When God chooses a deliverer He typically positions and prepares him for the task. He has connections with both the privileged and the oppressed. Joseph, for example, spent time as a favored son, then as an outcast from his own people, as the chief of staff in the household of an Egyptian high official (Potiphar), then as a falsely accused prisoner, and ultimately as the right hand man of Pharaoh, from where he delivered those who had rejected him and sold him into slavery.
Raised to Royalty
Moses even as a newborn was slated for death, then raised to royalty, from which position he tried to ease the burden of his native people. Unappreciated by his own and endangered by those in power, he spent 40 years as an exiled shepherd. From there God called him back to deliver his people from their tyrannical oppressors. He walked with God and knew Him face to face. Even so, for another 40 years the people whom he freed, led and fed often complained, revolted and falsely accused him.
Loved and Hated
Or take Jesus for example. The Son of God left the house of His Father to be born and raised in and among commoners in a small town with a poor reputation, and a people under the domination of the powerful. For 30 years he lived and worked among the enslaved, and then was suddenly catapulted into a Messianic mission. Despite all the good He did, He experienced rejection, unjust accusation and finally execution by jealous authorities and the very people He came to save. But He was raised to the right hand of Highest Royalty where He continues to be both loved and hated.
Then there’s Donald Trump. Hummmmm!?
Greatly favored, greatly afflicted. Greatly used, greatly abused. The Sword of the Lord is forged in the flames. As the Roman Latin proverb says: ad astra per aspera, to the stars through difficulty.
Warning
Those who resisted Moses fell in the wilderness, never reaching the Promised Land. Those who rejected Christ fell or were scattered in the destruction of Jerusalem, and with all who reject Him are eternally condemned. Those who have ears to hear, let them hear.
Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”
He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. This is why I speak to them in parables:
“Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
