Num 11:25 | KingComments | STEP | Before the quail come, Moses first gathers the seventy elders. The LORD takes of the Spirit Who was upon him and places Him upon the elders. We read that the Spirit “rested upon them”. This is a wonderful indication that the Spirit finds peace with them. It is like the Spirit Who descends upon the Lord Jesus like a dove and then remains upon Him ( ). When the Spirit finds rest with us, we can share the things of God with each other. By the Spirit Who rests upon them, the elders prophesy. They do that temporarily. Prophecy is the application of the Word to the heart and conscience ( ). Two of the seventy have stayed back in the camp. We can see a special guidance of God’s providence that these two are absent, for thus it appears that it is indeed the Spirit of God, by Whom these elders are driven. Not Moses gave them that Spirit, but God Himself. Perhaps these two, it is supposed, have been too modest to respond to Moses’ call. Yet God gives them His Spirit and urges them to prophesy. The fact that they are in God’s favor may be deduced from the fact that God reveals their names to us, and of them alone. He knows perfectly well what is being done for Him, even if it happens in the camp and not at the tent of meeting. Although they are not present where they should be, they still prophesy. A young man reports this to Moses. Joshua hears the message about this and thinks that the two men should stop prophesying. In his opinion they are not competent to do so because they are not in the right place, near the tent where the LORD is present in the cloud. But Moses has learned the lesson. He does not prevent it. The Lord Jesus also taught His disciples that lesson ( ). Paul learned from the Lord Jesus and shows a mind similar to that of Moses ( ). Moses acknowledges that God uses them in that place and that they are a blessing to others. It is always good to recognize that God remains sovereign in the distribution of His Spirit. The names of the two are highlighted. Eldad means ‘God has loved’ and Medad means ‘loved one’. In these names we find a development of love in a place where they should not actually be. It is a revelation of love that is often lacking among those who, possibly rightly, say that they are in the right place, namely the place where the Lord Jesus is in the midst ( ). Such a revelation of love serves to embarrass all those who can say a lot about love, but in practice do not act accordingly. If we fail to hold the truth of God’s Word about the meeting of the believers in love ( ), God will use others who may lack understanding. The Lord says: “He who is not against us is for us” ( ). That should teach us about our judgment of what others do for the Lord. It forbids us to draw a line through activities just because they do not ‘emanate from us’. Moses’ reaction to Joshua’s proposal shows that he does not seek his own honor, but that of the LORD, and that he has the welfare of the people in mind. In the church there may also be the desire that “all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted” ( ). This excludes a one-man service. It is important to have this desire and to encourage others to let themselves be used for this service. Jealousy must be judged here. No one may present himself as being solely competent or qualified to perform this service. No one should also think that everything that comes to mind in him should necessarily be put forward, for “the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets” ( ). Prophecy, as has been said, is speaking “to men for edification and exhortation and consolation” ( ). The question is to what extent the desire is present in us and to what extent the freedom is present in it. Is our relationship with the Lord Jesus to become jealous of, as with Moses? Prophesy is speaking what is necessary in view of the state of God’s people or of a single soul at that time. If we are dependent on the Lord and we have the desire to serve His own, He will give the words that are needed. The lamentation of Moses “would that all the LORD’s people were prophets, that the LORD would put His Spirit upon them!”, will become a reality in the future. The prophet Joel speaks about this in his prophecy: “It will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days” ( ). The wish of Moses has become with Joel a promise of the LORD: sons and daughters shall prophesy. This requires a life animated by the Spirit. Only then one is receptive to Divine revelations. This will be the case for all who enter the kingdom of peace. Prophecy is speaking out of the presence of God with knowledge of His will. God will make His will known to the old men through dreams and to young people through visions. In the Old Testament we see that the Spirit does not generally use every member of the people. He does His work mainly through kings, priests and prophets. It will be different in the future. Then all layers of the people, also the male and female servants, receive this gift. There will be no distinction between gender, age – for God there is no generation gap – or social status. The old men, with whom the power is diminishing or even gone, and the young men, who have little or no experience in the things of God, will receive revelations from God in dreams and visions.

‏ Numbers 11:25

The Seventy Elders Prophesy

Before the quail come, Moses first gathers the seventy elders. The LORD takes of the Spirit Who was upon him and places Him upon the elders. We read that the Spirit “rested upon them”. This is a wonderful indication that the Spirit finds peace with them. It is like the Spirit Who descends upon the Lord Jesus like a dove and then remains upon Him (Jn 1:33b). When the Spirit finds rest with us, we can share the things of God with each other. By the Spirit Who rests upon them, the elders prophesy. They do that temporarily. Prophecy is the application of the Word to the heart and conscience (1Cor 14:3).

Two of the seventy have stayed back in the camp. We can see a special guidance of God’s providence that these two are absent, for thus it appears that it is indeed the Spirit of God, by Whom these elders are driven. Not Moses gave them that Spirit, but God Himself. Perhaps these two, it is supposed, have been too modest to respond to Moses’ call. Yet God gives them His Spirit and urges them to prophesy. The fact that they are in God’s favor may be deduced from the fact that God reveals their names to us, and of them alone. He knows perfectly well what is being done for Him, even if it happens in the camp and not at the tent of meeting.

Although they are not present where they should be, they still prophesy. A young man reports this to Moses. Joshua hears the message about this and thinks that the two men should stop prophesying. In his opinion they are not competent to do so because they are not in the right place, near the tent where the LORD is present in the cloud. But Moses has learned the lesson. He does not prevent it. The Lord Jesus also taught His disciples that lesson (Mk 9:38-41). Paul learned from the Lord Jesus and shows a mind similar to that of Moses (Phil 1:15-18).

Moses acknowledges that God uses them in that place and that they are a blessing to others. It is always good to recognize that God remains sovereign in the distribution of His Spirit. The names of the two are highlighted. Eldad means ‘God has loved’ and Medad means ‘loved one’. In these names we find a development of love in a place where they should not actually be. It is a revelation of love that is often lacking among those who, possibly rightly, say that they are in the right place, namely the place where the Lord Jesus is in the midst (Mt 18:20). Such a revelation of love serves to embarrass all those who can say a lot about love, but in practice do not act accordingly.

If we fail to hold the truth of God’s Word about the meeting of the believers in love (Eph 4:15), God will use others who may lack understanding. The Lord says: “He who is not against us is for us” (Mk 9:40). That should teach us about our judgment of what others do for the Lord. It forbids us to draw a line through activities just because they do not ‘emanate from us’.

Moses’ reaction to Joshua’s proposal shows that he does not seek his own honor, but that of the LORD, and that he has the welfare of the people in mind. In the church there may also be the desire that “all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted” (1Cor 14:31). This excludes a one-man service. It is important to have this desire and to encourage others to let themselves be used for this service. Jealousy must be judged here. No one may present himself as being solely competent or qualified to perform this service. No one should also think that everything that comes to mind in him should necessarily be put forward, for “the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets” (1Cor 14:32).

Prophecy, as has been said, is speaking “to men for edification and exhortation and consolation” (1Cor 14:3). The question is to what extent the desire is present in us and to what extent the freedom is present in it. Is our relationship with the Lord Jesus to become jealous of, as with Moses? Prophesy is speaking what is necessary in view of the state of God’s people or of a single soul at that time. If we are dependent on the Lord and we have the desire to serve His own, He will give the words that are needed.

The lamentation of Moses “would that all the LORD’s people were prophets, that the LORD would put His Spirit upon them!”, will become a reality in the future. The prophet Joel speaks about this in his prophecy: “It will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days” (Joel 2:28-29).

The wish of Moses has become with Joel a promise of the LORD: sons and daughters shall prophesy. This requires a life animated by the Spirit. Only then one is receptive to Divine revelations. This will be the case for all who enter the kingdom of peace. Prophecy is speaking out of the presence of God with knowledge of His will. God will make His will known to the old men through dreams and to young people through visions.

In the Old Testament we see that the Spirit does not generally use every member of the people. He does His work mainly through kings, priests and prophets. It will be different in the future. Then all layers of the people, also the male and female servants, receive this gift. There will be no distinction between gender, age – for God there is no generation gap – or social status. The old men, with whom the power is diminishing or even gone, and the young men, who have little or no experience in the things of God, will receive revelations from God in dreams and visions.