Spirit in the desert

Good morning brothers and sisters,
As Moses was leading the Israelites in the desert between Egypt and the Promised Land he found that the job was too hard. There were too many people for him to decide disputes and lead the people by himself. In response, God told Moses to choose 70 wise and spiritually mature elders of the people to help in leadership. Then God filled them with the Holy Spirit for leadership. The funny thing is that Joshua is jealous that this might hurt Moses' authority. Moses insists that deeper spirituality and spiritual power among the people is a blessing, not a threat.

Pentecost fulfills Moses' wish that all the people might be filled with God's Spirit. At Pentecost the Holy Spirit fills all the believers, a blessing that we see continuing in the church and even beyond. This is a great passage for Presbyterians since we believe strongly in sharing leadership among elders in the church. As we look forward to our annual meeting to elect new elders, we remember this passage and we celebrate God's spiritual gifts for our life together.

God bless,
Sam


Numbers 11:24-30

24So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord; and he gathered seventy elders of the people, and placed them all around the tent. 25Then 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 when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did not do so again.


26Two 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. 27And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” 28And Joshua son of Nun, the assistant of Moses, one of his chosen men, said, “My lord Moses, stop them!” 29But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit on them!” 30And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.