OT Notes Num. 11:24-30

I am glad that the lectionary returns to OT readings as part of regular worship.On Pentecost, we naturally have a reading on the Spirit.As usual, i will try to note some possible angles for a sermon, Bible study, or spiritual development
1) We are in the midst of a leadership crisis. Moses feels overwhelmed and is not seeing growth in the people. God moves to a less centralized system and 70 elders  share in the spirit of Moses. They will receive some of the spirit that was in Moses and now share the burdens of leadership. I wonder if that meant that Moses was somehow weakened. Would others see him as weakened now. Is this not a different way of approaching the story in Exodus of Jethro advising Moses to delegate power and organize it more democratically?

2) One wonders why the spirit of prophesy came but once to them?

3) Eldad and Medad do not follow the prescribed method, but they receive the spirit nonetheless. They are not punished. Some later tradition thought they their words in the camp predicted upcoming crises for Israel.
Eldad could  mean God (El)  has loved and Medad means loved one or friend. Another way could be linking God to family and place, or it may relate to the storm god, Hadad.

4) Moses seems to me to be so secure that he doesn't see this as a threat by any means.On the other hand Joshua sees trouble in this newly distributed power.

5) Moltmann does a good job on the spirit of life giving the church power to do its tasks. We need to be careful not to permit others to limit the work of hte spirit to individual charisms.