'Cause his dad said to look to him. Obviously, you don't read... or understand... instructions well. Must have been challenging for YOUR dad...
Look, t he MOST Holy One of Israel, JAH of Armies, is recorded to have said, “This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him!”(Matthew 17:5) If we ask something from God... but don’t listen Him when HE says we should listen to His Son... can we truly say we WANT what we’re asking for? So, okay, you might say, “Well, I still want what I want (the "thing"); I just don’t want to do whatever... or go through whoever... He said to” (here, listen to the Son). But if the SON is the One you have to GO to to GET that thing you want, how can you get around listening to that One, the Son?
The example of Joseph and Pharaoh might help you “see” what I mean (or maybe not, but I'm willing to put it out there for you):
You live during the time of Joseph (it's an example - don't spit all over it). After helping Pharaoh understand the significance of his dreams, Joseph was placed over ALL of Pharaoh’s belongings, including Pharaoh’s grain. He had authority over EVERYTHING in Pharaoh’s kingdom... which was VAST... except Pharaoh himself. So, now, there’s a “famine” in the land and you, EP want some of Pharaoh’s grain for you and your household. Your boys are growing... and hungry... and your household staple is bread. Because you need BREAD... you need GRAIN... and you know Pharaoh has grain (his men have spent the last 7 years gathering it in anticipation of the famine you are now in... because that guy, Joseph, told him it was coming. Now, you didn't BELIEVE that guy, Joseph - you thought he was some kind of charlatan or something. So, you were actually a little PO'd when you heard he had been put in charge of things. I mean, who was he? No one had ever heard of him before. Some even say he was a former jailbird.
Yet, here and you boys are... and you're all hungry. And you have heard that Pharaoh said he would not withhold grain... from ANYONE who asked of him... anymore than you would withhold food from YOUR children. So... you pack the kids up and to see Pharaoh to ask for grain for bread.
So, you get there, anticipating that Pharaoh's going to open his store house and let you take your fill. So, you try to go in but... you can't. They "doorkeeper" asks whose name you're coming in. Whose name, you think? "Why, my OWN name!" you say "EP!" But "Sorry, no," says the doorkeeper. "That name is not known here."
"Ah, yes," you think, Pharaoh must have forgotten. I mean, it's not like you visit him often. Indeed, you've NEVER met Pharaoh. You've met some men who claim to represent Pharaoh, but all they've ever done is asked for your money and demanded you follow them. After awhile, you grew sick of that, so you moved away, where those men don't really know you anymore and so pretty much leave you be. But you had always thought they'd taken your name back and made it known to Pharaoh. Or, when you called out to Pharaoh, he... being the god he is... well, just heard you. Even though you WERE miles and miles away.
But okay, you're here now. So, you say, "You go in there and tell Pharaoh that EP is here. He'll know who you're talking about!"
But they say, "Uh, sorry... no. We have our orders and no one's told us anything about any EP, so... nope. No go."
Well, NOW what?? You're HUNGRY. You're BOYS are hungry. And there's no where or anyone else to get grain from. What are you going to DO?? Ah, wait... yes: you'll make a ruckus!! Yes, THAT's it! You call out to Pharaoh! And so you do. But... no one answers. But, well, it's a pretty large palace... the walls are pretty thick... maybe Pharaoh didn't hear you. So... you call out louder. But still... no answer. So, you get louder... and more adamant. Until you're yelling. No answer, though.
Finally... you being to scream... and even call out obscenties. Then you start calling Pharaoh names. Uhhh-ohhhh. SURELY Pharaoh isn't going to let you get away with THAT! SURELY, he's gonna come out HIMSELF and see what "all the noise" is about. And when he DOES... YOU'RE gonna give him what for!! How DARE he send out word that no grain would be withheld and yet, not even let in you to GET grain, when you and your boys are STARVING! What kind of king DOES that? Well, not any kind YOU have any respect for, no sirree.
And then, just when you're about to call Pharaoh what could probably be the worst thing you could call him... which could possibly result in you being beheaded... someone comes up from behind you. An old creepy looking black lady. She creeps up to you, pulls an old wrinkled piece of paper out of her robe and says, "There was a notice. You read it, right? If so, then you saw where it says that if you want some grain, just go and present yourself to Joseph, and you can get all you need?" She points to some writing on the paper.
Joseph?! you think. I have to go to that JOSEPH guy? So you ask the little old creepy lady, "Why do I have to go to Joseph?? I've come all this way - I want to see and talk to Pharaoh, himself!"
"Oh, no," the little old lady says, "No, that can't happen. According to the notice, you have to see Joseph."
"Why?!" you demand. "Why can't I just ask Pharaoh?"
"Oh, because Joseph's in charge of the grain," she tells you. "That HIS job now, not Pharaoh's. Pharaoh turned it over to him and since he does such a good job, Pharaoh doesn't interfere. So, shoo, now. Go see Joseph. I can see you're almost starving... and the doors will be closing. You best hurry if you want some grain." And she turns and leaves... mumbling something about "life's water" and it being "free" or something... under her breath.
Well, that doesn't sit well with YOU at ALL. Who is this Joseph that he's so much better than YOU? Why should you have to go to him? No, you're gonna stay right there until you see Pharaoh himself. And so, similar interchanges take place. You stand outside... sometimes moaning and groaning, sometimes whining and crying, sometimes screaming and yelling, sometimes seething in silence. On occasion, the creepy little black lady comes back and says, "You gotta go to Joseph, dear one... and hurry... because the door to the grain silo might close... and you look REALLY hungry." (Of course, she's not always sweet when she creeps up on you; sometimes she comes up, wiping her eyes and hair all disheveled, as if she's just woke up... or sometimes looking a little under the weather... at which times she says things to you like, "Man, are you still HERE? What the heck is WRONG with you! Haven't I told you... MANY times... that Pharaoh's notice said to go to Joseph?? Here, look! You have Pharaoh's okay - everyone does! Just walk your butt on over, get your grain, go feed your kids... and QUIT YER WHININ' already, geesh!" Most days, though, she's patient with you, although she shakes her head at you each time you ask anew to "see Pharaoh." She always mumbles something about "life's water free", though, when she shuffles away. Finally, you decide to take a look at that notice from Pharaoh again, the one where he says he won't withhold grain from any asking and lo and behold you read: "All who want grant must g o to my servant, Joseph. I have given him the authority over my grain. Listen to him and whatever HE tells you... do.”
Well, bump that. You don’t WANT to go to Joseph. Never did. No, you want PHARAOH to give you the grain to make your bread. And you're gonna stand outside his door... until HE comes out and gives it to you. Even if it means you... and your boys... starve in the meantime. Because as far as you're concerned, if you and they do... it's Pharaoh's fault, not yours... because he wouldn't come out when you called him.
I ask you: do you really think you would GET grain from Pharaoh, after he has told you HOW to get, whom to go to and what to do as to that one... TO get it... even with all of that? Or do you think that, t o the contrary, you will sooner find your family... and yourself... dying of starvation. Or do you really think that you will be ALLOWED to stand there, continuing your demand to receive from , even calling him names, indefinitely?
How many times do you think He’s going to repeat to you that you MUST go to Joseph... because HE's the one who handles the whole grain thing, anyway... before either lets you starve... or worse... has you escorted from before his face and out of his palance, which case you and your household definitely WILL starve?
YOU don't dictate to Pharaoh, EP - HE directs YOU. And HE has said... you MUST go to “Joseph.”
May you one day have ears to hear... and get the sense of this. For yourself... AND your household.
A slave of Christ, aka "Joseph",
SA
