Seventy or Seventy Two—Seventy and Me and You
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Why were seventy people sent out to prepare the way for Jesus as laborers into the harvest? Why were they sent two by two? Why do some translations tell us that seventy-two were sent?
In the tenth chapter of Luke’s gospel account, Jesus sends out seventy or seventy-two people into the towns and villages, depending upon the translation. The English Standard Version records seventy-two people being sent, while the New King James Version records seventy people. Both translations have the people being sent two by two.
Sending the people two by two to bear witness, gave credibility to the people’s witness and their testimony upon their return. In the Law of Moses, God’s word instructs us, “Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.” (Deuteronomy 19:15, ESV).
But why seventy or seventy-two people?
In Luke chapter nine, Jesus sent out the twelve disciples giving them similar instructions as the seventy. In the book of Numbers, chapter two, God orders the twelve Israelite tribes to encamp around the Tabernacle of God and appointed twelve leaders, one for every tribe of the the people. As God had Moses appoint twelve tribes and tribal leaders, so Jesus had twelve disciples helping him to lead the people.
In Numbers chapter eleven, God instructed Moses to, saying, “Gather for me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. And I will come down and talk with you there. And I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone.” (Numbers 11:16-17, ESV).
Jesus was invoking God’s original leadership design of his chosen people from the Law of Moses by sending out the seventy.
However, there is some level of ambiguity around whether there were seventy elders of the people or seventy-two, as two potential leaders emerged in Numbers chapter eleven.
Numbers tells us, “Now 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. And a young man ran and told Moses, ‘Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.’” (Numbers 11:26-27, ESV).
Moses’s response to the two men, potentially outside of the original seventy, is not to rebuke them but the bless them and to speak encouragement over the people, wishing that all people would speak for God and have his Spirit on them.
Numbers continues, “And Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, “My lord Moses, stop them.” 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 on them!” (Numbers 11:26-29, ESV).
God desires all his people to join him in his work and bear witness to him, as he pours out his Spirit on them.
So, is it seventy, or is it seventy-two? Or, is it seventy and me and you?
May we bear witness to our Lord Jesus, and be witnesses for our Lord Jesus, empowered by his Spirit poured out upon us to speak his word and to do his work.
A Collect for Mission II: “O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” (Book of Common Prayer, 2019).
Begin the month with a #dailydevotional. I have created a #devotional book for each month, a devotional for every day of the year, and offering them for #free by subscribing. Get a link to #Grow365: #July2022—A #Daily Devotional here: robbiepruitt.com.
Photo by Possessed Photography on Unsplash.
