by David Chadwick
Hidden heroes. One of my favorite things to do is to search out people in the Bible who are less likely to be seen yet incredibly significant players in God’s story.
Our two hidden heroes today are Eldad and Medad.
Who are they? They are found in the book of Numbers.
Numbers 11:24-25 says that Moses gathered 70 elders from Israel’s camp around the tent. The Lord came down and the Spirit rested on them and they received the ability to prophesy around the tabernacle.
Evidently, Eldad and Medad started prophesying among the people inside the camp. Joshua spoke up and asked Moses to forbid the two of them from prophesying. It seems that Joshua wanted Moses to be the sole one who told the people the words of the Lord. But Moses responded saying that he loved to see the Spirit of the Lord resting on all his people that they might prophesy to one another.
Some wonder if Eldad and Medad’s prophecy was futuristic in nature, maybe a reference to a future victory that Israel would have over Gog and Magog. Could this be the Ezekiel 38-39 prophecy? Maybe so. Others believe this prophecy may have been referencing the fact that Joshua would succeed Moses. Regardless of the exactness of the prophecy, one thing is clear: Moses wanted more than just 70 elders prophesying in that camp. He clearly desired all to prophesy!
I can’t help but wonder, from a New Testament perspective, if this Old Testament story isn’t a beautiful first glimpse at what would be one of Jesus’s teachings found in John 10:27, where he taught that his sheep hear his voice, know him, and follow him. Clearly Jesus had a high value for his followers to learn to hear the voice of God.
Then, in 1 Corinthians 14:5, Paul urged the New Testament church to not just hear the voice of God, but to accurately relay it to other people. To accurately discern what God may want another to hear. To give words of encouragement and life to other people through the power of his Spirit.
I pray the bride of Christ learns to hear the voice of God and uses it to bless and encourage other people, whatever that looks like, for his glory alone!