Come To Me
Take My yoke…Matthew 11:29
Jesus had been preaching up and down Israel, “Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.” According to ancient literature of the Jews, the kingdom of heaven was the acceptance of God’s Torah. Any Jew who would seriously follow the Torah (the Law) had accepted the Lordship of God. This meant he was prepared to do whatever the Law demanded. That is, to come under the rule of Law, under God’s rule. He had taken upon himself the yoke of the kingdom of God.
This went back to the Song of Moses as recorded in Exodus 15, verses 1 thru 18. Verse 18: The LORD shall reign forever and ever. Of course, this was in celebration of what the Lord had done to Pharaoh, Verse 16: For the horses of Pharaoh went with his chariots and his horsemen into the sea, and the LORD brought back the waters of the sea upon them. But the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea.
In its original Jewish context, accepting the yoke of the kingdom of heaven meant submitting to God’s authority in all aspects of life including the yoke of the commandments. They were taught the opening verse of the Shema celebrated the yoke of the kingdom of heaven, “Hear O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one.” Deuteronomy 6:4. They were also taught Deuteronomy 11:13 put them under the yoke of the commandments, “It shall come about, if you listen obediently to my commandments which I am commanding you today.”
Jesus brought this forward as He preached repentance to Israel. Those who do the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter…Matthew 7:21-23. Jesus repeated this regarding the law of love: A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another, John 13:34-35.
Could this be what Jesus was offering to the Jews of His day? Could the law of love be this yoke of Jesus? Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. Matthew 11:28, 29 & 30.
