The Spirit

Yesterday morning I read Numbers 11 where the people are complaining because they didn't have any meat to eat. Moses cried out and complains to God for putting him over all these burdensome people. He even asked that he be put to death now if this is how God is going to treat him. I've read about this before, but did not remember God's response.

16 The LORD said to Moses: "Bring me seventy of Israel's elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to the Tent of meeting, that they may stand there with you. 17 I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take of the Spirit that is on you and put the Spirit on them. They will help you carry the burden of the people so that you will not have to carry it alone.

At that time, God's spirit was not on everyone. In order to help Moses, there needed to be others on whom the spirit of God dwelt. So, he gave his spirit to 70 people at once. It is said later that they all prophesied once, but not again. I'm planning to read the next chapters carefully to see if I see any other mention of what these spirit filled leaders do.

Our churches should be full of spirit filled Christians and thus lesson the burden on the church leadership.