NUMBERS 11:24-30

11:24 So Moses went out and told the people the words of the LORD; and he gathered seventy elders of the people, and placed them all around the tent.

11:25 Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders; and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied.  But they did not do so again. 

11:26 Two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested on them; they were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp.

11:27 And a young man ran and told Moses, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp."

11:28 And Joshua, the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses, one of his chosen men, said, "My lord Moses, stop them!"

11:29 But Moses said to him, "Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit on them!"

11:30 And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

Accidents happen.  That’s because people get careless.  They make mistakes.  Sometimes it’s because they’re in too much of a hurry.   Sometimes it’s because they’re not paying attention to what they’re doing.  That’s what happened many years ago when I invited a rabbi from one of the synagogues up in South Portland, Maine to celebrate a Seder with our senior high Youth Ministry.  At one point during the meal one of the youth knocked over a glass of grape juice and sent it flying here there and everywhere.   The rabbi didn’t see it when it happened. So, as he continued to explain the symbolism of the Seder plate I raised my hand.  “Rabbi,” I said, “what do you do when someone spills the sacramental juice?”   The rabbi smiled and said, “Get some napkins and pray that it isn’t contagious.”

Accidents happen. That’s because people get careless.  They make mistakes. When was the last time you made a mistake? Here’s another question for you.  Does God make mistakes?  Joshua would tell you that the answer to that question is that God does indeed make mistakes.   In fact, Joshua was convinced that God made a terrible mistake that day when Eldad and Medad started to prophesy.  That wasn’t the way it was supposed to be.  Joshua and the 69 other elders were the ones who were supposed to receive the Holy Spirit that day.  The Holy Spirit wasn’t for a couple of nobodies like Eldad and Medad.

Joshua was convinced that a mistake had been made. That’s why he pleaded with Moses to lay down the law. Joshua said, “My lord Moses, stop them!”

What do you think? Do you think that God made a mistake that day? Do you think that God got a little careless while transferring transfer some of that spirit from Moses to the 70 elders?  Do you think that a little of that spirit accidentally slopped over onto Eldad and Medad?  Or do you think that it’s what God wanted to happen all along?

Here’s what I think.  Everything that happened that day happened for a reason. After all, with the possible exception of the aardvark and tofu, God doesn’t make mistakes.  So, the only conclusion that you can come to here is that God wanted Eldad and Medad to be filled with the Holy Spirit. God wanted Eldad and Medad to have the gift of prophesy.   Maybe it was God’s way of telling Joshua and all the people like him that everyone – and that includes you and me and all of our confirmands – everyone has a gift.   Maybe it was God’s way of telling us that us that we all need to use our gifts.

Moses knew that God doesn’t make mistakes.  Moses knew that when it comes to God things happen for a reason. That’s why Moses didn’t give in to Joshua and his jealousy.  Instead of telling Eldad and Medad to cease and desist Moses rebukes Joshua. Moses says to him, “Would that all of God’s people were prophets.”

God doesn’t make mistakes.  When it comes to God things happen for a reason. That’s the conclusion that an elderly gentleman came to one day while sitting in church. He came to that conclusion while they were celebrating the Sacrament of Communion.   When the time came to drink from the cup the elderly gentleman and everyone discovered that the cups had been filled with prune juice instead of grape juice.  After the service many of the parishioners weren’t very happy. The elderly gentleman, however, took it all in stride. On his way out of church he shook the minister’s hand and said, “Don’t’ worry about it reverend.  Maybe that was simply God’s way of telling us that we need to loosen things up around here.”

People make mistakes but God doesn’t make mistakes.  So, look closely because that mistake or that coincidence or that confusing turn of events may be God’s way of tapping you on the shoulder.  It may be God’s way of trying to tell you something.  It may be God’s way of letting you know that you’re not alone.  Amen.

Rev. Dr. Richard A. Hughes

June 12, 2011 – Pentecost Sunday