In Numbers Chapter Eleven, the people grumbled and complained against Moshe, the servant of Elohim. Although they were being led out of bondage to the Promised Land, and although they were witness daily to a Column of Fire and Cloud, it seemed that nothing was ever good enough for them. They complained because they did not have the things that they had had in Egypt. This displeased YHWH, and He sent fire among them, to turn them back to Him.

 

The people grieved because they had to suffer some inconveniences. Although they were being led directly by YHWH Himself they had to give up delicate foods, and other creature comforts. Taken on the whole, they did not seem to believe that this was a good trade. This greatly upset both YHWH and Moshe.

 

 

The reason Moshe was upset was because he had never really wanted the job. Rather, he did it only because YHWH had called him to it. Compare this with most elected leaders today.

 

Moshe was under great strain, and great responsibility. He might have been happier had YHWH called anyone else to the job, because it would have relieved him of such burdens.

 

Moshe had a servant’s heart. When YHWH called him to serve His people, he did it, even though it was at times completely overwhelming. Because it was such a great responsibility, YHWH decided to give him some helpers, to help him in governing the people.

 

 

YHWH would later punish the people for grumbling against Him, and against Moshe, with the incident of the quail. Instead of ‘having’ to eat the bland manna, YHWH would practically rain quail on the people one day, such that they rejoiced. However, over the weeks it would rot, and then whenever they would try to eat food they would vomit the putrid meat up, and it would even come out of their nose. Take just a moment to feel the special reward YHWH has for those who do not value being led by Him more than they value their creature comforts in life.

 

 

What YHWH seeks is a bride who treasures the ability to live with Him so much that she will happily choose to do without creature comforts and exquisite foods in exchange for the privilege. Are we willing to do this? Life is always much easier out in Egypt, or in Babylon, or even in America; and life is always more difficult in service to Him: for this is part of the great test called Life. Do we treasure our ability to commune with Him so much that we will joyfully part with our creature comforts and foods, in exchange for the privilege?

 

 

As a people, do we know how to treasure what YHWH gives us? Do we know how to help and support YHWH’s servants without grumbling, and without complaining? And do YHWH’s chosen servants know how to lead as Moshe did?

 

Next we see that Moshe gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and placed them around the tabernacle. They prophesied one time, and then they did not do so again.

 

 

Then Eldad and Medad, two men who were not distinguished elders of the people, and who had not gone out to the Tabernacle, prophesied in the camp; and they even continued to prophesy.  This caused a commotion among those who were loyal to Moshe, and they asked him to stop them from prophesying.

 

 

Notice Moshe’s response: He was in no way jealous of the gift of prophecy that YHWH had given to Eldad and Medad. He did not desire to ‘be the only one’ through whom revelation knowledge was given. He was not in it for the ego boost: rather, he wished that all would have YHWH’s Spirit, and that all would prophesy. For those of us who have been called to serve YHWH’s people, are we also able to say the same? Do we wish that all would prophesy? Do we rejoice when others are given the gift of revelation? 

 

 

For those of us who have been called to positions of leadership, are we jealous when others receive the gift of revelation? Do we want to be exalted above the rest of our brothers, as James and John did?

 

Yaakov (James) and Yochanan (John) were clearly two of the most respected disciples. Yaakov headed the assembly after Yeshua’s death, and Yochanan said he was the disciple that “Yeshua loved.” Shaul described them as ‘pillars’, and yet look how Yeshua had to teach even them that if they would be first in the spiritual, they had to put everyone else ahead of themselves in the natural. If they would be first, they must be last.

 

 

Yeshua’s teaching holds true at all levels within Israel. No matter who we are, or what station we hold in life, or what role we have to play, if we would be first in the spiritual realm, we must place others’ needs first, in the physical.

 

 

What does Moshe’s record mean for us today? And what lessons can we extrapolate from it?

 

There have always been three main offices within Israel, those of the King (the military leader), the Priest (whether Levitical or Melchizedekian), and the Prophet (including Nazirites). Then there is also a special role called the Judge (or Shophet), which is a combination of all three roles. Sometimes people assume that these roles went away at Yeshua’s first coming, but since Yeshua said He did not come to do away with the Torah and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17-19), then why would these roles disappear?

 

As we explain in the Nazarene Israel study, the apostles knew that Yeshua had come to begin the regathering process of the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel, also known as the House of Ephraim. At Acts 1:6, the apostles even asked if Yeshua was going to restore the kingship to the House of Israel (Ephraim) at that time. Yeshua said that the kingship would be restored to Israel (Ephraim) only later, after they had witnessed of Him to the ends of the earth.

 

 

As we explain in The Post-Millennial Return, YHWH will soon restore the kingdom (i.e., government) to the House of Ephraim. This will likely happen in stages, and it will probably follow the same general pattern as with our Jewish brethren. First the Jews formed a political union, and sought permission from the powers that be to live in the Land of Israel. Then once they were back in the Land they elected a government for themselves. Ephraim will probably do the same.

 

 

Once all twelve tribes are safely back in the land, they will eventually have a hereditary leader again, called a Nasi (Prime Minister, or Prince).

 

 

However, before a prophet arises and anoints this Nasi, first the children of Judah and the children of Israel (Ephraim) shall ‘appoint’ a leader for themselves. The language here speaks of an election.

 

 

But when the children of Judah and the children of Israel first come together, and appoint for themselves one head, whom shall they select? And what criteria shall they use? We Ephraimites have a long history of electing the wrong kinds of leaders. We have a history of voting for anyone who makes short-sighted, short-term promises that tickle the ear, whether or not they make any long-term sense. We elect professional politicians, who are competing (or ‘running’) for office, and then we are shocked by the extent of the scandals, and we are surprised that our country is going bankrupt. But how can we know whom we should appoint to lead? I suggest that we look to the teachings of Yeshua, and to the example of Moshe, the servant of Elohim.

 

First we should note that Moshe did not really want the job. At first, he tried to get out of it.

 

 

However, after YHWH had made it clear that he had been chosen, he did the job to the best of his ability. Notice how this is almost the complete inverse of the electoral process now in place in America.

 

Next, we should notice that Moshe patiently placed the people first. Even if it meant that he had to suffer or die, his heart was for all of his brothers and sisters in the Covenant.

 

 

We have already seen how Yeshua tells us that if we would be first in the spiritual realm, we must place the needs of others before our own. Moshe served all of his people like a loving grandfather, sacrificing for all of his spiritual children as if they were his own.

 

Earlier we saw that the seventy elders prophesied only once, and then stopped. The reason they stopped is that all of us have different gifts.

 

 

The seventy esteemed elders were not called to be prophets. Rather, their duty was to assist Moshe, who was a type of a judge (holding the kingship and prophet roles). Since they were esteemed as elders within Israel they were probably either great military men, or else they were great men of commerce, and were capable of organizing and leading large groups of men.

 

Eldad and Medad continued to prophesy, but were not called into executive service because they were neither great military men, nor men of business or commerce. Moshe understood that the spiritual leaders are called to different roles than military and financial leaders, so he placed them appropriately. Thus Moshe knew how to appoint people so that everything was in order.

 

 

Shaul also knew how to appoint people to the right jobs, so that everything would be in order. Shaul would be another ‘type’ of public servant that would be a good leader for the nation.

 

A national executive must know how to appoint the right men for the job. Moshe had to appoint righteous, selfless leaders over the people. He had to choose them not because they wanted the job, and not for their desire to rule, accept bribes, or feel self-important. Rather, he had to select them because they hated covetousness and dishonest gain.

 

 

YHWH is an Elohim of order. As YHWH slowly begins to re-establish the kingdom to Israel, we will need to appoint judges and officers, as necessary.

 

 

If YHWH wills, in another place I will talk about how Scripture tells us such a righteous Torah government should be established and paid for, but here let us note that Moshe also showed many other qualifications for true servant-leadership, such as not selling revelations for money, and not using his position for any kind of personal advantage. Moshe was also likely schooled in military matters as a youth in Pharaoh’s court, so that much like King David after him, Moshe was able to lead the people effectively in times of war (which is a primary duty of the commander in chief, or the king). 

 

When all was said and done, Moshe had to be a man who knew how to lead and organize his people to serve YHWH Elohim. He also had to be a man who patiently laid down his life in the service of his people (no matter how they treated him), trusting in His Elohim that he would find his reward in the next world. In this, Moshe the public servant was a foreshadowing of the Messiah, who also laid down his life for the people.

 

 

What a blessing it will be when we live in a land with the Torah as its constitution, where YHWH’s people seek out those who do not ‘run’ for public office, but instead seek to support those who quietly and patiently take up their burdens in the service of the Almighty Elohim, not because they are promised any great reward, but because they love YHWH Elohim, and they love their spiritual brothers and sisters, and are doing what they can to serve them.

 

May it be soon, and in our day.

 

In Yeshua’s name,

 

Amein.