From Numbers 11-13

The people complain again and Moses begins to despair his role as leader over the people. The LORD responds by giving the people more meat than they can bear and bestowing his Spirit on a small group of elders who then prophesy. Moses wishes God could do this for all the people of the LORD.

This post is part of my bible in a year series.

Passage and Comments

Today’s chapter begins with more complaints from Israel about their misfortunes. This angers the LORD because they continue to distrust him after all he had done. The people have been fed by manna and now want meat. Moses begins to question his role as leader over the people and despair. This is where our passage picks up.

16 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Gather for me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. 17 And I will come down and talk with you there. And I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone. (Num 11:16–17)

‘Elders’. Moses is instructed men of age and wisdom whom are probably in leadership already. These men are to help Moses judge and direct the people.

‘Spirit’. The LORD says He will give them some of the Spirit He gave him. The Spirit will specially enable these men to serve in their new capacity.

18 And say to the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat, for you have wept in the hearing of the LORD, saying, “Who will give us meat to eat? For it was better for us in Egypt.”

Therefore the LORD will give you meat, and you shall eat. 19 You shall not eat just one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days, 20 but a whole month, until it comes out at your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have rejected the LORD who is among you and have wept before him, saying, “Why did we come out of Egypt?” ’ ”

21 But Moses said, “The people among whom I am number six hundred thousand on foot, and you have said, ‘I will give them meat, that they may eat a whole month!’ 22 Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, and be enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, and be enough for them?” 23 And the LORD said to Moses, “Is the LORD’s hand shortened? Now you shall see whether my word will come true for you or not.” (Num 11:18–23)

‘Consecrate yourselves’. In light of their complaint and the upcoming additions to their leadership the LORD commands Israel to consecrate themselves. That is go through the proper purity rituals to prepare for what will happen.

‘Eat a whole month’, ‘loathsome to you. The LORD promises to give them so much meat that it will become a punishment for the complaining people who dared question their deliverance from slavery.

‘Enough for them?’, ‘LORD’s hand shortened?’ Moses at first does not believe the LORD can feed six hundred thousand and more people with meat for a whole month. Can his power extend to those lengths? But the LORD will do it as a demonstration of his power.

24 So Moses went out and told the people the words of the LORD. And he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tent. 25 Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. And as soon as the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied. But they did not continue doing it. (Num 11:24–25)

‘Spirit on them’. The LORD did as he promised and bestowed on the elders some of the Spirit that was on Moses. Enabling them to perform their role.

‘Did not continue’. The elders immediately prophesied, which here unexplained possibly refers to encouraging the people to worship, trust and obedience. Notably however their prophesy is short lived.

26 Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the Spirit rested on them. They were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp.

27 And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” 28 And Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, “My lord Moses, stop them.” 29 But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the LORD’s people were prophets, that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!” 30 And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp. (Num 11:26–30)

‘They prophesied in the camp’, ‘Stop them’. Joshua, perhaps jealous for how the people perceive Moses, suggests they should be stopped. Moses shows humility and wisdom by expressing the hope that everyone would have the LORD’s Spirit on them.

Story of Israel

For the most part, in the OT only leaders set apart for some sort of ministry or service were given the Spirit. Moses’ statements about ‘all the LORD’s people’ receiving the Spirit anticipate the promise the LORD makes in Joel 2.28-29 which is fulfilled in the gospel.

Story of Jesus

In the gospel, Jesus sends his disciples out by first giving them the Spirit.

19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” (Jn 20:19–23)

God gives his Spirit to all who believe Jesus is the promised Christ. A fair majority of the gifts of the Spirit are speaking gifts. The gift of evangelism is an important example. The ability to tell the story of Jesus, the gospel, in such a way that it creates faith in Jesus as the risen Christ and Lord. We should not seek to prevent people from speaking of the LORD. Rather support and pray for those who do.

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