here in fear — the fear of God — and to be in the fear of the Lord all the day long, pleading with God continually, that for the sake of His Son Jesus Christ, He would fit and prepare them to live godly and at the end of their days to die in the Lord.
How precious is time! How valuable are “our days” allotted to us by God! This will be our mind, if we are brought by the Spirit of truth to live not only under the shelter of the Cross of Christ, but under the influence of the divine revelation relative to the great eternity.
And as we come near the end of another year, may we pray with Moses, the man of God: “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” (Ps. 90, v. 12).