Would That All Had the Spirit!

The Spirit Comes
The Pledge of God's Presence

The Lamb of God

Numbers 11:26-29  The Message

²⁶ Meanwhile two men, Eldad and Medad, had stayed in the camp. They were listed as leaders but they didn’t leave camp to go to the Tent. Still, the Spirit also rested on them and they prophesied in the camp.

²⁷ A young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!”
²⁸ Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses’ right-hand man since his youth, said, “Moses, master! Stop them!”
²⁹ But Moses said, “Are you jealous for me? Would that all God’s people were prophets. Would that God would put his Spirit on all of them.”

For Reflection 

One of the perks of being in a leadership position is that one receives attention and is elevated by those who are lead.  It is a good feeling, one that results in a kind of expectation that would rather not be lost.  So when Eldade and Medad began to assume the power of Moses as they prophesied, Joshua, who enjoyed his proximity and access to his master, the center of power, was threatened by a "competing leader."  He assumed Moses would also be threatened and be motivated by appeals to his need to keep control of his position.  Not so.  

 

Even though Eldade and Medad were in conflict with the call to the temple, Moses understood that bringing them into the tent and pardoning there infraction was most prudent.  As Matthew Henry points out in his commentary, " They modestly declined preferment, but God forced it upon them; nay, they have the honor of being named, which the rest have not: for those that humble themselves shall be exalted, and those are most fit for government who are least ambitious of it."

Pray

Pray for those who in humility place righteousness above polity.  Pray that those in government, church leadership or civil duty, will not be corrupted by the need to sustain themselves in it at the expense of righteousness.