Breaking the Yoke

Gideon tears down the altar’s of Baal

Judges 6:25 (ESV)

That night the Lord said to him, “Take your father’s bull, and the second bull seven years old, and pull down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the Asherah that is beside it and build an altar to the Lord your God on the top of the stronghold here, with stones laid in due order.

“Sometimes we have to remove and tear down before we can build”

That is exactly what I want to do today!

Isaiah 10:27

Isaiah 10:27 “And in that day his burden will depart from your shoulder, and his yoke from your neck; and the yoke will be broken because of the fat.””

KJV ...the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing*.

AMPC …The yoke shall be destroyed because of fatness (which prevents it from going around your neck)

The word “anointing” is found 26 x in the KJV Old Testament. Always, except once the word “mishchah” is used. Only once is ‘shemen” translated “anointing” and that is in Isa. 10:27. This is a poor translation! And leads to an incorrect interpretation of this verse.

The word the KJV calls anointing is a very odd translation because that’s a totally different word in Hebrew.

A COMMON CHRISTIAN MISTAKE IS TO ADJUST THE BIBLICAL TEXT TO MATCH OUR THEOLOGY.

The “picture” this verse is painting is of an ox with a yoke around his neck. The yoke is hand made to fit comfortably around his neck. But when the ox becomes more muscular over several years the yoke becomes tighter and tighter and eventually breaks off. Hence, the yoke is broken because of the fat!

WHY am I making a big deal about it?

Hosea 4:6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

We received a post card in the mail. It was from a realtor who was advertising the recent sale of a house on our street. The postcard had a picture of the house. We instantly recognized it! But noticed a glaring error! They had the wrong address!! If you wanted to see this house, it would have been impossible to find.

It is the same way with the Word! If you get the wrong interpretation from it you will go in the wrong direction and NEVER ARRIVE.

The “anointing” that we as Spirit filled believers often think is in relation to an anointed, exciting service. Which is great!!!!! But this is NOT what this verse is referencing,

Again, this verse is talking about growing strong in Christ! Maturing more into His likeness and His image.

REMEMBER - Our calling is to “disciple” believers.

This is what we want isn’t it?

I want to tell you why this is so important and over the top exciting!!!!

To understand where we want to go, I have to explain 2 Greek words God uses refering to His children.

1)The first - teknon -baby, immature, an adopted child.

2) The second, huios - an adult son, one who is mature.

Romans 8:15-16 ESV “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children (teknon) of God.”

John 1:11–12 (ESV) He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children (Huios) of God.

There is a difference between these two words and a major point must be made highlighting that difference.

Gal. 4:1-2 “I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child (infant or a minor), is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father.”

Gal. 3:29 “And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.”

The “heir” must first come to a place of maturity (huios) in order to effectively function with his inheiritance.

To understand this better it would be helpful to understand how this word was understood by the writer. This usage was practiced by the Romans.

A father’s desire was that his son be prepared to take over leading the family when the time came. This would drive him to train his son to be that leader when he passed. This is a noble thought but as we all have experienced some families have no children and others might not have a son would would be prepared our willing to take on that responsibility. This would necessitate the need for “adoption”. The father would find someone who was teachable and start the training process to prepare the young man for his future.

Jer. 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

Elijah had to mentor Elisha with the same intent. To take over the ministry when he would no longer be there.

We should want to mature and come to a place of responsibility.

I remember when I figured out that girls didn’t have “cooties” and that I wanted one! I was finally growing up. I got a little motivation on that day!

With responsibility comes REWARD!

What is the road to real success, you might ask?

The pursuit of wisdom, would be your answer.

SEE “Wisdon, the pursuit” in My Documents