Numbers 27:16-23

Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation.

The spiritual leaders of men

I. The world’s need of spiritual leaders.

1. The great majority of every generation are uninventive, unaspiring, cringing, servile, thoughtless, ignorant. They not only walk in moral darkness, but lack the desire, if not the capacity, to struggle into the light of moral principles.

2. Clearly, then, they require spiritual leaders, men who shall point out to them the way of honesty, truth, purity, and holiness, marching before them in all the stateliness of the Christly morality.

II. The genuine type of spiritual leaders.

1. The true spiritual leader must be a man. Not an idiot, not a charlatan, not a functionary. A “man” is a person who has right convictions of moral duty, and honestly embodies them in his daily life.

2. The true spiritual leader must be a man inspired by God. No man can be a true moral leader of the people who has not within him, as the all-animating and directing force, an unutterable abhorrence of wrong and an invincible attachment to the right, whose whole nature does not beat and beam with the soul of Divine morality.

III. The Divine succession of spiritual leaders. They are all in the hands of God.

1. He takes the greatest spiritual leaders away by death.

2. He raises others to supply their place. One enters into another’s labours. (Homilist.)

A model ordination service

I. That the person ordained should be chosen of God for his work. Moses asked the Lord to “set a man over the congregation,” &c. (Numbers 27:16). “And the Lord said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua,” &c. So now the Christian minister should be--

1. Called by God to His work.

2. Appointed by God to his sphere of work.

II. That the ordination is to the most important work.

III. That the ordination should be conducted by tried men.

IV. The ordination should be accompanied with the imposition of hands.

V. That the ordination should include a charge to the ordained, “Give him a charge.” The duties and responsibilities of the office should be laid before those who are being set apart to it; and the experience of godly and approved men should be made available for the direction of the inexperienced. What wise and inspiring things Moses would say to Joshua in this charge! What sage counsels drawn from his ripe experience! &c.

VI. That the ordination should be conducted in the presence of the people. Moreover, such an arrangement--

1. Is more impressive to the person being ordained. There present with him are the immortal souls for whom he has to live and labour.

2. Tends to influence the people beneficially. As they hear of the important duties and solemn responsibilities of their minister, they should be awakened to deeper solicitude and more earnest prayer on his behalf, and to heartier co-operation with him.

VII. The ordination should confer honour upon the person ordained.

VIII. That a person so chosen of God, should seek special direction from Him, and seeking, shall obtain it.

1. A warning against self-sufficiency.

2. A source of encouragement and strength. (W. Jones.)

“The God of the spirits of all flesh”

I. The affecting view here furnished of the agency and dominion of God in connection with the human mind.

1. God imparts the powers of the spirit. We have nothing self-derived.

2. He claims the affections of the spirit.

3. He heals the disorders and sympathises with the sorrows of the spirit.

4. He alone can constitute the happiness of the spirit.

5. He will decide upon the future destiny of the spirit.

II. The moral uses of these contemplations.

1. Let them teach you reverence for the human mind.

2. Let them impress you with thoughts of the vast importance of personal religion.

3. Let them inspire you with practical efforts to benefit and bless society. By education-by missions, &c.

4. Let them kindle hope for the prospects of the human race. (S. Thodey.).