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It is intriguing to note that in the bible narrative where Moses appoints seventy elders for Israel and brings them before God for God to anoint them with the Holy Spirit, that only two of them are named – the ones who are in the camp, Eldad and Medad. (Num 11:16-29)

The incident is interesting because a number of indirect observations about the prophetic ministry may be made that will prove useful to us as we engage in the prophetic ministry. We pick up the story in Numbers 11:16-29; ‘The LORD said to Moses, “Bring me seventy of Israel’s elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to the Tent of Meeting, that they may stand there with you. I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take of the Spirit that is on you and put the Spirit on them. They will help you carry the burden of the people so that you will not have to carry it alone…

Then the LORD descended in the cloud and spoke with him, and He took of the Spirit that was upon him and placed the Spirit upon the seventy elders. It is easy to overlook this as we continue with the narrative. Consider all that Moses had accomplished: the miracles, the awe, the wonder! God speaking to Moses as a man speaks with a friend… and now, for a moment, God transfers what He had bestowed upon Moses to the others. Do you perceive the echoes of the Book of Acts in your mind now? What has transpired within you is not fleeting; the Spirit of God has come to dwell in and with you—a lasting presence.

When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but they did not do so again. However, two men, whose names were Eldad and Medad, had remained in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but did not go out to the Tent. Yet the Spirit also rested on them, and they prophesied in the camp. A young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses’ aide since youth, spoke up and said, “Moses, my lord, stop them!” But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the LORD’s people were prophets and that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!”‘ (Numbers 11:16-29)

God invariably speaks to this one and that one, not the likely ones you choose!

When one considers the extraordinary events occurring in the life of Israel and the dramatic ‘out of the comfort zone’ transition underway, it quickly becomes apparent that the Israelites are facing another significant paradigm shift. Do not limit God to speaking only to the ones you choose; all can prophesy as He enables. I have made it a personal goal for my ministry to focus on restoring hope in the hearts of believers through authentic prophetic ministry; I encourage you to do the same.

God speaks in a multitude of ways. As we seek Him, He will reveal Himself in such a way that we can all see, hear, discern, or know His will and intent. I am particularly fond of the quote by Jonathan Edwards, which may well pose a challenge for you too: ‘The task of every generation is to discover in which direction the Sovereign Redeemer is moving, then move in that direction.’

Sometimes, people never prophesy again – but it was good that they did!

Back to Moses – a perceptive observation is easily overlooked amidst the considerable excitement of the story here. They all prophesied as the Spirit came upon them, but unlike the Prophets with the capital ‘P’, the experience of these elders was a short but significant one; having prophesied, ‘they did not do so again.’ Even today, that is the experience of some – but it does not negate the substantial value and encouragement of their contribution.

Be careful that in your need for ‘decency and order’ that you don’t quench what God is undoubtedly doing in your midst

Eldad and Medad (whose names meant something akin to “God has loved” and “He who loves”)had been summoned, along with all the other elders, to stand at the Tent of Meeting. No reason is given as to why they declined the invitation, but we can be pretty certain it was not a stance of defiance or rebellion. These were Moses’ chosen leaders, recognised by the various tribes of Israel for their leadership capacities. We cannot argue from the profound silence of scripture, but one thing is certain: despite their reputation, profile, and standing in the ecclesia of Israel, Joshua, Moses’ personal assistant, is shocked to receive news that these two men, who have not gathered at the Tent of Meeting, are now prophesying. It is so shocking that Joshua goes straight to Moses to dutifully report the apparent ‘outrage’.

Joshua’s legitimate concern is not with the 68 men prophesying as they stand by the Tent of Meeting, but with two men who do not appear to be fulfilling the criteria set before them. Joshua’s response is hard-line, controlling, and undiscerning. It also reflects a stance that many have adopted in this day and age: ‘Moses, tell them to stop!’. Joshua’s heart is immediately discerned by the Prophet Moses, ‘Are you jealous for my sake?’ Have you ever had a similar response as you look at others ministering outside the boundaries of what you perceive to be their calling? Moses’ response is an encouraging one for those innocently stepping out into the opportunity that suddenly faces them, ‘Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!’

The lavish generosity of Moses is a prime example to many leaders today.

God has so much He willingly wishes to give, and there are so many people to whom He genuinely wants to give! There is one word that can always be associated with God when it comes to blessings and gifts: More!

God’s extravagant grace knows no bounds; and do bear in mind that if He wishes to stir His gifting in others, it is likely that you are the one who may receive a blessing as a result of their stepping out in their gifts! Joshua was more concerned that the ‘prophetic elders’, Eldad and Medad, were in his view ‘illegitimately functioning in God’s gifting’ than he was about hearing the encouragement they were offering to all who would listen. You can sense legalism doing its foul work here, under the guise of concern. This is Joshua who would be used greatly by God after the death of Moses.

Consider for a moment the story of Peter as we see it in the gospels, and you can begin to see encouragement for yourself that no matter how far we go back looking into the lives of God’s people, we all have those early, unchecked moments of zeal that, whilst we might not regret them, we certainly would do things differently given the opportunity!

The ultimate outcome of the story is that, despite the exceptional circumstances and Joshua’s concern, Eldad and Medad’s names were recorded with far greater profile and recognition than those of their sixty-eight contemporaries.

drawing close to God

The Church I attend, Emmanuel Sheffield is one of many across the UK that has realised the great encouragement the gift and ministry of prophecy brings.

We embrace it because, as we learn from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, prophecy—along with the other gifts (or ‘gracelets’) of the Spirit—builds, encourages, and edifies the church, especially prophecy. So much so that Paul admonishes the Corinthians to eagerly desire to prophesy. That said, as a church, we don’t just want people stepping out in the gifts without keeping them in context with the Bible. If you are one of the people who are faithfully serving the church by stepping out in the gift of prophecy in particular, this is for you.

There is a way that your gifting can have even more impact and be an even greater blessing in the church.

Prophetic ministry isn’t just about speaking boldly; it’s about speaking deeply, with roots that delve into the rich soil of sound theology. When prophets ground their messages in the full scope of Christ’s work—particularly His crucifixion and events such as the dramatic tearing of the temple veil, and many similar events—they communicate not just with passion, but with a perceived sense of accuracy – mostly because the focus is on drawing people’s hearts to Christ. We endeavour to restore hope in the heart of the believer through a scripture-honouring and Christ-exalting approach to the prophetic ministry. These, and other narratives that reflect God’s previous dealings with His people encourage faith and courage. Again, Paul raises the benchmark of encouragement as he looks back on God’s activity with mankind in the Old Testament, “Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.” (1 Cor 10:11)

Taking this approach (keeping scripture central) isn’t about adding theological jargon to impress; it’s about ensuring that every call to action, every visionary declaration is anchored in the unshakeable truths of Scripture (against which prophetic ministry is weighed). This approach transforms prophetic ministry from a voice speaking into the wind to a distinct call that resonates in the hearts of its hearers, urging them towards Him where they can find grace and mercy, hope and restoration.

Point in case, and as an example of how prophetic ministry can be enriched in its delivery, consider if you will, a brief reflection on the crucifixion’s deep implications (the example I started earlier). When Jesus declared “It is finished” and surrendered His spirit, the temple veil was torn, symbolically ending the separation between God and humanity.

This act wasn’t just a footnote in theological writing; it was a radical, divine endorsement of accessibility to God, once reserved for the high priest, now open to all. The imagery is powerful and emotive! By rooting prophetic insights in these events, prophets can more effectively speak to unity in the church, direct people unashamedly embrace access to God; engaging and empowering every believer to live out the gospel in vibrant, transformative ways. Intentionally making the Scriptures yield their powerful stories stirs the hearts of God’s people, their faith and their imagination and brings great hope that fosters trust in God. He’s the same, yesterday and forever—and if your encouragement brings to life what He did in the lives of others in the past, it will ignite something for them too.

Always keep things in biblical context!

In the brilliant story of redemption that we are considering as an example, the moment captured in Matthew 27:51 is pivotal. Here, we witness an outpouring of divine approval and joy that resonates deeply within Evangelical, Reformed, and Charismatic theology. As the story unfolds, the Lord Jesus Christ, nearing the completion of His earthly ministry, declares with finality, “It is finished.” It was a declaration that impacted eternity, and changed your life and mine. This profound declaration, spoken from the cross, signals the fullness of the redemptive work entrusted to Him by the Father. It spoke of obedience in the face of terrible suffering and trial, and it was offered to the Father with you and me in mind.

“It is finished!” is a prophetic word the Church needs to hear regularly (we forget so easily and quickly).

The significance of these three words (one in the Greek) cannot be overstated. They mark the fulfilment of centuries of prophetic anticipation and the perfect obedience of the Son to the Father’s will. In response to this climactic moment, something extraordinary occurs: the veil in the temple, a thick curtain that symbolised the separation between a holy God and sinful humanity, is torn in two from top to bottom. This dramatic act, performed by no human hand but by the sovereign initiative of God Himself, was an awesome indicator and sign that the barrier of sin has been decisively removed.

We can now draw close to God—and He can draw close to us!

The tearing of the veil is a declaration of the accessibility of God’s presence to all who would come by faith in His Son. It speaks of a new and living way opened up through the sacrifice of Jesus, through which we may now approach God with confidence and assurance (Hebrews 10:19-20). It’s an access that is not limited to a specific nation or a chosen few but is extended to all humanity, looking past all cultural, ethnic, and social divides.

I want to draw attention to this because prophetic ministry that is hand in glove with a healthy understanding and regard for theology will be a great treasure and resource for the Church. If you take prophetic ministry or gifting seriously, then the hard work of reading good, solid ‘hard-to-read’ books is absolutely worth it.

When people are found to be discouraged because they are focusing on themselves, the implications of this event (the Cross of Christ) for the church are profound and multifaceted. It underscores the sufficiency of Christ’s atoning work on the cross. No further sacrifices are required; the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus is complete and efficacious for all who believe. It adds a layer of grace upon grace for weary hearts.

Something else—when you consider the open access to God, you can see the practical ramifications for how believers live and interact. The church is called to be a community of reconciliation, mirroring the unifying work of Christ.

In a divided and fractured world, the church stands as a testament to the power of the gospel to break down walls of hostility, bringing together people from diverse backgrounds into a single family of faith (Ephesians 2:14-18).

I am aware I have rambled. To be to the point my intention is to say that prophetic ministry, stirred and initiated by the Holy Spirit is at its best when it draws on the vast treasures of scripture and clothes them in the things (imagery, thoughts, impressions, pictures) that the Spirit brings to mind.

Naming Elders!