Prophecy for All

Scripture:  Numbers 11:24-30

               January 1st of every year, in addition to being the start of a new year, is also public domain day, because this is when creative works enter the public domain.  I really like the idea of public domain.   The public domain are works of art, writings, music, and other media that belong to the people.   If something is in the public domain then it is effectively owned by everyone and anyone can reproduce, remix, perform, or utilize it in some way.   I like the idea that eventually works of art belong to everyone and can become part of a shared cultural heritage.  However, not everyone is a fan of the public domain.  Disney has famously fought against the public domain.   When Mickey Mouse was created in 1928 US copyright law gave Walt Disney exclusive rights to the character for 56 years.  As that copyright was getting close to expiring though, Disney successfully lobbied congress to change the copyright law extending ownership to 75 years, and then in 1998 congress passed a law that is often referred to as the “Mickey Mouse Protection Act” which delays copyright expiration to 95 years from the original publication.   Despite additional lobbying efforts, the law has not changed again, and in 2024 Mickey Mouse, or at least the 1928 version of Mickey Mouse, entered the public domain.

               Over the next few years several more Disney characters like Goofy and Donald Duck will be entering into the Public Domain, and within the next ten years several superheroes such as Batman, Captain America, and Superman will also enter the public domain and be available to everyone.  Assuming of course, the current copyright holders of these and other intellectual properties do not manage to get the law changed again.  

               When a work enters the public domain, it goes from being primarily for the benefit of an individual or small group, and it becomes a work that can benefit anyone.  Today, we celebrate when something similar happened in the Spiritual realm.   On the first Pentecost, the power of God became available to all who accept the grace and forgiveness of Jesus Christ.  This morning’s scripture reading reveals why that was such a big deal. 

               The scripture for this morning comes from a part of the bible that we sometimes gloss over.   We tend to know the story of Moses and how he led the people out of Egypt by parting the Red Sea.   We are familiar with the giving of the law and the tend commandments, but then we often jump to the Israelites entering the promise land and the fall of the walls of Jericho.   However, in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, there are a lot of details in there about the Israelites time wandering around the wilderness.   This morning’s scripture comes from the very end of one of those stories.   It is a story that captures a common theme from the time of wandering in the wilderness: The Israelites complaining to God.  

               This particular story begins in Numbers 11:4, and that verse really sets the tone: “The rabble with them began to crave other food and again the Israelites started wailing.”  The Israelites are nomads in the wilderness, and God provides for them.  Every morning, they are able to gather bread from heaven, Mana, that God provides them.  However, for “the rabble” this is not good enough.  They want meat to eat and that is what they are complaining about, and apparently, they are complaining quite loudly.  In response to this complaining Moses goes to God and does complaining of his own.  He complains to God about how he must put up with all of the complaining of the Israelites, and he expresses his frustration that he must deal with all of the problems of leading people through the wilderness on his own. 

               So, God tells Moses to assemble 70 elders, and that God will “take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them.”   This morning’s scripture is when that happens.  The Spirit of the Lord being poured out on them led to prophesying momentarily, but it was only momentary because that was not the primary point.  The point was that God empowered these elders to help govern.   This is a pattern that is seen throughout the Old Testament.  When God empowers someone for a purpose, the scripture states “The Spirit of the Lord came on them.”   We find this when God raises up Judges and when we find the phrase when God calls prophets.    There are a couple of instances, like one in 1 Samuel when the Spirit of the Lord comes upon King Saul where there is spontaneous prophesying like this morning’s scripture, but for the most part the Spirit of the Lord is what empowers the people God has chosen to do the will of God.  

               In these Old Testament examples, the reception of the Spirit of the Lord is only for those who have been selected, who have been anointed.  It is for those who have been selected by God.  Perhaps, this is why Joshua has the reaction that he has in this morning’s scripture.  Eldad and Medad were not even present, they did not bother to show up, but the Spirit of the Lord still came upon them.  This offended Joshua who thought since these two did not come out to the summons, they should have been disqualified from receiving the Spirit’s power.  He feels they are receiving something that they do not deserve, that does not belong to them.   This is why he objects to Moses.   Moses responds in verse 29 by saying, “I wish that all the LORD’s people were prophets and the LORD would put his spirit on them.”

               Just like entering the public domain moves a work from the ownership of the few to the many, it was the wish of Moses that the Holy Spirit would not just empower the few but that it would equip all to proclaim God’s truth and to carry out the work of God.  A lot of time passed, centuries went by between Numbers chapter 11 and Acts chapter 2.  It is Acts chapter 2, in the fullness of God’s timing that Moses’ wish is fulfilled.  For many the story found in Acts 2, the story of Pentecost, is a familiar one.  The resurrected Jesus had ascended into heaven, and the disciples were waiting for what comes next.   On the day of Pentecost, a Jewish harvest celebration, what comes next happened.  The Holy Spirit descended like tongues of fire with the sound of a rushing wind.  It came upon the disciples, and much like the 70 elders from this morning’s scripture the disciples started spontaneously speaking.  As Acts 2:4 records, “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” 

               This was different than all the times in the Old Testament when the Spirit came upon someone, because this time the Holy Spirit was here to stay, and this time it was not just for the elite, the special, and the chosen.  One of the points that the book of Acts goes to great lengths to communicate is that the empowerment of the Holy Spirit is for all who follow Jesus.   The Spirit is not just for the few, it is for all who follow Jesus and it empowers all.  As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them” and “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given to the common good.” 

               It was the wish of Moses that the Spirit of God would come upon all of God’s people, and with the creation of the church that is exactly what happened.  The gifts of the Spirit moved from being exclusive to a few to inclusive of all who follow Jesus.  The books of the New Testament consistently testify to this truth, and this did not end when the last book of the Bible was written.  Today, the Spirit still fills and gifts all who are under grace. 

The doctrine of the United Methodist church upholds this truth. Maintained in our heritage is the confession of faith of the Evangelical United Brethren Church, which in article three states: “[The Holy Spirit] comforts, sustains, and empowers the faithful and guides them into all truth.”  To state it more simply, the Holy Spirit empowers and encourages all people who follow Jesus to faithfully fulfill the will of God in their daily lives.   This is a foundational truth of our shared faith, but have you ever considered how powerful that statement is?   The Holy Spirit is not just from God, the Holy Spirit is fully a part of God, and the Holy Spirit empowers and encourages us.   This is the very same Spirit of God that encouraged the Old Testament prophets to prophesy and speak on God’s behalf, this is the same Spirit that came upon the 70 elders in this morning’s scripture, and the same Spirit that enabled the apostles to speak in different languages.  It is the same the very same Spirit that empowered the miracles we read in the Bible In the Old Testament, it is through the Holy Spirit that God influenced, changed, and shaped the world.  Ino those stories the Spirit was only entrusted to a few.    The amazing, mind-blowing truth of Pentecost Sunday is that this very same Spirit of God, which birthed Christ’s Holy, universal church is entrusted to all the church, and that includes us.  The Spirit is for all of us, and to this day the Spirit encourages and empowers us to continue to change and shape the world on God’s behalf.   

Because the Holy Spirit is entrusted to the church, all of us truly have the power to transform the world.  If you have ever taken on a home improvement project of any sort, then you know that the key to success is having the right tools.   There are specialized tools for every kind of project imaginable, and having the right tools makes a world of difference.   When it comes to sharing God’s love, bringing light into darkness, delivering justice to the oppressed, and food to the hungry we have the right tool.   We have the Holy Spirit empowering us with the spiritual gifts and spiritual fruit we need to make a lasting impact and a true transformation. 

This is not just theoretical either.  From Moses to Peter, the bible is full of stories of the Holy Spirit empowering people to do truly amazing things.  Since the first Pentecost there have continued to be stories throughout history of followers of Christ doing amazing things.   Thank of all the good in the world that has been done by followers of Jesus.   Think of the lives saved by Christian doctors treating the sick, by the souls saved by missionaries, by the justices won by Christian advocates, and by the lives forever changed by compassionate people seeking to love others the way that Jesus loves them.    In all these instances, these are individual people doing amazing things because they are being empowered and encouraged by the Holy Spirit to tackle the seemingly impossible.   If you believe Jesus is your Lord and Savior, then there is no reason you cannot be the next person who stays in step with the Spirit to radically transform the world through the love of God because the Holy Spirit is not just for the elite, or the specially chosen the Holy Spirt is for all.  
 
 In this morning’s scripture God pours out the Holy Spirit on 70 elders to equip them for God’s purpose of governing the Israelites in the wilderness.   This was a time when on the few were blessed by the Spirit of God, but that is not the case today.  Today the Holy Spirit fills not just the few, but all who make up the church of Jesus.   So may we be open to the Spirit’s leading, may we be open to the Spirit’s empowering, and may we be open to the Spirit guiding us so that we are fully equipped to fulfil God’s purposes.   Moses wished that all the people of God were prophets filled with the Holy Spirit.   So being filled with the Holy Spirit, may we show that wishes do come true.