Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | July 2, 2014

“I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind”

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers 11:24-30.

“24 So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord.  Also, he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people, and stationed them around the tent.  25 Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him;  and He took of the Spirit who was upon him and placed Him upon the seventy elders.  And when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did not do it again.

26 But two men had remained in the camp; the name of one was Eldad and the name of the other Medad.  And the Spirit rested upon them (now they were among those who had been registered, but had not gone out to the tent), and they prophesied in the camp.  27 So a young man ran and told Moses and said, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”  28 Then Joshua the son of Nun, the attendant of Moses from his youth, said, “Moses, my lord, restrain them.”  29 But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake?  Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!”  30 Then Moses returned to the camp, both he and the elders of Israel.”  Numbers 11:24-30.

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Moses’ desire was granted.  The LORD did not only put His Spirit upon His people, the Jews;  He “poured” forth of His Spirit “on all mankind“, Jews and also Gentiles.

“14 But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: “Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give heed to my words.  15 For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day; 16 but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel:

17 ‘And it shall be in the last days,’ God says,
‘That I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind;
And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
And your young men shall see visions,
And your old men shall dream dreams;
18 Even on My bondslaves, both men and women,
I will in those days pour forth of My Spirit
And they shall prophesy.
19 ‘And I will grant wonders in the sky above
And signs on the earth below,
Blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke.
20 ‘The sun will be turned into darkness
And the moon into blood,
Before the great and glorious day of the Lord shall come.
21 ‘And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”  Acts 2:14-21.

And, the LORD’s Spirit did more than just cause people to prophesy and make wise decisions for the people.

“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.  And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord.  There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.  But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.  For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit;  to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.  But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.”  1 Corinthians 12:4-11.


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