Seven Notable Youths in the Bible

August 12 is International Youth Day. This United Nations awareness day focuses on cultural and legal issues specifically affecting individuals aged 12-24. Though often overlooked in society, youth often face their own unique needs and challenges. While some brush off the issues of youth, the difficulties, stresses, and everyday life explorations can prove challenging for them. For this reason, youth ministry matters in the lives of Christian youth. It’s important that Christian youth have programs, education, and spiritual insights that provide them spiritual guidance as they navigate the world for themselves.

Many of us assume Bible figures to be old. This could not be further from the truth! There are a number of different age groups present in the Bible, all offering us something to learn and grow. Here we will look at seven notable youths in the Bible – all of which came into their positions for God before the age of 25.

Joseph

The Bible tells Joseph’s story over a number of years. However, from what we can understand, he started experiencing prophetic dreams around the age of 17.

Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it…” Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” (Genesis 37:5-7, 9, NIV)

Imagine being so young and having such a poignant dream. Aside from their jealousy, Joseph’s age probably had something to do with why they were eager to reject his words. God, however, proved the dreams to be correct later in his life.

David

Another Biblical figure whose life is examined over several decades, David enters the Biblical scene as a teenager. A story full of drama, intrigue, and a powerful devotion to God, David was the youngest child of Jesse. In search to replace Saul, Samuel visits Jesse’s sons, rejecting all of them except the humble David. No one even considered David for the position, as he was out serving as the family’s shepherd. We don’t know exactly how old he was, but he was somewhere between 15 and 19 when Samuel anointed him for this purpose. He was around the same age when he killed Goliath. It would be another 15 or so years before he sat on the throne.

David came to Saul and entered his service. Saul liked him very much, and David became one of his armor-bearers. Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Allow David to remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.”

Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take up his lyre and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him. (1 Samuel 16:21-23, NIV)

David is a great lesson in the power of preparation during the season of youth. Every step he took prepared him for the day in which he would officially rule as king, leading him to rule well.

Jeremiah

The Prophet Jeremiah is known for a few things. The first is that he was the “weeping prophet.” He was called such because the sins of Israel broke his heart, leading him to intense emotional states. The second is that he had a hard and laborious ministry. His prophecies weren’t optimistic, nor hopeful, and that led to great rejection in his lifetime. Perhaps one of the greatest unsung aspects of his ministry was his age. Jeremiah was so young when God called him, he assumed himself incapable of handling the task.

“Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”

But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

Then the Lord reached out His hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put My words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.” (Jeremiah 1:5-10, NIV)

Jeremiah proves that we are never too young to minister for the Lord. When God is with us, we can do great things. Even when the ministry task is challenging or difficult, Jeremiah proves age isn’t a precursor to spiritual power.

Daniel (and his friends)

Most of us are familiar with the story of Daniel. From exile, to survival in the lions’ den, to interpreting dreams for great leaders, Daniel is an incredible testimony of faith under pressure. Daniel – and his friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego – are also testimonies of youths in the Bible. When the four were carried off in exile to Babylon, they were somewhere around 17 or 18 years old. That means the entire time they refused to bow before a statue, eat the king’s polluted food, and resisted their governmental occupation, they were not even old enough to vote by modern standards.

Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego. (Daniel 1:6-7, NIV)

Imagine having such courage and conviction at such a young age! It’s obvious youth can change the world when they are sincerely devoted to God.

John the Apostle

It’s a surprise to learn that most of Jesus’ closest disciples were around His age (somewhere around 30). By definition, they were all youths in the Bible. While they spent their lives from that point on in ministry, they definitely didn’t get into the game later in life. The youngest of them all was John the Apostle. Sources vary, but he was likely somewhere between 15 and 23 years old when he started following Jesus.

John’s youth can be seen in some of his details in the Gospels. He and Peter had animosity among them, and he included a detail in the resurrection account that was, by all measures, petty.

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put Him!”

So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. (John 20:1-4, NIV)

This just proves that no matter how young – or how many issues we might have to work within ourselves – God can use even our pettiness for His glory.

The boy who gave up his lunch

When we study Scripture, our focus is usually on major events, rather than minor details. The minor details we overlook, however, tend to reveal important things to us. In John’s Gospel, we learn of a young boy with five loaves and two fishes that were used to feed an entire crowd.

Another of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”

Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

When they had all had enough to eat, He said to His disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. (John 6:9-13, NIV)

Apparently whatever we have to offer is enough at any age. God can always take a little and work with a lot.

Timothy

Our last example of youths in the Bible is Timothy. We don’t exactly know his age, but he was likely in his late teens or early twenties when he started working with the Apostle Paul. Timothy, a student of Paul, would become an apostle and bishop in his own right. He was so young, people challenged the legitimacy of his ministry. In response, the Apostle Paul gave him the following advice:

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you. (1 Timothy 4:12-14, NIV)

Timothy proves that it’s not age which determines the validity of our calling. Whether young or old, when our call is acknowledged, it is valid. Youths in the Bible also offer hope for leadership of the next generation.

Final thoughts

How can you inspire a young person through these accounts of youths in the Bible? How can we better incorporate teaching on such for today’s youth through youth ministry, lessons, and studies? Why do you believe youths in the Bible matter?