This is Spoken Gospel.

We’re dedicated to seeing
Jesus in all of scripture.

In each episode we see what’s
happening in a Biblical text

and how it sheds light
on Jesus and his gospel.

Let’s jump in.

Israel is setting out from Mt. Sinai and
is headed toward the Promised Land.

But right away, they sin.
The people complain against God.

God gets angry with them and a fire
breaks out around the outskirts of the camp.

The people plead with Moses to do
something, so Moses prays and the fire stops.

That’s the cycle we’ll see again and again
and again throughout the book of Numbers.

The people receive commands, they disobey,
God punishes, and someone intercedes.

In fact, this cycle will happen three
times in just these two chapters

- twice with the people
and once with the leadership.

But there is something else
happening in this story we need to notice.

Moses is so overwhelmed
that he asks God to kill him.

But God has other plans.

God has Moses raise up 70
leaders and then fills them

with 70 people with a portion
of the Holy Spirit that is in Moses.

When this happens, the 70 leaders
immediately start prophesying.

But only that one time.

However, elsewhere in the camp, God gave
two men, Eldad and Medad, the Spirit as well.

And they continued to prophecy.

When people complained about this to
Moses, Moses responded by saying that

he wished all the Lord’s people would
receive the Holy Spirit and prophecy.

What’s amazing is that the wish
Moses had actually comes true.

After Jesus’ ascension, the Holy
Spirit comes to the first Christians.

They share the Gospel through
the power of the Holy Spirit.

And as people come to believe in Jesus
the Holy Spirit comes to them as well.

And when he does, they manifest signs,
like prophecy, just like the 70 leaders did.

But their gift didn’t stop.

It kept going like
Eldad and Medad.

One of Jesus’ closest
followers, Peter, said that

the Holy Spirit would come to
everyone who believes

both young and old, slave and
free, everyone would have dreams, visions,

and would prophesy,
just as Moses wished.

It’s no wonder why the apostle Paul echoed
Moses’ wish in his first letter to the Corinthians

when he said that he wished
everyone would prophesy.

While, today, prophecy is
misunderstood and debated,

I believe all Christians
can agree on the main point.

A prophecy is sharing with another
something God has revealed.

And the greatest thing God has ever
revealed is the fullness of who he is in Jesus.

The Holy Spirit has come to everyone who
believes in Jesus and revealed to them who he is.

The good news here is that, because
Jesus has ransomed us through his death

and filled us with his Holy Spirit,
we can break the cycle of sin

we read about here in
the book of Numbers.

We can stop walking according to the
flesh and start walking according to the Spirit.

And by doing so, our lives and lips
can prophesy the name of Jesus.

I pray that this Holy Spirit
will open your eyes to see

the God who punishes evil
but provides intercession.

And that this same Holy Spirit would
reveal to you a fuller picture of Jesus,

who obeys for you, was punished
for you and intercedes for you.