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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadGreater Men and Women of the Bible by James Hastings: 183. Eldad and Medad
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Eldad and Medad
2. Seventy of the men thus appointed came together promptly, and were ranged in a semicircle before the tabernacle. Then, in the sight of all the people, the cloud descended, wrapped them all in impenetrable mist, as a sign that the chosen men were being mysteriously baptized with the Spirit, and when again they emerged they began to prophesy. It was the ancient counterpart of the day of Pentecost, when the disciples met, and the Spirit came upon them as a mighty, rushing wind, and they began to speak with other tongues, as men chosen and inspired by God.
In the 25th verse of the eleventh chapter of Numbers, it is said that “the Lord took of the spirit that was upon Moses, and gave it unto the seventy elders,” Some conclude from this statement that, as a punishment for his intemperate prayer, the wisdom of Moses was thus lessened, while others were enriched at his expense. But wisdom, and all gifts similar to it, are not diminished by distribution. If we impart information, we do not lessen our own store of knowledge. If we give of our love lavishly, yet affection is not lessened by such outpouring. The spread of fire over what is inflammable increases its intensity. Though we light a thousand candles from one which burned alone at first, it still burns brightly as before. So is it with the Spirit of whose fulness we all receive. No Christian man is poorer because his brother is enriched with grace, nor was Moses. “There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth.”1 [Note: A. Rowland.]
3. Two men, Eldad and Medad, although summoned with their brethren, did not come to the assembly at the tabernacle. For some reason unknown to us, they failed to put in an appearance at the critical time, when others of the elect were receiving the mysterious but efficient grace of the Spirit. Yet, at one and the same moment, they also were inspired while walking together, as they probably were doing, in some far-off part of the camp. To the amazement of the people, and doubtless to their own amazement too, they suddenly began to prophesy. Joshua exhibited some jealousy and suspicion, and would have silenced them, because the blessing had not come through Moses; but the great lawgiver, with characteristic insight and generosity, would not heed the request-“My lord Moses, forbid them.” Calmly, yet decisively, the answer rang out, “Enviest thou for my sake? Would God that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them.”
Three things are contained in these words
(1) By his reply to Joshua, Moses showed his true greatness of soul. He loves his people better than himself. The cause he has really at heart is the cause of Israel, not his own honour and dignity. In the “kingdom of priests” the more kings the better. What Moses was-a man filled with God's Holy Spirit-that he desired all his people might be. The less he was separated from them by greater wisdom and goodness, the better he was pleased. The man of little mind works for his own advancement: he helps forward a cause, but it is partly that he may be known to have helped it, that he may become famous. He is envious of rivals, and wants to put a distance between himself and others. Not so Moses. He wants to draw up others to his own level. He would prefer to be one of many, rather than one above many. He is indifferent to his own renown, and anxious only for the well-being of his own people. He is willing to efface himself in his work. Hence his words contain a lesson to us all-a lesson to think of others more than of ourselves, to sink self in a common work, to strive for the success of the work rather than for personal fame.
Dr. McLaren frequently referred to John the Baptist's answer to the question “Who art thou?” “l am a voice,” as being the model for all time. Most truly he took to himself the advice he gave: “We must efface ourselves if we would proclaim Christ.”1 [Note: Dr. McLaren of Manchester, 211.]
The most touching thing that has ever befallen me is the conduct of the Cambridge man who hoped to have been made Professor, when I was taken. He had for five years been preparing himself for it, and had written a book for the purpose. He is a simple student whose one aim in life it was, and who has no other prospect. All this I did not know at the time; but he wrote to me immediately on my appointment, and I asked him to come and see me. He took to me, and has now formed a strong friendship for me. So far from bearing me a grudge, he says that my coming to Cambridge will be a greater boon to him than the Professorship. Where else are people so good and so unselfish? Still more wonderful, his wife agrees with him, and we are all fast friends.2 [Note: Life and Letters of Mandell Creighton, i. 274.-The reference is to H. M. Gwatkin, who was elected to the chair afterwards, when Creighton became Bishop of Peterborough.]
(2) The man who is jealous of any infringement of his office when uncertified allies come into the field is convicted at once of I thinking more of the distinction which office confers than of the work for the promotion of whose interests all office is constituted. Office is just the little circle of space made round a man, so that he may have elbow-room for the exercise of his gift. Office presupposes a gift, and a gift presupposes a work for the furtherance of which it has been bestowed. In God's plan, office exists for the sake of the gift, and the gift exists for the sake of the work; so that office is the least important thing of the three. The living organism always comes before the mere shell it inhabits. It is not the office that precedes and begets the gift, but the gift that creates the office; and both alike exist for the far-reaching ends that wait to be achieved. To discover, encourage, and attest a gift where it exists comes within the legitimate authority of the Church and its leaders; and perhaps in nine cases out of ten that is done. But in the tenth case the Church withholds its warranty and approval where the genuine gift exists, and in the next tenth case it certifies where there is no gift at all, and then claims that the mere empty shell of office must be respected for its own sake.
A sixth hindrance is what I may call officialism, that is, a dependence for our work not on our subjective fitness, but upon official powers. It is certain that, as the objective is over-valued, the subjective is under-valued. It is curious that in the Anglican body, High Churchmen are dry, and Low Churchmen exalt their own persons. In the Catholic Church all priests are High Churchmen. And there is a danger of official assumption. But for this we should not have had the hatred and contempt of sacerdotalism. I am sorry to say that even good priests sometimes swagger; they think to magnify their office, but they be little themselves. This has been the cause of endless troubles in hospitals and workhouses. Unfortunately even good priests are not always refined, and they resent any hindrances in the way of their sacred office with want of self-control, which gains nothing, and often loses everything. The main contention is lost in a personal dispute. I have often said that our priests are always booted and spurred like cavalry officers in time of war. But they will not fight worse for being chivalrous and courteous.1 [Note: Life of Cardinal Manning, ii. 782.]
(3) But the words are also notable in themselves, especially the second half of them: “Would that the Lord would put his spirit upon them.” In the gift of this Spirit Moses perceives the highest well-being. When may we say that a man has received the Spirit of God? When he seems to us in all humility, and at however infinite a distance, to be like God; that is, when he is good and loving and wise. They who have the Divine Spirit are according to the highest Biblical teaching righteous and faithful, pious and understanding. Therefore the prayer of Moses may be the prayer for us all: “Would that the Lord would put his spirit upon them.”