Abraham lived a hundred and seventy-five years. Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people. His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite Abraham had bought from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried with his wife Sarah. Genesis 25:7- 11 (NIV)
OLD age is a gift, but even with the best of modern medical care, few of us can expect to come close to the great age which Abraham achieved as recorded in these verses in Genesis. I have to admit that I can’t help a wry smile when, later in Genesis, Abraham’s grandson Jacob describes his own 130 years as being “few and difficult”! (Genesis 47: 9)
However, most of us expect that we will see out our “three score years and ten” (Psalm 90: 10). Life expectancy in many societies, including our own, continues to rise: experts predict that the average child born in a developed country today can expect to live to be 100. This, of course has many consequences.