Holy Spirit 7

The aim of this devotional study is to learn from the Lord’s generous heart regarding empowerment through his Holy Spirit.

Scripture

Numbers 11:11-29

11  Moses said to the LORD, “Why have you dealt ill with your servant? And why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me?… 14  I am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me.  15  If you will treat me like this, kill me at once, if I find favor in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness.”

16  Then the LORD said to Moses, “Gather for me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you.  17  And I will come down and talk with you there. And I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone…

24  So Moses went out and told the people the words of the LORD. And he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tent.  25  Then 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 as soon as the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied. But they did not continue doing it.

26  Now two 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.  27  And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!”  28  And Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, “My lord Moses, stop them!”

29  But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the LORD’s people were prophets, that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!”

Observations and Reflection

Moses lead the Hebrews from Egypt towards the Promised Land and was overburdened to the point of despair, and he cried out to God to take his life in the hope of escaping the burden, but God had another plan.

1. What do you learn of the Holy Spirit with regards to the following topics from this text?(a) Leadership and appointment from God. (b) Prophesy and revealing the will of God.
2. What do learn from the heart of God regarding the Holy Spirit and God’s people from verse 29?
3. Why would God want to put his Spirit on all of his people?
4. Why would God want all his people to be prophets/ to prophesy?

Application and prayer

1. When last did you feel God prompt your heart to give a message to someone else (i.e. prophesy). How often does that happen to you?  When does that happen – i.e. what prompts the gift of prophesy in your heart?
2. Pray and make yourself available to the Lord to give someone a message from him. The pray until the Lord puts someone and a message from the Lord on your heart.  Write it down (or record it) then pray and refine the message until you are happy with the message.  Prayerfully send the message to the person, and ask for honest feedback.