26 But two men had remained in the camp: the name of one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad. And the Spirit rested upon them. Now they were among those listed, but who had not gone out to the tabernacle; yet they prophesied in the camp. 27 And a young man ran and told Moses, and said, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp." 28 So Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, one of his choice men, answered and said, "Moses my lord, forbid them!" 29 Then Moses said to him, "Are you zealous for my sake? Oh, that all the Lord's people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!" Numbers 11 NKJV
What an interesting story we have here, sandwiched between the ongoing complaints of the Israelites for "meat." Oh that we stayed in Egypt and ate the cucumbers, garlic, onions, fish lamb stew, roast beef, all kinds of pastries and delicacies. The grumblings from the people was normal from a human perspective; however, it sounds like they were on a cooking show. and then... Moses says- you want meat, I'll give you meat - until comes out of your nostrils. I'll give you so much meat that it will cover the landscape and it will rot in the streets because there's so much. Even while it is still in their teeth it was laying all over the ground two cubits high - they up to their knees in quail. Moses was thoroughly perturbed with these people and he doesn't hesitate to say so.
So what is this story of Eldad and Medad, doing right in the middle of this narrative? Why did God write this story here? It almost doesn't make sense, as though it was written this to warn people that if you're going to grumble, God will pour out His Spirit on you. We understand God wants to help Moses, but what about the story of the two, outside the camp, how does it fit in? It almost doesn't make sense to put this story here in Numbers 11, when Moses is writing about the incessant grumbling of the people for meat. Now we know from the story that Moses couldn't carry the weight of looking after these people and God instructed him to call all 70 leaders so God could put His Spirit upon them - to help Moses care for, and lead, the people. This might be the point, but you also see at the end of this section that they "never prophesied again." So if the goal of putting God's Spirit on them to reduce the burden on Moses, and to make them prophets like Moses, it was a dismal failure. God poured out His Spirit only this one time, but it never happened again. If the point was to help Moses administer the Israelites, with the power of the Spirit, then it was a failure because they never prophesied again. What then was the point of this story of Medad and Eldad?
To me the story has a deeper meaning about trusting in God's ongoing presence. God was beginning to teach them something that every Christian, and Jew should understand - God was with them. God's presence was not just at the tabernacle or just with Moses or even just with the cloud and the fire. We begin to see that there is an instruction in this section- almost like a warning a stop sign that says 'Stop" and think for a moment. What is the real story here and we need to ask why did Moses insert this story right in the midst of the grumbling narrative.
Let's examine the two individuals in this story, Medad and Eldad. In the Hebrew, their names ring with the idea of love and God's love. Israelite names usually denote some character of the person or some idea of their destiny- usually Hebrew names imply God's purpose or plan for the individual. We also see this in the story of Jacob when God changes his name to Israel- from one who struggles with God to one who loves God. The Lord changed Jacob's name to conform and confirm his destiny and character. This was the story of the struggle of Jacob with the angel, and it was here that the Lord changed his name to conform to his destiny. We see this with many characters in the bible. Peter, in the New Testament is another good example- where God changes his name from Cephas to Peter. This conforms his name to his destiny. For Eldad and Medad, meaning of their names gives the reader of the story some understanding that they were probably "lovers of God" and didn't avoid going to the tabernacle because they were sinners or unclean or trying to avoid God's presence. If they were unclean, it's likely the story would have taken a different course. I could see Moses saying, Medad and Eldad were unclean, so because of this, the Spirit of God would not or could not, rest on them; however, their names indicate something deeper- almost as though, they loved God and were dedicated to God and His love. It's more likely they were busy ministering to the people, or helping a poor person, or administering to the sick.
Because of this, I believe, they were not procrastinating, they were not unclean, or sinners or even sent outside the camp because of manslaughter or committing adultry. They were two guys who loved God, they loved his presence, and I believe they were busy doing the work as in ministering to the children of Israel - otherwise, as in other stories in the bible, the narrative would have been much different. If you recall the story of the two sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, who basically were drunk and disorderly while ministering at the tabernacle, and God killed them because of their behaviour. The bible is replete with stories like this. This story was reported to instruct the Israelites to hallow God's presence at the tabernacle. I'm sure, if Medad and Eldad were unclean or disorderly, that the story would have sounded much different. Moses would have reported their behaviour to instruct the Israelites to hallow God's presence here as well. The fact that no such reporting is here, tells us that these guys were truly "Lovers of God," as their names imply. The Jewish Talmud, typically reports this type of narrative and uses these omissions to instruct Jewish readers.
If these men were unclean the story in Numbers would have sounded something like this: - Medad and Eldad were unclean, they were sleeping with Midianite women etc and when the Spirit of God rested on the 70 elders - Medad and Eldad were left out. God judged them unworthy of the Spirit of God. From my perspective, the reason they did not come to the tabernacle was a lot more than the narrative implies, because, obviously the Spirit of God would not rest on them if they were unclean or unholy; in addition, the fact that this story is sandwiched between the narrative on the grumbling nation, tells us it's an important story that needed to be told. God's presence, no matter where and when it happened is instructive to the nation of Israel. When God shows up, no matter on whom and when, it is an important event to be reported.
It is also incredibly instructive to the Israelites, to understand that the Spirit of God rested on these two elders even when they were not at the tabernacle and they were not even close to Moses. They didn't even need Moses to lay hands on them to receive the Spirit of God. Even Moses implied this when he said "Oh, that all the Lord's people were prophets and that the Lord would put His spirit upon them." The only time God's presence was around centred on the person of Moses. So in other words we begin to see God's presence outside of the tabernacle and didn't need Moses to lay hands on them. This also mirrors the events in the book of Acts when Peter was trying to figure out if he should lay hands on the gentiles to receive the Spirit of God. What a surprise to Peter when God poured out His Spirit on the gentiles too. Peter didn't even have to lay hands on them to receive the Spirit of God. This type of foreshadowing is typical of the prophetic in the bible. One story is so similar in type to another that we can see that God was getting us ready for His work and we can recognize it as God's because of the similarities. This is similar to the Jewish teaching in the Talmud ( a commentary on various scriptures- written by Jewish teachers over many centuries). They also see types and anti-types in the bible. When Christians do this, however, they are accused of distorting the scriptures when we see various types and foreshadowing about Christ ( read Isaiah 53 and see if it doesn't sound like Christ to you) It is clear from this passage in Numbers that Moses' intent was to lessen his load of leadership and caring for the people. Moses also implies this when it says in verse 17, "Then I will come down and talk with you there. I will take of the Spirit that is upon you and will put the same upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself alone."Moses needed a break from the work and he needed help because he was doing everything alone. He said "They weep all over me." He was exhausted because of the burdens of leadership. I think we can see that Medad and Eldad were already "doing" the work of leadership and caring for the people, because they were so busy "doing" it that they didn't have time to have the Spirit imparted to them at the tabernacle. We see that God was not a respecter of time or place, God was working through these guys and they needed the Spirit of God and so God imparted it to them anyway, right where they were. They didn't need Moses to impart it because God really is the giver of all good gifts. They were imbued with power from on high right where they were- and they prophesied. A similar story happened on the day of Pentecost when the Spirit of God fell on the disciples in the upper room. They were fasting and praying - doing the work of the kingdom, when the Spirit of God fell on them. The disciples would have recognized the story in Numbers as the same type of narrative, where God's Spirit falls on them. In Numbers it was all about meeting a need - imparting power to those who need it. In the case of the disciples it was the need to minister to the church- in the case of elders in Numbers it was to do the work of leadership. Again as Moses said- everyone should have the Spirit of God. The disciples recognized the same need in the new Christian church- that all men should have the Spirit of God. The story in Numbers is the foreshadowing of the Spirit of God being poured out on all men (and women). We shouldn't look at the story in Numbers as an aberration becasue it seems out of place in the narrative about God's provision of meat; we can see it's really about God' s provision of the Spirit of God. The children of Israel wanted meat but what God wanted to provide was His everlasting presence. The story reminds us that just as Moses said that all men should be prophets - what he was really saying is all men should have the Spirit of God and manifest His presence where ever we are - in the church, in the world, working, parenting, loving, preaching, cooking, it's all about God's presence everywhere and this is the story of Medad and Eldad- God's presence with us - everywhere. Next time you read the book of Numbers, read it with a different lens- the lens of God's presence - see how God was trying to speak to the Israelites about His presence. I know Numbers has a lot of, well numbers, but it is also a book about God's presence. If you look for it you'll find it.
What an interesting story we have here, sandwiched between the ongoing complaints of the Israelites for "meat." Oh that we stayed in Egypt and ate the cucumbers, garlic, onions, fish lamb stew, roast beef, all kinds of pastries and delicacies. The grumblings from the people was normal from a human perspective; however, it sounds like they were on a cooking show. and then... Moses says- you want meat, I'll give you meat - until comes out of your nostrils. I'll give you so much meat that it will cover the landscape and it will rot in the streets because there's so much. Even while it is still in their teeth it was laying all over the ground two cubits high - they up to their knees in quail. Moses was thoroughly perturbed with these people and he doesn't hesitate to say so.
So what is this story of Eldad and Medad, doing right in the middle of this narrative? Why did God write this story here? It almost doesn't make sense, as though it was written this to warn people that if you're going to grumble, God will pour out His Spirit on you. We understand God wants to help Moses, but what about the story of the two, outside the camp, how does it fit in? It almost doesn't make sense to put this story here in Numbers 11, when Moses is writing about the incessant grumbling of the people for meat. Now we know from the story that Moses couldn't carry the weight of looking after these people and God instructed him to call all 70 leaders so God could put His Spirit upon them - to help Moses care for, and lead, the people. This might be the point, but you also see at the end of this section that they "never prophesied again." So if the goal of putting God's Spirit on them to reduce the burden on Moses, and to make them prophets like Moses, it was a dismal failure. God poured out His Spirit only this one time, but it never happened again. If the point was to help Moses administer the Israelites, with the power of the Spirit, then it was a failure because they never prophesied again. What then was the point of this story of Medad and Eldad?
To me the story has a deeper meaning about trusting in God's ongoing presence. God was beginning to teach them something that every Christian, and Jew should understand - God was with them. God's presence was not just at the tabernacle or just with Moses or even just with the cloud and the fire. We begin to see that there is an instruction in this section- almost like a warning a stop sign that says 'Stop" and think for a moment. What is the real story here and we need to ask why did Moses insert this story right in the midst of the grumbling narrative.
Let's examine the two individuals in this story, Medad and Eldad. In the Hebrew, their names ring with the idea of love and God's love. Israelite names usually denote some character of the person or some idea of their destiny- usually Hebrew names imply God's purpose or plan for the individual. We also see this in the story of Jacob when God changes his name to Israel- from one who struggles with God to one who loves God. The Lord changed Jacob's name to conform and confirm his destiny and character. This was the story of the struggle of Jacob with the angel, and it was here that the Lord changed his name to conform to his destiny. We see this with many characters in the bible. Peter, in the New Testament is another good example- where God changes his name from Cephas to Peter. This conforms his name to his destiny. For Eldad and Medad, meaning of their names gives the reader of the story some understanding that they were probably "lovers of God" and didn't avoid going to the tabernacle because they were sinners or unclean or trying to avoid God's presence. If they were unclean, it's likely the story would have taken a different course. I could see Moses saying, Medad and Eldad were unclean, so because of this, the Spirit of God would not or could not, rest on them; however, their names indicate something deeper- almost as though, they loved God and were dedicated to God and His love. It's more likely they were busy ministering to the people, or helping a poor person, or administering to the sick.
Because of this, I believe, they were not procrastinating, they were not unclean, or sinners or even sent outside the camp because of manslaughter or committing adultry. They were two guys who loved God, they loved his presence, and I believe they were busy doing the work as in ministering to the children of Israel - otherwise, as in other stories in the bible, the narrative would have been much different. If you recall the story of the two sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, who basically were drunk and disorderly while ministering at the tabernacle, and God killed them because of their behaviour. The bible is replete with stories like this. This story was reported to instruct the Israelites to hallow God's presence at the tabernacle. I'm sure, if Medad and Eldad were unclean or disorderly, that the story would have sounded much different. Moses would have reported their behaviour to instruct the Israelites to hallow God's presence here as well. The fact that no such reporting is here, tells us that these guys were truly "Lovers of God," as their names imply. The Jewish Talmud, typically reports this type of narrative and uses these omissions to instruct Jewish readers.
If these men were unclean the story in Numbers would have sounded something like this: - Medad and Eldad were unclean, they were sleeping with Midianite women etc and when the Spirit of God rested on the 70 elders - Medad and Eldad were left out. God judged them unworthy of the Spirit of God. From my perspective, the reason they did not come to the tabernacle was a lot more than the narrative implies, because, obviously the Spirit of God would not rest on them if they were unclean or unholy; in addition, the fact that this story is sandwiched between the narrative on the grumbling nation, tells us it's an important story that needed to be told. God's presence, no matter where and when it happened is instructive to the nation of Israel. When God shows up, no matter on whom and when, it is an important event to be reported.
It is also incredibly instructive to the Israelites, to understand that the Spirit of God rested on these two elders even when they were not at the tabernacle and they were not even close to Moses. They didn't even need Moses to lay hands on them to receive the Spirit of God. Even Moses implied this when he said "Oh, that all the Lord's people were prophets and that the Lord would put His spirit upon them." The only time God's presence was around centred on the person of Moses. So in other words we begin to see God's presence outside of the tabernacle and didn't need Moses to lay hands on them. This also mirrors the events in the book of Acts when Peter was trying to figure out if he should lay hands on the gentiles to receive the Spirit of God. What a surprise to Peter when God poured out His Spirit on the gentiles too. Peter didn't even have to lay hands on them to receive the Spirit of God. This type of foreshadowing is typical of the prophetic in the bible. One story is so similar in type to another that we can see that God was getting us ready for His work and we can recognize it as God's because of the similarities. This is similar to the Jewish teaching in the Talmud ( a commentary on various scriptures- written by Jewish teachers over many centuries). They also see types and anti-types in the bible. When Christians do this, however, they are accused of distorting the scriptures when we see various types and foreshadowing about Christ ( read Isaiah 53 and see if it doesn't sound like Christ to you) It is clear from this passage in Numbers that Moses' intent was to lessen his load of leadership and caring for the people. Moses also implies this when it says in verse 17, "Then I will come down and talk with you there. I will take of the Spirit that is upon you and will put the same upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself alone."Moses needed a break from the work and he needed help because he was doing everything alone. He said "They weep all over me." He was exhausted because of the burdens of leadership. I think we can see that Medad and Eldad were already "doing" the work of leadership and caring for the people, because they were so busy "doing" it that they didn't have time to have the Spirit imparted to them at the tabernacle. We see that God was not a respecter of time or place, God was working through these guys and they needed the Spirit of God and so God imparted it to them anyway, right where they were. They didn't need Moses to impart it because God really is the giver of all good gifts. They were imbued with power from on high right where they were- and they prophesied. A similar story happened on the day of Pentecost when the Spirit of God fell on the disciples in the upper room. They were fasting and praying - doing the work of the kingdom, when the Spirit of God fell on them. The disciples would have recognized the story in Numbers as the same type of narrative, where God's Spirit falls on them. In Numbers it was all about meeting a need - imparting power to those who need it. In the case of the disciples it was the need to minister to the church- in the case of elders in Numbers it was to do the work of leadership. Again as Moses said- everyone should have the Spirit of God. The disciples recognized the same need in the new Christian church- that all men should have the Spirit of God. The story in Numbers is the foreshadowing of the Spirit of God being poured out on all men (and women). We shouldn't look at the story in Numbers as an aberration becasue it seems out of place in the narrative about God's provision of meat; we can see it's really about God' s provision of the Spirit of God. The children of Israel wanted meat but what God wanted to provide was His everlasting presence. The story reminds us that just as Moses said that all men should be prophets - what he was really saying is all men should have the Spirit of God and manifest His presence where ever we are - in the church, in the world, working, parenting, loving, preaching, cooking, it's all about God's presence everywhere and this is the story of Medad and Eldad- God's presence with us - everywhere. Next time you read the book of Numbers, read it with a different lens- the lens of God's presence - see how God was trying to speak to the Israelites about His presence. I know Numbers has a lot of, well numbers, but it is also a book about God's presence. If you look for it you'll find it.
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