My favorite part of everything was when the two men in the camp prophesied and Joshua the son of Nun tells Moses to forbid them from doing that. And Moses says are you jealous of them for my sake? Would that all the Lord's people might be prophets, when the Lord would put His Spirit upon them.
I think that this is ultimately a reference to the day of Pentecost. When the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles like fire and they all spoke in tongues, and prophesied. And throughout the entire book of Acts the Holy Spirit would come up on them and they would prophesy. Even to this day holy men and women prophesy under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. In fact Justin Martyr refers to the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of Prophecy. He seemed to understand the Holy Spirit's work mainly in the work of prophecy.
Of course we should not limit the Holy Spirit to prophesy. But the Apostle Paul says that the greatest spiritual gift that a person can desire is the gift of prophecy.
It is the Holy Spirit which inspired Moses to write the Torah. He also inspired the prophets to proclaim the Torah in the midst of a wicked generation. And it was the Spirit who pointed the way to the Messiah through their prophecies. The Spirit inspired the Apostles to write Scripture. And the Spirit preserves the Holy Orthodox Faith through the fathers. And it is the Spirit that leads and guides the Orthodox Christians when we study the Scriptures. The Holy Spirit of Prophecy. Whenever a person reads the Holy Scriptures, or teaches the Holy Scriptures, or even studies the Holy Scriptures they are engaging in a work of prophecy. "Would that all the Lord's people might be prophets."
Besides this beautiful display of the Holy Spirit, we also see a beautiful and fearful depiction of the Son of God. When Aaron and Miriam become arrogant because they have prophesied as well, God Himself corrects them. He says that while other prophets may receive messages from the Lord, they receive messages through visions, or dreams. But Moses actually spoke to God face to face. God would even come down in a physical and embodied form. Nobody has that intimacy.
I think that this is a healthy warning for anybody who wishes to challenge their priest or bishop. They serve in a unique and holy way as they minister the Eucharist. God comes down in the chalice at their prayers. This is an amazing truth. So do not speak against your priest, or your bishop.
I might expand on this later.
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