It is no coincidence that their prophecy centered on the entry into the Land of Israel, which was still in the future at the time, specifically on the change of leadership it would require—the death of Moses and Joshua taking his place. Their message is tied to the redemption of Israel and to the connection of their spiritual Torah given to them in the wilderness with the practical life embodied in the Land of Israel. This necessitates a change of leadership, a change of 'mindset.'
Halachah instructs that one entering the Beit Midrash should say, "May it be Your will, Havayah my God, that no mishap occur through me, and that I do not stumble in any matter of halachah": in the study and teaching of Torah, one must be very cautious of errors. What about Eldad and Meidad, who make the opposite movement, from the Beit Midrash outward? What prayer do they offer upon their departure? The answer is hidden in the conclusion of the verse we cited earlier, "A lovely deer, a graceful doe, let her breasts satisfy you at all times, be infatuated with her love always."
The expression "be infatuated with her love always" can also be interpreted as a blessing to make mistakes in the study of Torah and thereby learn, just as science progresses through trial and error. In light of this, we can surmise that Eldad and Meidad's prayer is exactly the opposite of the yeshiva student's prayer: in the spirit of science, they pray to merit making mistakes and errors, knowing that through this they will reach the highest understandings, the wisdom of the Land of Israel.
