September 30, 2012
In Numbers 11:16,24,26-29, Moses appoints 70 elders to discern God's Truth for the people. Here we see the burden of leadership weighing too heavily on Moses. He selects 70 elders to speak for God. In the context of more voices speaking for God, a young man approaches Moses with a complaint. Eldad and Medad are prophesying. Joshua stepped forward and insisted that Moses stop them. Moses, after all, was their spokesman. Moses replied, "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!"
Wherein lies authority? Who speaks for God? In a world where some people are viewed as more "enlightened" than others, this passage suggests that every person is capable to finding his or her own truth.
A strikingly similar event happens in the New Testament (Mark 9:38-40). John complains to Jesus that someone is casting out demons in Jesus' name, yet he is not a follower of Jesus. Jesus says not to stop him. "Whoever is not against us is for us."