God took of the Spirit that was upon him

 It is absolutely amazing to me that at 54 years old, I can find "New" things in the Bible.

Today I was reading along and guess what I discovered? Something I had never "seen" before.

Moses needed help, and lots of it for he was the representative of the people and frankly there were a lot more of them than there was of him. The people are complaining again, and God is sore displeased and when God is sore displeased so too is Moses for He and God are in accord. Moses finally cries out to God saying:

Num 11:11  And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me? 

Num 11:12  Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers? 

Num 11:13  Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat. 

Num 11:14  I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me. 

Num 11:15  And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness. 

Moses has the call of the people in his ear, day and night. Their complaints and cries, miseries he must bear alone and guess what? He is a man, tired of a whining people. 

He is human as we all are and the burden gets too great for him so he says God why not just kill me and get it over with. (If you remember Job too had a pity party, he cursed the day he was born), we are not alone in our depressions, our God gives us wonderful examples of good and bad in His men.

Yet that is not the part I want to focus on here, no what I want to focus on is the next part, God hears Moses and He gives an answer but it is something I had never taken notice of.

Num 11:16  And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee. 

Num 11:17  And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone. 

God told Moses to bring 70 men he knew himself to be trusted leaders of the people, not to take someone else's word for it. He is to bring them to the tabernacle away from the congregation, and God will come down and talk to him (Moses) there with the 70 gathered around.

Note however, that God is going to take of the Spirit He laid on Moses and He is going to share it with the 70 also.

That is the most interesting thing I think I have run across today. 

He is sharing the Spirit amongst 70 men, the same Spirit He laid on Moses. Have you ever heard of God splitting the Spirit? Me either. Yet if you notice here, Moses did not argue or complain or try to corner the market on the Spirit, or the Leadership. Moses was willing to give it up so he could have some help.

Alright bear with me here and we shall get to the end.

Num 11:25  And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease. 

Num 11:26  But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp. 

Num 11:28  And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them. 

Num 11:29  And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD'S people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!

God gave the 70 men of the Spirit, and there were 2 more in the encampment that got the Spirit and they too prophesied, yet Joshua, the son of Nun said Moses they were not of us, stop them prophesying.

Moses however knew a truth Joshua did not get yet.

Joshua was worried about Moses' position and authority. Moses on the other hand knew better. He knew the men he had chosen. He knew the God he served. He knew that greater were they together in God's Spirit rather than when he was trying to go it alone.

It takes big, big men to allow people to come alongside and serve with them. It takes a man not worried about his name bur Worried about God's Name, Worried about God's people.

Moses was glad for the help, he was glad for the God who saw and helped in the need and he was glad for the men that came along side him to help carry this burden.

I am sure there is a lesson in there somewhere for all of us.