THE ANOINTING: THE BONDAGE BREAKER

Friday 7 March

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 (KJV)

Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? Acts 15:10 (NKJV)

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Galatians 5:1 (KJV)

A yoke was usually put on the necks of a pair of oxen who would be bound together. It was called an ‘oxbow’ derived from the shape of the contraption which was placed on the shoulders or necks of the animal to transmit the weight for the burden they were forced to carry.

‘Ol’ the Hebrew word for ‘yoke’ does not only have an inference of animals pulling a load, it is an also a common Old Testament metaphor for human bondage or hard labour. For example, God broke Israel's yoke of slavery in Egypt. One of the definitions of a yoke is ‘an arched device formerly laid on the neck of a defeated person.’

An excerpt from Leviticus 26:11-13 shows God’s thoughts about the bondage of slavery His people were under.

‘I’ll be your God; you’ll be my people. I am God, your personal God who rescued you from Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians. I ripped off the harness of your slavery so that you can move about freely.’

The Greek word for “yoke” is zugos. It means to join or couple together, specifically by a yoke. It also denotes servitude in regard to the law or an obligation. Other aspects refer directly to the demands of Mosaic law with the commands of the Pharisees being a veritable yoke.

Jesus said in Matthew 11:30 ‘My yoke is easy.’ So what was the other yoke? The commands of Christ not of Moses. So there is a joining together to produce works but not under duress or legalism. Even Christ's commands must be submitted to, though they are far easier to be kept. The Bible says we are co-labourers with Him. Where? In His harvest field.

This is why in Acts 15:10 Apostle Peter was urging them not to go back or add the practices of the law to the grace of Christ. Why? Nobody could keep the law which was a heavy burden to place on anyone’s shoulders. It is the same with the unnecessary practices that we have unwittingly added to the Body of Christ today. Things such as Holy Communion, water baptism, tithes and all other extra curricular activities that have nothing to do with the gospel.

The phrase ‘in that day’ in Isaiah 10:27 is talking to a degree about Israel but more significantly is a prophetic statement concerning how the yoke, bondage or burden would be taken off our necks. It is by the anointing. Notice it is not the anointing that breaks the yoke of bondage as many have been taught. So what is the emphasis here? Christ. ‘Christos’ means the anointed One and His anointing or anointed by the Spirit.

To say it plainly, those who have the anointed One, the Christ in them have had the yoke of bondage of law and works destroyed and taken off their necks by the finished work of grace through faith in Christ. Furthermore, those who carry Christ can affect changes and bring freedom to others by reason of His presence and person.

No wonder Apostle Paul echoed Peter’s line of reasoning when he implored the Galatians to ‘stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free’. For the believer the next part is key: ‘and don’t get tangled again with the yoke of bondage.’ Simply put; once you have been brought into freedom in Christ, remain free by living by grace and not going back to the bondage of the law. My encouragement to you. Live free in Christ!

APPLICATION

Have a consciousness that the yoke of oppression that was associated with the Mosaic law has been removed and now you are free to serve the Lord and live in the liberty of the sons of God.