Numbers 11:4-6; 10-16; 24-29 (New Revised Standard)
4 The rabble among them had a strong craving; and the Israelites also wept again, and said, "If only we had meat to eat! 5 We remember the fish we used to eat in Egypt for nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; 6 but now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at."
10 Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, all at the entrances of their tents. Then the Lord became very angry, and Moses was displeased. 11 So Moses said to the Lord, "Why have you treated your servant so badly? Why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me? 12 Did I conceive all this people? Did I give birth to them, that you should say to me, "Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a sucking child,' to the land that you promised on oath to their ancestors? 13 Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they come weeping to me and say, "Give us meat to eat!' 14 I am not able to carry all this people alone, for they are too heavy for me. 15 If this is the way you are going to treat me, put me to death at once—if I have found favor in your sight—and do not let me see my misery." 16 So the Lord said to Moses, "Gather for me seventy of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tent of meeting, and have them take their place there with you.
24 So 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. 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 when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did not do so again. 26 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 son of Nun, the assistant of Moses, one of his chosen men, 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, and that the Lord would put his spirit on them!"
Reflection
"There is nothing around here to eat!"
A complaint commonly heard in my household. Even after going to the grocery store. There is something to eat, not just what the person complaining wants to eat. But this passage goes beyond something to eat, as the Israelites complained to Moses. This passage reaches much deeper.
Moses was a great leader. God had gifted Moses with the gift of administration. The people had become complainers. The rabble had incited the people to complain. Moses was overburdened.
Yes Moses was a great leader and gifted by God. But, enough is enough. This was too much. So God blessed other elders to open their eyes to the teachings and ways of Moses. Moses used his God given gifts, and now, the seventy elders would learn from Moses. They would learn from Moses his skill of administration and the application of that skill. God spreads the gifts around in order that one person can teach many.
Moses the great teacher of administration. A teacher in need and able to recognize his weakness and how much he depended upon God. May the Spirit of God rise up within the leaders past, present and future that all may see God in them.
Prayer
Lord, help me to recognize the gifts you have given to me. Show me how to use those gifts to glorify you and teach me how to teach others the same... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen
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