What does the word, “yoke” mean?
I started my search by looking up this word.
And here is some of what I found on Dictionary.com. http://www.dictionary.com/browse/yoked
”Yoke”
noun (pl) yokes, yoke
1. a wooden frame, usually consisting of a crosspiece with two
bow-shaped pieces, for attaching to the necks of a pair of
draft animals, especially oxen, so that they can be worked
as a team
2. a pair of draft animals fastened together
by a yoke: five yoke of oxen.
3. something resembling a yoke in form or
function, such as a frame fitting over a
person's shoulders for carrying buckets,
one on each end
4. something that ties or binds together; a bond or tie.
verb (used with object), yoked, yoking.
1. to put a yoke on; join or couple by means of a yoke.
2. to attach (a draft animal) to a plow or vehicle: to yoke oxen.
3. to harness a draft animal to (a plow or vehicle): to yoke a wagon.
4. to join, couple, link, or unite.
5. to be or become joined, linked, or united.
When I did a search for the word, “yoke” in the Bible, I found information on a site called, ChristianAnswers.net. You can go to this site by clicking on the following link. http://www.christiananswers.net/dictionary/yoke.html
This site featured the WebBible Encyclopedia, and that is where I found the following information.
YOKE -
traces by which they might draw the plough, etc. (Num. 19:2;
Deut. 21:3). It was a curved piece of wood called 'ol.
2. In Jer. 27:2; 28:10, 12 the word in the Authorized Version
rendered “yoke” is motah, which properly means a “staff,” or as
in the Revised Version, “bar.” These words in the Hebrew are
both used figuratively of severe bondage, or affliction, or
subjection (Lev. 26:13; 1 Kings 12:4; Is. 47:6; Lam. 1:14;
Lam. 3:27). In the New Testament, the word “yoke” is also
used to denote servitude (Matt. 11:29, 30; Acts 15:10;
Gal. 5:1).
3. In 1 Sam. 11:7, 1 Kings 19:21, Job 1:3 the
word thus translated is tzemed, which
signifies a pair, two oxen yoked or coupled
together, and hence in 1 Sam. 14:14 it
represents as much land as a yoke of oxen
could plough in a day, like the Latin jugum.
In Isa. 5:10 this word in the plural is
translated “acres.”
I looked up these scripture references, and found some really good scriptures!!! However, ONLY some of these scriptures fit what we are talking about!!!
You see, there are all kinds of people who come to Jesus!!!
Many times, people will tell you that they found GOD at just the right time, but the truth is that GOD was there watching and waiting all the time!!!
They didn’t find GOD!!! No one finds THE LORD!!!
Truthfully, this is what happens!!!
We run and run until we are exhausted!!! Sometimes, we don’t even know that we are running from GOD because we have been taught that everyone is supposed to just do their own thing!!!
Finally, we reach the end of our rope and find that we have messed our lives up!!! When we find that we are in a world of trouble, and we can’t get out of it by ourselves, we come to the realization that we desperately need for GOD to intervene!!!
So, GOD steps in and HE saves us from ourselves and HE gets us out of our mess!!!
This isn’t the way that everyone gets saved, but it is pretty true for most people!!!
And yes, I know that there are some folks who have lived for Jesus most of their lives, and I applaud them!!! I think that is wonderful!!!
But then there are some folks like me that really needed saving!!! They were on “The Highway to Hell.” I can guarantee you that that is where I was headed!!! And I knew better!!!!
Many ears ago, after I got saved and began living for THE LORD, I ran into a girl that I had known back in the day!!! She had hung out at the same bars!!! When she found out that I had gotten saved, she said, “Kathy, if GOD can save you, HE can save anybody!!!” And she was absolutely right!!!
I thank GOD that HE stepped into my life and saved me when HE did!!! If HE hadn’t, I truly don’t think I wouldn’t be alive today!!!
You see, I had yoked myself to a lot of things, and I couldn’t get loose!!!! NOT by myself!!!
But I found that when GOD saves us, HE SETS US FREE!!! And HE tells us NOT to go back into sin!!!
Galatians 5:1 (KJV) Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Christ tells us that HIS YOKE IS EASY AND HIS BURDENS ARE LIGHT!!!
Matthew 11:28-30 (AMP)
28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation].
29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me [following Me as My disciple], for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest (renewal, blessed quiet) for your souls.
30 For My yoke is easy [to bear] and My burden is light.”
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