Is "it was their time" a biblical concept?

[Lucian Hodoboc]

Is the fact that each human has a predetermined lifespan that is impossible to change a biblical concept?

For example, I know of people who were declared on death's bed by medical doctors, but defied the odds by changing their lifestyle, using nutrition and various herbal medication to improve their health and, consequently, to live longer than their prognosis. Some of them were religious and prayed, other weren't religious and didn't. Was the fact that they improved their health God's will? Was the age at which they eventually died predetermined by God before their birth or were they supposed to die at the age when the doctors assessed that they were at death's door, but God gave them some extra-years?

 

[Messy]

Hezekiah got 15 years extra.
In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.’ ”

2 Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the Lord, 3 and said, “Remember now, O Lord, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a [a]loyal heart, and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

4 And the word of the Lord came to Isaiah, saying, 5 “Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will add to your days fifteen years.

But after those 15 years it was his time I think.

 

[Messy]

Ecclesiastes 7

Do not be overly wicked, Nor be foolish: Why should you die before your time?

 

[atpollard]

Is the fact that each human has a predetermined lifespan that is impossible to change a biblical concept?

Yup.

• Psalms 39:4 [NLT] 4 "LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered--how fleeting my life is.
• Daniel 5:26 [NLT] 26 This is what these words mean: [Mene] means 'numbered'--God has numbered the days of your reign and has brought it to an end.
• Luke 12:16-21 [NLT] 16 Then he told them a story: "A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. 17 He said to himself, 'What should I do? I don't have room for all my crops.' 18 Then he said, 'I know! I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I'll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. 19 And I'll sit back and say to myself, "My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!"' 20 "But God said to him, 'You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?' 21 "Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God."

 

[Albion]

Is the fact that each human has a predetermined lifespan that is impossible to change a biblical concept?

What makes you think that each human has a predetermined lifespan? The Bible verses cited don't prove such a thing.

For example, I know of people who were declared on death's bed by medical doctors, but defied the odds by changing their lifestyle, using nutrition and various herbal medication to improve their health and, consequently, to live longer than their prognosis. Some of them were religious and prayed, other weren't religious and didn't.

Nor does that ^.
Not everything in Scripture is meant in a strictly literal way. Indeed, quite a lot is not and we all can cite examples of that.

So your days are "numbered," OK, that doesn't necessarily mean pre-set down to the exact day. And the last example that was given was a story told in order to illustrate a point. It wasn't meant as a news release, and for God to say that someone will die tonight means at best that he KNOWS it, not that he planned it from all eternity.

Then there's the matter of "before your time," but we often use such an expression ourselves and it never means that the exact date of one's death has been predetermined. If a young athlete dies suddenly--let's say at age 24--we'd all take it for granted if someone said that it was before his time, and that's because we know he could have done great things had he lived longer, and that the average life expectancy is about 78, not 24.

 

[tango]

Nor does that ^.

True, if we're playing the game of "guess what God's will might have been", who knows if it was God's will for someone to walk to the very edge of death only to turn back?

I know a guy who posts on Facebook every year to commemorate the anniversary of his death. Yes, he was declared medically dead in hospital but somehow recovered and lives on. As you say, it proves nothing about whether or not God numbers our days ahead of time.

 

[Prepared]

Is the fact that each human has a predetermined lifespan that is impossible to change a biblical concept?

For example, I know of people who were declared on death's bed by medical doctors, but defied the odds by changing their lifestyle, using nutrition and various herbal medication to improve their health and, consequently, to live longer than their prognosis. Some of them were religious and prayed, other weren't religious and didn't. Was the fact that they improved their health God's will? Was the age at which they eventually died predetermined by God before their birth or were they supposed to die at the age when the doctors assessed that they were at death's door, but God gave them some extra-years?

Solomon wrote that was a time to be born in a time to die
God has already numbered our days
Job 14:5

What Does the Bible Say About Days Are Numbered?

Bible verses about Days Are Numbered

www.openbible.info

.

 

[Josiah]

Is the fact that each human has a predetermined lifespan that is impossible to change a biblical concept?

For example, I know of people who were declared on death's bed by medical doctors, but defied the odds by changing their lifestyle, using nutrition and various herbal medication to improve their health and, consequently, to live longer than their prognosis. Some of them were religious and prayed, other weren't religious and didn't. Was the fact that they improved their health God's will? Was the age at which they eventually died predetermined by God before their birth or were they supposed to die at the age when the doctors assessed that they were at death's door, but God gave them some extra-years?

No.


God foreknows our "time" but doesn't predestine it.



.

 

[Messy]

I sometimes get the idea that He takes people home when they have become so holy that it would be bad for them to stay on earth longer. For instance the sister from Corrie ten Boom. She looked like an angel when she died way too young in a concentration camp. She even forgave the SS guards immediately. Steve Hill, he also died young. It's like he has done what he had to do here. There was one preacher who came to the point that he didn't sin and he died almost immediately after that. Like Enoch but without a rapture.
And then take my granddad. He got 96. He had to get old, cause he didn't hurry up with getting saved.