Text: Numbers 11:24-30 Title: Would that all the Lord’s people would prophesy! A little back-story: Moses tasked with leading the Children of Israel through the wilderness, as they await the time when they will inherit the Land the Lord had prepared for the. But the Israelites were a stubborn, stiff-necked people. Often did not listen to him, often did not trust him, often challenged his authority, and yet, they always turned to him to solve all their problems and settle all their arguments and disputes. On one occasion, Moses had become so frustrated with trying to govern the people, he shared with his father-in-law, Jethro, all the difficulties he had as the leader of Israel. And Jethro told him to select 72 elders, men who were respectable and trustworthy, and delegate some of his responsibilities to them. And that seemed to work, for a time. But then, as time went on, people once again began to blame Moses for all their problems, and expected him to be responsible for all of their needs. And on this occasion, the people were once again complaining about food, as they so often did in their desert wonderings. The Lord God was already providing them with manna – bread from heaven – but it wasn’t enough. They were craving other food, and so they began to turn against Moses once again. So the Lord instructs Moses: he tells him to gather those 70 elders and take them into the Tabernacle, saying that He would imbue those elders with the same Spirit given to Moses. And through this Holy Spirit, God would instruct these elders in wisdom and truth, and would declare righteous judgments to the people of Israel. In other words, through these men gifted with the Holy Spirit, He would send His Word to rule His people. So it was on account of those unruly Israelites, who in their unbelief began to despise God’s caring provision for them – His gift of the manna from heaven – despising God’s Law and His Lawgiver, and plaguing him with all manner of troubles. But while it might be easy for us to pass judgment on those Israelites, let us be careful. Because, when you get right down to it, we really aren’t that different from them. They were unsatisfied with what God had provided them. Do we ever find ourselves dissatisfied with the tender mercies of our Lord? Do we ever find ourselves discontent and desiring more? And in our desire for more, do we find ourselves failing to give thanks to Him for what He has provide for us? Don’t get me wrong, wanting good things is not in itself a sin. But if we let that desire cause us to become discontented, or to forget to give thanks to our God, then it most certainly is sin – idolatry and greed. And what if we let that desire cause us to ignore or neglect the Lord’s mercy toward us? What if, like the Israelites, we find ourselves desiring the things of this world, that we forget, or even begin to despise, what the Lord has already given us? For example, the ministry of His Word. And just as the Lord had set Moses to govern those people, He has also given us His Law to govern our lives as well. But how often do we break that Law? How often do we ignore the demands of that Law and think that we’re better off without it? And when things were not going as the people thought they should, who did they blame? Moses. Do you ever find yourself blaming others when things aren’t going your way? Or even blaming God? Let’s face it: as much as the people were grumbling against Moses, who were they really grumbling against? And when we grumble against our circumstances, who are we really grumbling against? When we follow our sinful desires and reject what is good, who are we really rejecting? And when we do wrong and commit sin, who are we sinning against? In that situation, I can’t help but feel that God had every right to be frustrated with the people. And yet, did God send forth plagues and fireballs to completely destroy them? No. Instead, He tells Moses to select men who will govern the people. Instead of giving the people what they deserved, He instead gives them what they need, namely wise rulers who would govern them and lead them. But these rulers – these elders of Israel – were not merely to be men of great wisdom and learning and patience – in fact, I have to wonder how wise they were. They had already been appointed leaders of Israel, but during this time of great conflict, where were they? I can’t help but think that, wise as they were, they were imperfect, fallen sinners, just like the rest of the people. So, in order to govern God’s people, they needed something more. They needed to be divinely empowered so that they could overcome their own shortcomings and be the kind of men God was calling them to be. They needed wisdom from the Lord that transcended the wisdom they knew. God had to grant them the wisdom and power and authority they needed to be the kind of leaders who could govern Israel. Because on their own, these elders might have been good politicians, or even decent leaders – given their previous failures, probably not great – but to be godly rulers, equipped to rule God’s people, they needed God’s wisdom and God’s power to rule their own lives and equip them in their vocations as the shepherds of His flock. And so, the Lord has Moses gather these 70 elders in the Tabernacle, and there He puts within all of them His Holy Spirit, His own Presence, His own Breath of Life, filling them with His wisdom and granting them His strength to serve His people. God was going to be ruling through them by His Spirit. Do you remember the Explanation of the Lord’s Prayer? “Thy kingdom come”? How does God’s kingdom come? God's kingdom comes when our heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His holy Word and lead godly lives here in time and there in eternity. This was exactly what was happening here. God’s Holy Spirit had come, and by His grace, He was ruling over the hearts and minds of these 70 men, and using them, He would rule over all Israel by His Word. When they opened their mouths to speak, it was God who was speaking. When they commanded the people, it was God who was doing the commanding. When they declared righteous judgment in disputes, it was God who was presiding over the cases. Now, let’s think about this for a moment: has the Lord appointed someone here to lead you in the same way he appointed elders to rule Israel? Someone whom He has gifted by His Spirit to guide you? Has he sent someone here that, when he speaks the Word of God, it is God Himself who speaks? That when he says, “I forgive your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” he actually brings you forgiveness of sins? And when he proclaims the Word of Jesus Christ crucified and risen from the dead, Jesus comes out of his mouth, and goes right into your ear, granting you forgiveness, cleansing, and new life in Christ? But in order for this servant of the Word of God to be the kind of leader you need him to be, he needs the Holy Spirit to rule over his heart and mind as well. He is, after all, a sinner, a fallen, imperfect, and broken human being. And that is why you need to pray for your pastor, that the Holy Spirit will instruct him and guide him in all truth, and that the words that come out of his mouth are the words of Christ, that they always point to the crucified Savior, who alone is able to forgive sins and grant eternal life. But, as these elders are gathered in the Tabernacle, something unusual happens. There appear to have been two elders who, for whatever reason, didn’t show up at the meeting. Maybe they were out trying to take care of some problems among the people. Or maybe they were just running late. But whatever the reason, God anointed them with His Spirit as well, and right there in the camp, among the people, they began to prophesy, to speak divinely inspired words from God Himself! It would seem from this passage, that God’s Spirit is not limited to the Tabernacle, that, while it is great to have a sacred space and a sacred time for the Word of God to be proclaimed, that Word is not bound by that place or time, but rather transcends it. The same is true of God’s Word today. Yes, it is good and right that you hear it proclaimed here and now, in this sacred place and at this sacred time, but that Word belongs out there too. Remember that old orange juice commercial, “It isn’t just for breakfast anymore”? Well, God’s Word isn’t just for Sunday morning at church anymore. And then we have this odd exchange between Joshua and Moses. Joshua, not really understanding what is taking place, thinks that it is wrong for these two men to be gifted with the same Holy Spirit that was given to the other 70 elders. And he complains to Moses about it. And Moses responds, “Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!” Well, guess what, people: that same Holy Spirit that Moses was granted, that was also granted to those 70 elders of Israel, that was granted to those two men in the camp, is the same Holy Spirit that was granted to you and me when we were baptized into Jesus’ name. We also have Him to rule our hearts and minds, and to make us men and women of God. We also have His Word, and if we let Him open our mouths for us, we too can speak the Word of the Lord to this world that needs to hear it. Like those two men, we can carry that Word out into the public sphere and boldly share it among those who do not have it. And what is that Word that the Holy Spirit would have us speak? It is the same Word that He revealed to us: the Word of Christ crucified and risen from the dead. The Word that, even though we were dead in our sins, Jesus Christ demonstrated His love for us by dying for us. And that on account of this Lord Jesus Christ, we now have forgiveness of sins, and new life in Him. This same Jesus Christ, who suffered and died for us, rose again from the grave, and is now seated at the Father’s right hand, ruling over all creation. And this same Jesus Christ has promised that He will be with us, even to the very end of the age, by sending us His Holy Spirit. This Holy Spirit continues to open our eyes to see this Jesus Christ, and to open our ears so we can hear His voice calling us and leading us, and to open our mouths so we can speak His Word.
This is why we celebrate Pentecost: because our Lord Jesus Christ has not left us alone and without guidance in this life. He has indeed sent us His Holy Spirit to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, to rule our hearts and minds, and to sanctify us to be His people. Amazing how that works: the Son sends the Spirit, and the Spirit reveals the Son. And this Spirit has indeed been poured out on us – we have this promise by virtue of our Baptism. And this Holy Spirit has made us into His messengers, and through us, brings forth the Word of our Lord Jesus Christ into this fallen, sinful world. This Pentecost Day, the Lord fill your heart and mind with His wisdom to rule over you by His mercy, and your mouth with His Word to proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of the darkness into His kingdom of light. |