Numbers 11:16-30
MOSES was downcast and discouraged by the complaining and unbelief of the people. Their unbelief seems to have infected even God’s trusted servant. But the trials of the wilderness only bring out what is in our hearts while at the same time they reveal the wonderful grace and goodness of the heart of God.
God did not rebuke Moses here but He did take him at his word. The honor He had put upon Moses he would have to share with others. He told Moses to gather seventy elders of Israel to the tabernacle and He would take some of the Spirit which was upon Moses and put it upon them. “And they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.”
He also told Moses that on the morrow He was going to give the people flesh to eat, not just for one day but for a whole month, until it became loathsome to them. They had despised God saying, “Who shall give us flesh to eat?... for it was well with us in Egypt.”
But Moses’ sad unbelief comes out here. He reasoned: “How could God give enough meat to feed 600,000 men for a month in the wilderness. Shall all the flocks and herds be slain to satisfy them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be caught for them?” Instead he ought to have said, “God who gives us bread from heaven every day can easily give us meat too if He pleases.”
How patient was the Lord with His failing servant. He said: “Is the Lord’s hand waxed short? Thou shalt see now whether My word shall come to pass unto thee or not.” Unbelief says, See first, believe after. But faith believes first and sees afterward. The Lord said to Martha, “Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?” John 11:40.
Moses gathered the seventy elders together and the Lord came down in a cloud and spoke to him. “And He took of the Spirit that was upon Moses and gave it to the seventy elders.” And it came to pass, that, when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.” Two of these men, Eldad and Medad, remained in the camp; however, the Spirit rested upon them and they also prophesied.
Moses’ servant, Joshua, a young man full of zeal and jealous for his master’s honor, thought Moses should forbid these two men. He thought only Moses should prophesy. But it seems this jealousy of his servant recalled Moses to the grace in which he stood for he manifested a very lovely spirit here. Delighted to see the work of God’s Spirit in His people, wherever they were, he said as it were, “Are you jealous for me? I wish all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that He would put His Spirit upon them all.”
We should covet this lovely spirit of Moses for this looked on to our time, even now, when God has gathered together in one all His people and has given His Spirit to dwell in each. Perhaps He has given some to see things more clearly than others, but it is only grace that enables us to walk in the truth. Some are in a wrong position no doubt, but let us not hinder in any way their service for the Lord. They are dear to God, and we ought to rejoice to see Christ preached. The work is His and He is sovereign in using whomsoever He will.
It was a day of failure and weakness and Moses felt His own weakness in the midst of it all, but he was enabled to rise above it and joy in the Lord. May we know more of the sweetness of this peace and joy in our day.
Memory Verse: “CHRIST ALSO SUFFERED FOR US,... WHO HIS OWN SELF BARE OUR SINS IN HIS OWN BODY ON THE TREE.” 1 Peter 2:21,24
ML-08/19/1973