“Go and tell Hananiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Thou hast broken the yokes of wood; but thou shalt make for them yokes of iron.” Jeremiah 28:13
Many of the people from Judah had already been taken captive to Babylon and messengers had come from some of the surrounding countries to visit the king. The Lord told Jeremiah to make a wooden yoke and to go to these men with the following message: “The nations that bring their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him, those will I let remain still in their own land. Jeremiah 7:11
Hananiah, a false prophet, was proclaiming that God was going to bring all the people back from Babylon. He took the yoke of wood from Jeremiah and broke it. He thought that by breaking this yoke, the people would accept his words rather than Jeremiah’s. But the Lord spoke through Jeremiah in verse 15 “Hear now, Hananiah; The LORD hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie.”
The people had a choice to make, either accept the easy yoke of obedience to God or continue in their disobedience and face the consequences.
“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. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:29-30
A yoke is a wooden beam used between a pair of oxen or other animals to enable them to pull together on a load when working in pairs. Taking Christ’s yoke on us implies giving Jesus complete control and letting Him direct our steps. When we submit to the yoke, living for Him will not be difficult.
The Prodigal son in the story Jesus told, thought he knew what was best for his life. He went his own way and traveled far from family and home. He broke the yoke of wood from off his shoulders. But when his money was gone, and his friends had deserted him, he found himself in a place of despair, realizing that he had forged for himself a yoke of iron. The only way to break that yoke was to return to his Father.
Perhaps there is a prodigal that you are praying for today. They may be under the yoke of addiction, depression, or rebellion. Do not give up praying for them. Nothing is impossible for God. The promise in Isaiah 10:27 was a specific one to the remnant of Israel, but I believe we can claim it for our loved ones.
“And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.” Isaiah 10:27
Prayer: Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your sacrifice on Calvary, which broke the yoke of sin and provided a way for us to be forgiven.
Devotion by Anne Johnston
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