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What Is the Alternative to the Yoke of Christ?

by Stanley Hasegawa  
10/31/2009 / Bible Studies

What is the alternative to the yoke of Christ? To answer this question, let us compare Matthew 11:29-30 and Isaiah 46:1-2.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry." (Matthew 11:29-30)

Bel kneels down, Nebo bends low.
Their images weigh down animals and beasts.Your heavy images are burdensome to tired animals. Together they bend low and kneel down; they are unable to rescue the images; they themselves head off into captivity. (Isaiah 46:1-2)

Take my yoke on you and learn from me ... and you will find rest for your souls
vs.
Together they bend low and kneel down; they are unable to rescue the images; they themselves head off into captivity.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened... For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry.
vs.
Their images weigh down animals and beasts. Your heavy images are burdensome to tired animals.

and I will give you rest... and you will find rest for your souls.
vs.
they themselves head off into captivity.

When we yoke ourselves to Jesus, we receive rest and we bring rest to others:

No, this is the kind of fast I want. I want you to remove the sinful chains, to tear away the ropes of the burdensome yoke, to set free the oppressed, and to break every burdensome yoke. I want you to share your food with the hungry and to provide shelter for homeless, oppressed people. When you see someone naked, clothe him! Don't turn your back on your own flesh and blood! Isaiah (58:6-7)

When we yoke ourselves to idols, we forfeit security and rest. There is no gentle and humble-of-heart Jesus to teach us and work with us. Instead, when we move to satisfy our desires, idolatry causes us to crash backwards and become "injured ensnared and captured":

In the past he said to them, "This is where security can be found. Provide security for the one who is exhausted! This is where rest can be found."But they refused to listen. So the Lord's word to them will sound like meaningless gibberish,senseless babbling, a syllable here, a syllable there. As a result, they will fall on their backsides when they try to walk, and be injured, ensnared, and captured. (Isaiah 28:12-13)

I am richly blessed in my marriage. I have two grown children. I am semi-retired. I have been a computer programmer, systems analyst, househusband and homeschool teacher. I love to walk, talk and eat, and write short articles about devoting our lives to Jesus.

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