When "Bible Study Groups" feel they need to select 'elders' or establish some sort of leadership, my soul cringes, because most times they will not follow Yah's Instructions in choosing capable men who fear Him. If a Study Group has become so large that it needs help managing the members then choose folks with experience. If these 'leaders' do not qualify according to Yah's outline, then do not call them Elders or put them in any other position they do not qualify for. I've seen natural leaders rise up that others gravitate towards, and without titles they cannot live up to. This is O.K. and manageable within the bounds of Torah. I understand the need may arise, but calling someone an Elder who does not qualify according to the Word of Elohim is down-right wrong!
Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses (and priest of Midian), saw how overwhelming it was for Moses to 'manage' the people, day in and day out, making known the laws and teachings of Yahweh. He made this suggestion:
You, Moses, represent the people and bring their disputes before Yahweh Elohim. Make known to them the importance of the laws and the teachings and tell them the way they are to go and the practices they are to follow.
Select capable men from among the people who fear Elohim, trustworthy men who spurn ill-gotten gain and set them over groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Let them judge all matters, and decide minor disputes themselves; but have them bring the major disputes to you. - sharing your burden. If you do this - and Yahweh commands you - you will be able to bear it. (Exodus 18:17)
Time goes by and in Numbers 11:10 we read that Yahweh was very angry (again) and Moses was distress (those stiff necked people have been complaining and crying again). Yahweh instructs Moses to:
"Gather 70 of Israel's elders of whom have experience as elders and officers of the people, bring them to the Tent of Meeting and let them take their place there with you. I will come down and speak with you there, and I will draw upon the spirit that is in you and put it upon them; they shall share the burden of the people with you..."
Notice that Yah is putting His Spirit upon them. Makes me think of Shavuot when The Comforter (the Spirit of Truth) was given to the apostles and they were able to fully understand and teach people Torah from then on out.
In the letter Paul wrote to Timothy he points out the qualifications to be met by any man who desires the position as an elder:
1 Timothy 3 ...if a man desires the eldership, he desires a good work. And an elder should be such that No Blame can be found in him; a husband of one wife; have a vigilant mind, sober and reliable; hospitable to strangers; instructive; not a transgressor of wine; not swift to strike but should be humble and not contentious nor a lover of money; one who guides well his own house and holds his children in subjection with all purity. If he cannot run his own household how can he guide the assembly of Elohim? Neither let him be of recent discipleship or else his ego will get the best of him... There should be good testimony of him... else he fall into reproach and the snare of Satan...
It is a blessing that a group grows and needs management 😊 but the one who started the group to begin with should always stick to the rules put forth by the Creator when choosing his reliable trustworthy men to help with the task, that all will continue to go well with them.
