Page 55 - SABBATH

of Yahweh tested him.

Yes, Yahweh was testing Joseph. Like metal that is tried in a fire, Joseph was tried and
purified and strengthened. Finally, when Yahweh saw that Joseph still remained faithful
despite the most grievous of circumstances, when Yahweh was certain that Joseph had as
his highest goal to be found faithful and obedient to God, then Yahweh was able to bring
Joseph out of prison and place upon him great authority and power.
This is not an isolated example of Yahweh’s preparation process. David also went
through a similar process. David was faithful in all circumstances, yet he met with the
disapproval of his brothers, and the envy and hatred of a wicked king. For years David lived
as an exile from his own country, and he even reported that his father and mother had
turned against him (Psalms 27:10). David’s training process took him from a position of
some honor, as he was a servant in Saul’s household, only for him to descend lower and
lower until the day the Father determined that he should be made king.
Moses went through a similar path of humility on his way to being prepared for
Yahweh’s purposes. Even Yahshua followed this same path. Like David and Joseph,
Yahshua knew that He had a calling on His life from His childhood, as was demonstrated
by the recorded events of His life when He was only twelve years of age.

Luke 2:41-51
And His parents used to go to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And
when He became twelve, they went up there according to the custom of the Feast;
and as they were returning, after spending the full number of days, the boy Yahshua
stayed behind in Jerusalem. And His parents were unaware of it, but supposed Him
to be in the caravan, and went a day's journey; and they began looking for Him
among their relatives and acquaintances. And when they did not find Him, they
returned to Jerusalem, looking for Him. And it came about that after three days they
found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them,
and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were amazed at His
understanding and His answers. And when they saw Him, they were astonished; and
His mother said to Him, "Son, why have You treated us this way? Behold, your father
and I have been anxiously looking for you." And He said to them, "Why is it that you
were looking for me? Did you not know that I had to be in My father's house?" And
they did not understand the statement which He had made to them. And He went
down with them, and came to Nazareth; and He continued in subjection to them;
and His mother treasured all these things in her heart.

Yahshua knew that He had a calling on His life from the time of His youth. How
anxious He must have been to accomplish all that the Father intended for Him. Yet an
important thing is revealed in the phrase “and He continued in subjection to them.”
Yahshua knew that He must wait until the fulness of time to begin His ministry. He had to
first learn servanthood and humility. He had to await the moment when the Father
determined that He should be revealed to the world as the Son of God.
Many ministers today fail in this point. It is difficult to wait upon the will of the
Father, but if a man cannot wait for the chosen time the Father has established to enter into
ministry, then how can he be expected to wait upon the Father’s provision and direction
while fulfilling that ministry? If a man enters into ministry of his own initiative, he can