2026 Easter Devotions
Wednesday, May 20
Numbers 11:24-30
24 Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord, and he gathered seventy of the 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, 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!” 30 And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.
“… “Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his spirit on them!” …”
The coming of the Spirit at Pentecost is the fulfillment of Moses’ desire. While for him and his people, only the seventy chosen leaders were recipients of the Spirit, for us, through the outpouring of the Spirit in water and Word, we can celebrate God’s gift now.
Of course, the prophetic gift is not given to everyone. A quick read of Roman, 1 Corinthians, and elsewhere reminds us that the Spirit is poured out on all, but the gift of prophesy is reserved only for some. While that may seem limiting, the gifts of the Spirit are many and each serves to support the other and the mission of the Church.
Even though the story of coming of the Spirit upon the seventy, including Eldad and Medad, is only one instance in a long history of Israel, it serves as a reminder that, from the beginning, God’s intent was to bless God’s people and enable and inspire them to do God’s work on earth. The coming of the Spirit to the seventy, and to the Church and us on Pentecost, are examples of God providing for God’s people all that is necessary to fulfill the divine mission.
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for the outpouring of Your Spirit. Inspire me through that same Spirit so that I may accomplish Your will in my life for the sake of the world. Amen.