“But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them… and they prophesied in the camp.” — Numbers 11:26
“Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.” — Jeremiah 1:6
You Could if You Would
In both of these passages we see a common response when God calls a man — a sense of inadequacy. In Numbers 11:26, Eldad and Medad were not in the tabernacle where the seventy elders had gathered. They remained in the camp. Yet the Spirit of God rested upon them and they prophesied. God showed Israel that His power does not depend on position, location, or human qualification. When God places His Spirit upon a man, that man can serve wherever he is.
In Jeremiah 1:6, Jeremiah immediately protested his calling. He said, “I cannot speak: for I am a child.” Jeremiah looked at his limitations, but God looked at His purpose. The Lord later told him: “Say not, I am a child… for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee.” (Jeremiah 1:7).
The principle is clear: God often calls those who feel unworthy or unprepared so that His power — not their ability — will be seen. A man who feels strong in himself may trust his own strength, but a man who knows his weakness must depend on God.
Illustration #1 — Moses at the Burning Bush
When God called Moses to deliver Israel, Moses responded with hesitation. “O my Lord, I am not eloquent… but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.” (Exodus 4:10). Yet God answered: “Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.” (Exodus 4:12). The reluctant shepherd became the leader of Israel because God supplied what Moses lacked.
Illustration #2 — The Calling of Peter and the Apostles
When Jesus called His disciples, they were not trained rabbis or scholars. They were fishermen. “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13). Their power did not come from education or position — it came from the presence of Christ.
God’s work has never depended on human strength. He uses men who say, “Lord, I cannot,” so that He can show, “But I can.” Eldad and Medad served in the camp. Jeremiah served in his youth. Moses served with weakness in speech. The apostles served without worldly credentials.
The lesson is simple: God is not looking for ability — He is looking for availability.
“But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.” — 1 Corinthians 1:27
When a man yields himself to God, the Lord can use him far beyond what he ever thought possible.