Numbers 11:16 And the Lord said unto Moses, gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee.
Here again is the very same issue occurring, why the Bible says God is a Spirit. Seventy men of Israel have been chosen to help Moses with his administration, and they are given a specific instruction to appear at the tabernacle. All, except two of them show up and yet The Holy Spirit is given to the two also. Judging by mere outward appearance would lead us to conclude that they should not be partakers of the Holy Ghost, because it seems as if they disobeyed a plain order.
Numbers 11:17 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. 24 And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the Lord, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle.
But hold on a minute, as we dig a little deeper, because, God is a Spirit…. [Patriarchs & Prophets pp 381] Two of the seventy, humbly counting themselves unworthy of so responsible a position, had not joined their brethren at the tabernacle; but the Spirit of God came upon them where they were, and they, too, exercised the prophetic gift.
Numbers 11:26 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 were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.
May God add His blessing to the study of His word. “Good night” and God bless!