What does the Bible tell us about what scriptural leaders accomplished as teenagers?
Although we remember most of the well-known people in the writings of scriptures because of the things they did as adults, we can sometimes discover hints about what these remarkable people were like in their teen age. In fact, discovering the decisions and choices they made while growing up may help you in living your life today. Here are a few examples of young people and teenagers in the bible:
- Isaac
- Moses
- Samuel
- Little Maid of Israel
- Joseph
- Daniel
- Shadrach
- Meshach
- Abed-nego
Isaac
Isaac, the child of promise, born to Abraham and Sarah when they were in their old age, had remarkable events surrounding his childhood. Although the bible did not give his exact age, they say he was a “lad” when he accompanied his father Abraham and was prepared to become a sacrifice (Genesis 22:3–19).
Lessons from Isaac’s Life
1. He learned from his father to follow the Lord’s guidance. We should learn to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit to guide us on everything in life. Instructions can also come through our church leaders and like Isaac, we should be obedient.
2. He had faith in God through believing his father’s words that God would provide a lamb for the burnt offering (Genesis 22:8). Without faith, it is impossible to please God (Heb 11:6); the just shall live by faith (Heb 10:38). The summary of our Christian walk with God is a journey of faith and at every point in our lives, in every circumstance of life, we must learn to trust God and exhibit faith.
3. It wasn’t recorded that Isaac showed any resistance when Abraham bounded him for the sacrifice (Genesis 22:9). He was submissive and his life was preserved (Genesis 22:12).
Moses
Born to a Levite at a time Egypt’s Pharaoh gave a decree to slay the male children of the Israelites, Moses grew with many hurdles in his childhood.
After being discovered as a babe wrapped in a basket in the
bulrushes and taken to the palace to be raised as an Egyptian Prince, Moses
received a first-class education (see Acts 7:22). In his teens, he may have
been taught to read and write Egyptian.
Lessons from Moses’ Life
1. He was diligent and studious
2. Though raised an Egyptian, Moses still remembered his roots and did not forget his brethren (Exodus 2:11).
Samuel
Samuel was born as a gift from the Lord to his mother
Hannah. She promised to give him to the Lord to be raised by the priest Eli.
Samuel grew and served, and when he was about 12 years old, he was awakened by
the voice of the Lord calling to him in the night (see 1 Samuel 3:4–10). Even
as a boy, Samuel learned to listen to the voice of the Lord. This began his
preparation to become a prophet.
Lessons from Samuel’s Life
1. The boy Samuel grew in the presence of the Lord (1 Samuel 2:21). You should also cultivate the habit of being in constant fellowship in the presence of the Lord. Most especially, we must always be conscious of His dwelling on our inside.
2. He was found of ministering to the Lord daily and served God with all his heart.
3. He made a decision to stand out amongst the children in the Temple under Eli’s watch.
4. He revered and was submissive to Prophet Eli and went to him
immediately he heard the voice of God (1 Samuel 2:8 & 15).
5. Samuel was available for God’s use. When He heard God’s voice he immediately answered: “Here I am”…even though he initially thought it was Eli. He was ready.
6. Samuel continually sought the Lord even as he matured in the ways of the Lord (1 Samuel 3:19). He didn’t stop seeking the Lord.
Little Maid of Israel
There is a wonderful story in 2 Kings 5 about Naaman being healed of leprosy by God. One of the minor characters in the story is a little slave girl of whom we know almost nothing. However, the one thing we know about her is that she was concerned for the people around her that they would know the power of God.
She was in a land that was not her home. She was actually
there against her will. Yet, she still loved the people God had placed around
her and was willing to share what she knew about the Lord with them.
When she learned that her master Naaman had leprosy, she willingly told him about God’s prophet Elisha and how that God worked through this man. Naaman went to Elisha because he trusted what this little maid said. Naaman, the captain of the army of Syria, trusted the words of this young lady (2 Kings 5:1–3).
Naaman went to see Elisha and was healed of his leprosy. We know nothing else about this young lady, but we know enough to surmise that she loved the Lord and the people God called her to serve. She was also a trustworthy and honest servant.
Joseph
Joseph was the second to the last son of Jacob, a child of
his old age and he loved him very much. To show his love for his son, he made
him a coat of many colors.
Joseph is one of the few teenagers whom the Bible stated their ages (Genesis 37:2). At 17, God started speaking to Joseph through the dreams that changed his life, where his brothers were symbolically bowing down to him. It is believed that around that age, he was sold into slavery by his brothers but God was with him that even in slavery, he prospered and became the head of Potiphar’s house
Even in such circumstances, Joseph was blessed. Joseph did a
good job for Potiphar, the man who bought him, and everything Joseph worked at
prospered (see Genesis 39:3–4). Joseph continued to work hard and was loyal to
his master. Despite false charges, accusations and imprisonment till he was 30
years old, Joseph eventually rose to become a leader in Egypt second only to
Pharaoh. His success put him in a position to help his own family during
difficult times.
Lessons from Joseph’s Life
1. Joseph remained faithful to God despite all the hurdles life posed his way and God used him even prison.
2. He was open minded to everyone, even to his enemy-brothers (Genesis 37:9)
3. He was faithful not only to God but to his master Potiphar (Genesis 39:8)
4. He revered and feared the Lord (Genesis 39:9)
5. The Lord was with Joseph because he feared and served Him
and he was highly favoured everywhere he showed up; in Potiphar’s house, prison
and even in the sight of Pharaoh in Egypt
Daniel and his friends Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego
After his family and people were taken captive to Babylon, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego were brought to serve in the palace of the king. As teenage boys, they refused to eat the sacrificial meat and drink the wine that those in the palace ate. They kept the commandments and were given knowledge and skill. In Daniel 1:20, it says that the king found these four “ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.”
Did you know that Daniel was somewhere around 80 years old when
he was thrown into the Lion’s den?
Although we don’t precisely know when Nebuchadnezzar built
the statue that he wanted his people to worship. But, it was between the third
and twenty third year of the Babylonian captivity. It is believed that
Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego were cast into the fiery furnace when they were
between 10 and 30 years old. They certainly were many years younger than Daniel
was when he faced the lions.
However, there's another attention-grabbing story regarding
these four young men in Daniel chapter 1. They may have only been about 8 years
old when they stood up for what they believed. They were offered food and drink
that were against their traditional Jewish beliefs. They had already gained
favor with their captors and requested that their diet be changed to something
more familiar. They stood up for their beliefs even as very young men.
The result of their decision to honor the Lord with their
eating habits was that God gave them knowledge and skill in learning and wisdom
(Daniel 1:17). This verse also says that Daniel was given an ability to
understand dreams and visions which is basically what the rest of the book is
about.
Lessons from the Lives of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego
1.Your excellence gives you a platform to speak truth to power.
These three men spent the best years of their lives serving a ruler that had killed their families and enslaved their people. They probably didn’t agree with his policies nor his values nor even the direction he was taking the country. In spite of all that, they chose to honor God and serve with excellence, wherever they found themselves, and their excellence gave them the platform to even have an audience to speak before the king. How you excel at where you work, the dedication and excellence you put into your career, either builds or erodes a platform from which you can tell others about God.
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