The Yoke of the Ox...

The oxford dictionary describes a yoke as a wooden crosspiece that is fastened over the necks of two animals and attached to the plough or cart they are to pull. It is used to join two oxen together so that there can be unity in what they are doing and they get the job done faster. The yoke is usually custom made and carved to fit the shape of the neck of the ox. When a farmer wants to train a younger ox, he does it with an older ox who understands what to do and is experienced, because the older ox has been allowed to grow to full maturity, so it is the best partner to be yoked with, it is reliable and it will teach the younger one how to pull, how to settle down under the yoke and how to be efficient. The younger ox is just supposed to submit to it and follow the older ox’s leading, but sometimes it is half in and half out of the yoke and not completely under it because it doesn’t want to be yoked (that is to submit and follow the older ox’s leading) and this leads to huge scars on its back mainly because it keeps going out of the yoke, if it continues this way for too long the farmer would have no other option but to slaughter the ox because it serves no other use to its master.

We are like the young ox, Jesus is like the older ox and God is like the farmer, when we do not allow Jesus take the lead in our lives and show us the way to go, we are like the young ox who did not allow itself get properly yoked by being submissive to the older ox. If we do not allow ourselves to be completely yielded to Jesus we expose ourselves to more harm just like the young oxen who got huge sores on their backs just for not wanting to be yoked with the older oxen. We get huge sores just for not wanting to be yoked with Jesus and we allow ourselves be in bondage by the enemy whose ultimate goal is to kill, to steal and to destroy. The farmer does not put two untrained oxen together in the same yoke because it would be difficult to manage and they will not plough properly because they would have to pull at the same pace so that they can plough. But with the older more mature ox, the older one does more of the pulling just like how Jesus bears more of the burden and only ask that we follow. Jesus said in Matthew 11:29-30 ‘Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30for my yoke is easy and my burden is light’.

 Just like the farmer after several attempts to get the young ox yoked, that is the same way God tries in many different ways to warn us and point us back in the right direction but many times we have turned deaf ears and unfortunately many people have indirectly ended their journey here on earth quicker than it should end simply because they refused to be yoked with the Lord and Saviour Jesus.

The ox is another face of Jesus and it reveals Jesus as a king who came to serve and not to be served, his life here on earth was all about service to mankind, the ox also reveals Jesus as being very hardworking, the ox is constantly working on the farm to make sure that it is doing that which it has been apprehended to do. The ox was used mostly to plough and do the heavy work that was needed to be done on the farm, it represents service both to God and humanity. The ox also reveals Jesus as being submissive, he was submissive to the will of his father, and he did only what he saw his father doing. John 5; 19 ¹⁹ Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

The yoke is a sign of submission and God demands that we bear his yoke and be eternally submitted to him. An individual not living under the yoke of Jesus will live in perpetual fear, fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of death etc. because that life has not been crucified with Christ. The ox pushes forward and does his masters work, how are we pushing forward to do the masters work? Jesus is available to guide us on this journey but instead of taking up his easy and light burden we prefer to go the other way because the world has taught us to be strong willed individuals, to be courageous and bold enough to do whatever our heart leads us to do, that’s exactly what the young rebellious oxen did they wanted freedom and that’s what led them to be slaughtered. 2 corinthians 6:14¹⁴ Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?  in our daily lives we are not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers because if we are yoked with someone who does not share the same beliefs, goals , values and aspirations we will be in a constant struggle, be it in business, in friendship , marriage etc. it is important that in our relationships too we are equally and properly yoked.