Numbers 11:28
And Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, “My lord Moses, stop them.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Joshua's plea to Moses, "My lord Moses, stop them," reveals a common human instinct: to protect the leader's authority by limiting others, even when God's Spirit is clearly at work. He's not just concerned about order, but about maintaining the established structure of leadership, missing that God's power can operate outside of prescribed channels and is not diminished by being shared.
Just before this, Moses had appointed seventy elders to help him bear the burden of leading the people. Then, unexpectedly, two of these appointed men, Eldad and Medad, began prophesying right there in the camp, even though they hadn't gone to the Tent of Meeting with the others. Seeing this, Joshua, ever loyal to Moses and concerned about order, urged Moses to stop them, fearing it would cause division or undermine Moses' authority.
Why did Joshua want Moses to shut down Eldad and Medad? It seemed like a good idea to protect Moses' leadership, but Moses saw it differently.
Joshua's immediate reaction was to stop Eldad and Medad from prophesying because they weren't officially sanctioned. He was concerned about unauthorized spiritual activity potentially undermining Moses' authority.
A Zeal for Order
Joshua's motive stemmed from a desire to maintain order and protect Moses' unique position as God's appointed leader. This concern is understandable; the people were already complaining, and any perceived division could be disastrous.
Moses' Bigger Picture
However, Moses, guided by the Spirit, saw beyond the immediate threat to his own authority. He recognized that the same Spirit empowering him was also empowering Eldad and Medad. Moses' response, "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!" (Numbers 11:29), reveals a profound understanding of God's grace. God's power isn't confined to one person or one designated channel; the Spirit's work is sovereign and can operate in unexpected ways.
Joshua's zeal for Moses was genuine, but was it misguided? This situation highlights the tension between safeguarding established leadership and embracing the broader empowerment of God's people.
Joshua's perspective was that of a loyal subordinate, deeply concerned with Moses' authority and the integrity of his leadership. He feared that Eldad and Medad prophesying outside the established channels might create division or imply an independent authority.
The Risk of Independent Authority
This concern is valid in human leadership. Unauthorized actions can indeed sow confusion and undermine trust. Joshua's immediate thought was to 'forbid them,' to put a stop to the perceived challenge.
God's Generosity Revealed
Joshua's reaction reveals a human tendency to protect established authority and order, even when the Spirit is moving in unexpected ways. Moses' response, however, broadens the perspective, highlighting God's desire for all His people to experience His Spirit and prophetic gifts.
c. 1440 BC
The Exodus from Egypt
After generations of slavery, Moses leads the Israelites out of Egypt, a pivotal moment of divine deliverance and the establishment of their national identity.
c. 1440-1400 BC
Wilderness Wanderings Begin
The Israelites embark on their 40-year journey through the Sinai wilderness toward the Promised Land, facing numerous challenges and testing God's provision.
c. 1440-1400 BC
The Complaint at Taberah
The people begin to grumble against God and Moses due to hardship in the wilderness, leading to divine judgment by fire.
c. 1440-1400 BC
The Craving for Meat
The Israelites' discontent escalates into a deep longing for the foods they ate in Egypt, despite God's provision of manna.
This passage shows a similar concern for exclusivity and order when John tries to stop someone from casting out demons in Jesus' name, mirroring Joshua's instinct to guard Moses' authority.
Luke 9:49This parallel account highlights John's desire to stop an unauthorized worker, just as Joshua sought to stop Eldad and Medad, revealing a recurring theme of zealous, yet sometimes misguided, protection of leadership.
Acts 10:44Peter's astonishment at the Holy Spirit falling on Gentiles before baptism demonstrates God's sovereign and sometimes unexpected distribution of His Spirit, which is relevant to Moses' initial surprise at Eldad and Medad prophesying.
1 Corinthians 12:4This passage emphasizes the diversity of spiritual gifts given by the same Spirit, providing a theological framework for understanding how Eldad and Medad could prophesy and God's intention behind it, even outside established channels.
Romans 8:9Paul's assertion that those who belong to Christ have the Spirit living in them underscores the Spirit's role in empowering believers, which connects to the Spirit resting on Eldad and Medad, enabling them to prophesy.
ellicottNumbers 11:28: "And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them."
(28) My lord Moses, forbid them.— The motive which prompted Joshua in making this request appears to have been similar to that which led St. John to forbid the man to cast out devils who did not follow with the Apostles ( Mark 9:38-39 ; Luke 9:49-50 ). But as the man did not cast out devils in his own name, but in that of Christ, so in this case Eldad and Medad…
pulpitNumbers 11:28: "And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them."
Verse 28. - Joshua the son of Nun. See on Exodus 17:9. As before, he is called Joshua by anticipation. One of his young men. This implies that there were others who to some extent shared his duties towards Moses; but that Joshua stood in a peculiar relation to his master is evident from Exodus 24:13 and Exodus 32:17, as well as from this passage itself. My lord…
Joshua's plea to Moses, "My lord Moses, stop them," reveals a common human instinct: to protect the leader's authority by limiting others, even when God's Spirit is clearly at work. He's not just concerned about order, but about maintaining the established structure of leadership, missing that God's power can operate outside of prescribed channels and is not diminished by being shared.
Just before this, Moses had appointed seventy elders to help him bear the burden of leading the people. Then, unexpectedly, two of these appointed men, Eldad and Medad, began prophesying right there in the camp, even though they hadn't gone to the Tent of Meeting with the others. Seeing this, Joshua, ever loyal to Moses and concerned about order, urged Moses to stop them, fearing it would cause division or undermine Moses' authority.
Just before this, Moses had appointed seventy elders to help him bear the burden of leading the people. Then, unexpectedly, two of these appointed men, Eldad and Medad, began prophesying right there in the camp, even though they hadn't gone to the Tent of Meeting with the others. Seeing this, Joshua, ever loyal to Moses and concerned about order, urged Moses to stop them, fearing it would cause division or undermine Moses' authority.
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Moses, however, reframed the situation entirely. His response wasn't about defending his own position but about celebrating God's abundant generosity. He saw the prophesying of Eldad and Medad not as a threat, but as a beautiful sign of God's willingness to share His Spirit and empower more of His people. Moses' ideal was for everyone to experience God's prophetic gifting, demonstrating that true leadership aims to empower and multiply, not to hoard or restrict God's work.
c. 1440-1400 BC
The Seventy Elders Appointed
To help Moses bear the immense burden of leading the people, God designates seventy elders, imparting some of His Spirit to them.
c. 1440-1400 BC— this verse
Eldad and Medad Prophesy
Two of the appointed elders, Eldad and Medad, prophesy in the camp, demonstrating the Spirit's sovereign work beyond the appointed leaders.
c. 1440-1400 BC
Joshua's Zealous Plea
Joshua, concerned about maintaining Moses' authority and the people's order, urges Moses to stop Eldad and Medad from prophesying.
"And Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, “My lord Moses, stop them.”" — Joshua's plea to Moses, "My lord Moses, stop them," reveals a common human instinct: to protect the leader's authority by limiting others, even when God's Spirit is clearly at work. He's not just con…
