Thursday 17th August
Read Numbers 11:16-17
“The Lord said to Moses: ‘Bring me seventy of Israel’s elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Make them come to the tent of meeting, that they may stand there with you. 17 I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them. They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone.” (NIVUK)
Yahweh first deals with Moses’ distress. Similar advice to that which his father-in-law Jethro provided to him on the way to Sinai was formalised now. The burden of leadership was shared. It was shared with ‘known’ people, people of good standing (literally) (v16). It is delegated authority. It derives from Yahweh (the Spirit that invigorated Moses would be shared with them). But it is not complete authority (only some is granted). The impression provided is that these leaders are not rivals to Moses but ‘burden-sharers’. God is still leading His people through Moses, but the burden of caring for the people is shared with good people.
This may seem like a very flat leadership structure. God, Moses, elders, people. I suspect that with Jesus and in His kingdom, it has become even flatter! Consider Paul’s exhortation to the Galatian church. “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:1-2) (NIVUK). All those with the Spirit share the burden of dealing gently with one another’s sins. Are there any burdens you can share today?
