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On Elders, part 1 (Old Testament)
Larry Kirkpatrick
Today we are going to look together at a topic that has very much to do with the well-being of a church. What is God's plan for church government, in particular, for elders?
First Appearances in Scripture
Elders make their first appearance in the Bible in Exodus, when Moses and Aaron are sent by God to "Go, and gather the elders of Israel together" (Exodus 3:16) to persuade them that God now plans to deliver the captive nation from Egypt. After explaining the matter to them, they, Moses and Aaron, are to go with the elders of Israel in before Pharaoh (Exodus 3:18). The elders were leaders, and representative of all the people of the Hebrew nation (Exodus 3:21; 4:16; 4:29-31).
After showing the signs, the elders believed. However, there is no indication whether they went in with Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh. Mention of their having done so is conspicuously absent.
But it is interesting that when God sent Moses to deliver His people, he was sent to the elders of Israel. How important must have been such a role; so much so that God sent His prophet to the elders first of all, and that their reaction, accepting the news, is called "the people believed" (Exodus 4:31). The elders were representative of all the nation.
When the plagues came to a climax and God was ready to deliver His people, again, the role of the elders is especially noted. Look at Exodus 12:21. The instructions for the Passover were issued through the elders. Failure to pay attention to what they had to say would have resulted in the death of the firstborn in your household. This was life or death. By this means the importance of the elders was emphasized. These men stood between the living and the dead, and by God's appointment.
Forty Years Delay?
Although those were the first appearances in Scripture of the elders, a lesson comes to us from as far back as forty years previous. It seems that as far back as that, God had planned to deliver Israel. Angels were sent, appearing at that time to the elders and informing them that the time of their deliverance was near, and that Moses was the man (You'll find this in Ellen G. White's Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 245). And how was it with Moses. Was he unknown to the Hebrews?
Moses remained at court until he was forty years of age. His thoughts often turned upon the abject condition of his people, and he visited his brethren in their servitude, and encouraged them with the assurance that God would work for their deliverance. Often, stung to resentment by the sight of injustice and oppression, he burned to avenge their wrongs. (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 246).
This was the way things were just before the incident where Moses killed the Egyptian and the matter came to Pharaoh's ears "greatly exaggerated." But at that time the influence of the elders was only minimally accepted by the Hebrew people. Moses surely felt that there was but little support among them. After the incident with the Egyptian, he fled. Forty years would pass before the deliverer would return to deliver.
Surely after angels appeared to them, the elders had encouraged the people to accept the leadership of Moses. Surely they gave this counsel. After all, we are plainly told that "The elders of Israel endeavored to sustain the sinking faith of their brethren by repeating the promises made to their fathers, and the prophetic words of Joseph before his death, foretelling their deliverance from Egypt" (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 259). Surely then, if angels appeared to the elders and told them the time of deliverance was near and that Moses was the man, i.e. that the prophetic promise of deliverance through Joseph was on the point of fulfillment, that far from yet to come, the deliverer even then walked the earth, even then was here, surely they shared the message of the angels with the people. Surely they sought to impress them to listen to Moses.
They didn't. Forty years' delay was the result; forty more years of slavery and bondage. The mission of Israel was at a standstill. They hadn't listened to their elders. There are lessons in this for us today.
Responsibility and Organization
Later, after leaving Egypt, there was rebellion. It was rebellion against God's leadership. Finally Moses prayed to God, and His response was for Moses to go before the people and what? Turn to Exodus 17:5. There we find that Moses was to go before the people along with representatives from among the elders of Israel. Moses was to smite the rock in the presence of the elders, which he did. The people were all there, standing in the background. But Moses and the elders stood before God and did what He had asked. The elders didn't stand back with the people, but right up in front with Moses. Why? God was seeking to establish the order and authority He had prescribed. It was going to take years of labor to bring a satisfactory recognition among the people of gospel order.
Aaron and Hur
Right after this we have another lesson. In the same chapter we have the incident of the attack of Amalek. God had permitted it because His people had failed to trust Him. The next day a counterattack was launched, with Moses on the top of the hill holding up the rod of God and praying to the Lord with Aaron and Hur by his side. When Moses' hands were held up, the Hebrews were victorious in the sway of battle; when they were let down, the Amalekites prevailed. So Aaron and Hur held up the hands of the leader and Israel came to victory.
What was all this? Was it a case of magical deliverance by God? Did holding up Moses' hands magically win the battle for God's people? "Divine strength is to be combined with human effort. Moses did not believe that God would overcome their foes while Israel remained inactive." (Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 299). While he had been praying, Joshua and the armies had been fighting. Divine strength and human effort were both in play. And leaders sustained other leaders and held up the hand of the Lord's anointed, Moses, which bore the rod of God.
It is of interest that Ellen White compares the pastor to Moses. Here's what she says: "Happy the minister who has a faithful Aaron and Hur to strengthen his hands when they become weary, and to hold them up by faith and prayer." (Ellen G. White, Gospel Workers, p. 32, 1892 edition). Hur was among the leaders of the tribe of Judah. Bezeleel, his grandson was called by God (Exodus 31:2) to lead out in the construction of the tabernacle. God's intention is that order shall exist among His people for efficiency in doing His work, whether that work is pleasant and preferable, or hard work that no one would really want to do.
In a letter addressed to some at the Battle Creek church, Mrs. White wrote a fascinating warning. "Remarks are thoughtlessly made
Careful Organization
The burden upon Moses was more than what he should have, and God knew it. So we turn to Exodus 18 and discover a different plan suggested by Jethro, and one which Moses immediately implemented.
It had been Moses' practice to judge all the matters, large or small, of the people. Jethro observed this and saw the flaw in it. He warned Moses that what he was doing was not good. "Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone." (Exodus 18:18). Instead, the priest of Midian counseled not only that Moses continue to teach the people God's laws and ways, but that he delegate.
"Thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens: And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee." (Exodus 18:21-22).
And Moses did this. The description is found in Exodus 18:25-26: "And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves." This was an important part of the incrementally improving organization of Israel. So now we had the leaders, Moses first, then Aaron and Joshua and Hur, and we had the elders of Israel. Here we have the addition of a class of what we might call efficiency workers. These were the equivalent of today's deacons. These were not elders.
Elders Representing the Nation
When we come to Exodus 19 we find God ready to complete an agreement with the nation of Israel about His covenant. God calls Moses up into the mountain and informs him of the conditions of this covenant. He returns to the people. But pay attention in Exodus 19:7-8 to what happens.
And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him. And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD.
Moses comes down and goes straight away to the elders of the people. He puts in front of them what God has asked him to. When it says "All the people answered together," we realize here that it was all the elders of Israel answering together
It is very clear here that the elders were representative of the whole nation. What they said to God was what the people said to God. What they agreed to with God was what the people agreed to with God. It was immediately after this that the Ten Commandments were given. Thus we see in extraordinary measure something of God's plan for elders.
Leadership and the Golden-Calf Incident
When God moves to ratify the covenant between Himself and His people, He calls for seventy of the elders (Exodus 24:1). Immediately after ratifying the covenant, after the blood was sprinkled upon "the people," no doubt, on "the elders," they go up to see God.
"Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel: And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under His feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness" (Exodus 24:9-10).
Notice that here we have the leadership of God's people up to a certain point. Moses, Joshua, Aaron and Hur, and 70 of the elders. (Therefore were more than 70, for these were selected from among all the elders of Israel, but were not all of them). The others don't go up. These elders even "saw the God of Israel."
Moses asks them to remain there and wait for him to return as he goes on up to commune with God. He puts Aaron in charge, with Hur to assist (Exodus 24:14). He was gone longer than the people wanted and they soon fell into mischief. At some point the people and Aaron came together, presumably back at the encampment of Israel, for it was "a vast crowd" that gathered itself around his tent. (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 316). It seems as though at some point, after weeks of waiting for Moses to return, Aaron went back to camp. Of Hur and of the elders nothing is spoken.
Hur may have felt constrained because Aaron had clearly been placed in authority. But we know that throughout the apostasy at Sinai we hear nothing of the elders. It seems as if they took no meaningful part in trying to stop the developing apostasy. Wouldn't it have been well if the elders had approached Aaron and urged a different course than appeasement of the people's desire for the golden calf and a visible representation of God to lead them back to Egypt? And when were they given leave to come down from the mountain? Moses had asked them to wait there. It was an ideal opportunity to discuss how they would lead the people into better obedience to the instructions the nation was then receiving from God.
Part of this blame must rest at Aaron's place. Aaron had clearly been placed in a leadership position here. How devastating the results when those in leadership above tie the hands of those in leadership below. How we need to hold up the hands of those in leadership in God's church who are trying, against all odds I might add, to be faithful.
In the idolatry at Sinai God's covenant was broken. The people were made vulnerable before their enemies. But it all could have been prevented by the faithful action of the leaders of God's people. "If Aaron had had courage to stand for the right, irrespective of consequences, he could have prevented that apostasy. If he had unswervingly maintained his own allegiance to God, if he had cited the people to the perils of Sinai, and had reminded them of their solemn covenant with God to obey His law, the evil would have been checked. But his compliance with the desires of the people and the calm assurance with which he proceeded to carry out their plans, emboldened them to go to greater lengths in sin than had before entered their minds." (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 323). What lessons flow from this to us today.
Seventy Elder Council Becomes Permanent
Eventually the time came for God's people to leave Sinai. Of course, it wasn't at all long until the murmuring had begun anew. In frustration Moses prayed to God and asked for some relief in bearing the burden of leading this adverse people. And the answer to his prayer is outlined in Patriarchs and prophets, p. 380:
"The Lord hearkened to his prayer, and directed him to summon seventy men of the elders of Israel
-- men not only advanced in years, but possessing dignity, sound judgment, and experience. 'And bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation,' He said, 'that they may stand there with thee. And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.'""The Lord permitted Moses to choose for himself the most faithful and efficient men to share the responsibility with him. Their influence would assist in holding in check the violence of the people, and quelling insurrection . . ."
Now the seventy became a permanent council. Numbers 11:16 suggests that the 70 came from the elders who were connected with "the officers." It seems as if the development of leadership among the people was facilitated by the system of organization in the camp. Just as today we tend to move leaders up through the ranks, as they serve as deacons first, some will later be called to serve as elders.
God is a God of order. Everything connected with heaven is in perfect order; subjection and thorough discipline mark the movements of the angelic host. Success can only attend order and harmonious action. God requires order and system in His work now no less than in the days of Israel. All who are working for Him are to labor intelligently, not in a careless, haphazard manner. He would have His work done with faith and exactness, that He may place the seal of His approval upon it. (Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 376).
Organization Completed
Now the organization of Israel was completed. Hear how Mrs. White summarizes this.
"Even before they left Egypt a temporary organization had been effected, and the people were arranged in companies, under appointed leaders. At Sinai the arrangements for organization were completed. The order so strikingly displayed in all the works of God was manifest in the Hebrew economy. God was the center of authority and government. Moses, as His representative, was to administer the laws in His name. Then came the council of seventy, then the priests and the princes, under these 'captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens' (Numbers 11:16, 17; Deuteronomy 1:15), and, lastly, officers appointed for special duties. The camp was arranged in exact order, the tabernacle, the abiding place of God, in the midst, and around it the tents of the priests and the Levites. Outside of these each tribe encamped beside its own standard." (Ellen G. White, Education, p. 37).
Another Observation on the Responsibility of Elders
We turn to Leviticus for one last observation about elders. Leviticus 4:13-15 tells the story:
"And if the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done somewhat against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which should not be done, and are guilty; When the sin, which they have sinned against it, is known, then the congregation shall offer a young bullock for the sin, and bring him before the tabernacle of the congregation. And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands upon the head of the bullock before the LORD: and the bullock shall be killed before the LORD.
Here, we find provision is made in case of an unwitting departure by the whole congregation into transgression. Because the elders are representative of the people, the congregation sacrifices a sin offering. Before they slay the animal, it is the elders who lay their hands upon the head of the beast. They, representing the whole of the congregation place their hands upon the bullock thus symbolically transferring the sin of the whole congregation upon the animal. The priests take the matter from there.
This decisively shows that in the economy of Israel the elders were representative of the people. They acted not only as leaders for the people appointed according to God's system, but as representatives of the people of God to their God. So much so that in the case of a transgression such as described above, it was the elders who were called to transfer sin to the animal.
Conclusion, part 1
High indeed was and is the office of the elder. The organized working of the whole congregation of Israel was dependent upon their responsible working. And through all the changes at different times through the history of God's people, they remained. "They [Elders] seem to have retained their position in spite of all the political changes." Cambridge Bible Dictionary, Entry, "Elders."
Yes, the organization of God's people was different then in some ways from what we have now. But while there are differences, there is also continuity, so much so that the New Testament calls Israel "the church in the wilderness" (Acts 7:38). We cannot but insist that there are decided instruction and principles to be learned from the events surrounding Israel. Remember, all those things happened to them as examples for us (1 Corinthians 10). We skip such lessons only at our own peril.
Reminding ourselves of the insights given today, we note the following:
- When God finally sent a deliverer to His people, the deliverer (Moses) was sent first to the elders of Israel, an institution even then in operation.
- A forty year delay in their deliverance occurs, traceable perhaps in part on account of a failure of the people to hear the warnings of their elders. The angel's had appeared to the elders and told them that Moses was the man.
- The key developments in the history of Israel's wilderness journeyings were inevitably punctuated by the presence of the elders, as at the smiting of the rock (Exodus 17), the negotiations and ratification of the covenant (Exodus 19; 24).
- The key failures of Israel in the wilderness were cases where the elders are quiet, unfaithful, and inactive.
- The elders represented the whole of the nation before God.
God has a plan for church government. It includes order and system. The elders are appointed under God's direction. Church is not a democracy. Uphold your leaders. Pray for them. Pray that they will always, under whatever emergency be faithful in doing their duty, even if it is an unpleasant one as so often it is!
When we continue with part 2 of this, we'll move to the New Testament and gather in what it has to say concerning elders and the church, and draw more distinct conclusions from what we find.
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