The Yoke of Babylon
Open Your Bible
Jeremiah 27:1-22, Jeremiah 28:1-17, Deuteronomy 4:29, Deuteronomy 13:1-5
BY Guest Writer
I’m grateful God gives us earthy metaphors to help us grasp spiritual truths. Whether it’s using a mustard seed to represent our faith, sheep to illustrate the waywardness of human beings, or salt to reveal how we can flavor and preserve the world—God often provides familiar word pictures to drive a message home.
In today’s reading, God tells Jeremiah, “Make chains and yoke bars for yourself and put them on your neck” (Jeremiah 27:2). A yoke was commonly used to harness oxen as they pulled carts or farming equipment. Two animals would be placed side by side and hoops would be hung under their heads. The hoops would be strapped to a horizontal wooden bar placed across their necks. This yoke would force the strong oxen into submission and labor.
Jeremiah obeyed God’s instruction and strapped a heavy, wooden yoke around his own neck. How strange for a man to harness himself like an animal! The shackled prophet was a shocking picture of what God’s unfaithful people would soon experience. The nation of Judah would be captured, enslaved, and exiled to Babylon: Farewell, freedom! Farewell, promised land! Because of their insatiable idol chasing, God would use Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar to bring judgment. Judah would be forced to submit to a foreign power and to labor against their own will.
Jeremiah’s yoke was a picture of God’s severe judgment, but it also revealed God’s severe mercy. Even without Nebuchadnezzar’s invasion, the people of Judah were already slaves. Despite God’s repeated warnings through His commands and prophets, they had shackled themselves to false, foreign gods and they were blind to the chains of idolatry around their own necks. God longed for His people to recognize this bondage, turn away from idolatry, and return to Him with all their heart and with all their soul (Jeremiah 29:12–13). Only then could they really be free.
We all worship something. We all bow the knee and chase something or someone in which to put our hope. We may harness ourselves to health, beauty, wealth, family, achievements, or even our own good deeds. But worshiping anything other than God chokes the life right out of us. Our idols promise much, often the kind of peace we all long for, even the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 28:6). And when the promise is made, the chase begins. Our idols fail to deliver, yet they demand more. As the chase goes on, we become more weary, despairing and defeated. But in His mercy, God interrupts our destructive spiral. He points us to the only one who, when we are harnessed to Him, delivers life instead of death.
Patti Sauls lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband Scott and daughters, Abby and Ellie, where they serve alongside the people of Christ Presbyterian Church. Prior to living in Nashville, the Sauls planted churches in Kansas City and Saint Louis and served at New York City’s Redeemer Presbyterian Church. A trained speech therapist, Patti also enjoys serving behind the scenes, hiking with friends, and reading good books.
76 thoughts on "The Yoke of Babylon"
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More good news: there is hope for the Nebuchadnezzars of our world. Because of the Babylonian captivity, Nebuchadnezzar met Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. It’s important to read the rest of the story in the book of Daniel, especially chapters 1-4. In Daniel 4: 34-37 Nebuchadnezzar praises God. Who would have thought that possible? Dear sisters, never give up on the Nebuchadnezzars in your life, those who seem to have hard hearts towards God. He doesn’t want anyone to perish. Perhaps someone today will speak the truth that will prick their heart and mind. Perhaps today will be the day of salvation for them.
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Amen!!
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Jeremiah tells us that the Lord “placed all these lands under the authority of my servant Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon.” As powerful and blood-thirsty as Nebuchadnezzar was, and though his conquests were far and wide, he was still a servant of the Lord. His authority was not his own. He was under the authority of the God of Israel, though he surely didn’t recognize it. God gave him authority and God would take it away. Nebuchadnezzar may have thought he was in control of his own destiny but he was not. God had a purpose for the king of Babylon in relation to Israel. God also had a purpose for Babylon and its king after Israel’s captivity and exile – utter destruction. God would not let Nebuchadnezzar go unpunished.
In this day and age we would do well to remember that every thing and every one is under the authority of God Most High, the great I Am. He alone deserves our allegiance and our obedience. We need not fear because He loves and cares for His people. Though we may not fully understand what His plan is or why things are happening the way they are, God knows exactly what He’s doing. He is our strong tower, our shelter in the storm. He will get us home with Him. He has prepared a place for us. All things are under His control and in His timing. He will be faithful to judge and enact justice on the wicked. He will love and care for us to the end of the age. He will escort us through our journey here and straight on into eternity. He will never leave us or forsake us. This promise comforts and encourages us in such a time as this, and for times yet to come. Let us share this good news.
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Well-stated!
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So good! So, so good!
Love reading your response everyday! ❤️ -
Thank you for sharing! ❤️
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Reading the Word today and how God used Nebuchadnezzar in His plan to bring His people back to Him was confirmation to something I was praying about yesterday. God is in control of everything and He will use who He will to accomplish His plans and purposes. This truth gave me such peace as I had been fretting over a situation with two of my sons.
Thank you for also sharing this truth!
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I am consistently amazed at my own wandering heart. Just as soon as the Lord reveals one of my idols to me, and I think I have this whole “loving stuff more than God” thing licked, I find my wayward heart drawn to something else. Idolatry can be loud and in-your-face at times, but it can also be subtle and quiet and slip into our worlds unseen.
With the current situation, our idol of control is being ripped from our grasp as we realize that, in mere moments, what we believed would be is not anymore. Our illusions of control and order are quickly dashed as our world begins to shut down around us, and for some, it has maddening effects. But that’s how we respond when what we trust in more than God is lost to us; we get upset and angry, anxious and sad.
One of my biggest idols is comfort. I look to so many things and people to provide me with what only the Lord, the God of all comfort, has promised me. I cannot find my peace in tv, my husband, or that slice of strawberry cheesecake topped in chocolate, but I sure do try. Yet, the Lord is slow to anger and full of mercy, and again and again,He patiently works in my heart and life to show me just how empty and vain all of those things are. He lets my idols disappoint…not because He finds joy in my sadness, but because He loves me enough to lead me to Himself–the only One Who can ever truly satisfy.-
Amen!! You worded it so much better than I ever could, but this is definitely one thing God is teaching me right now!
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This was exactly what I needed to be reminded of today. After checking my phone this morning and seeing the panic my “control” was ripped right out from under me and my mind took all the what if’s and threw them in my face. But this was such a timely reminder that control is an idol and that I needed to turn my attention to God. Instead of being fearful I needed to turn my attention the the fearless. Thank you for your beautiful words.
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Thank you, Raegan! Your reference to the idol of control really resonated with me this morning. This time has certainly brought to the fore the hollowness of my pursuits to control. What a contrast to the blessing and peace that is found in the Word!
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Very well said!
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So very true.
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Your words resonate with me today, thank you for sharing so eloquently.
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Such good truth you shared, Raegan. Thank you. I too can relate to the idols of control and comfort.
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Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.
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 11:28-30On my own, I am powerless.
Yoked of this world, I am captive and confused.
Yoked to Jesus, I find rest.
Hope for tomorrow.
Mercy for today.
Strength for this moment, and
Peace for the journey.
He created me to be yoked to Him.
His yoke lightens my load and carries my burden.
It is Life eternal.
Praise God! Nothing without You, as it should be. We are so blessed.-
Amen!
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Love this!
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Yes and Amen!
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Amen, Angie. Thank you.
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Amen. Thank you, Angie.
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Amen
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The Bible app has the same verse above in the devotional as the verse of the day: You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
I never really thought of the people being exiled as God’s mercy. But from this teaching and listening to the She Reads Truth Podcast, this makes sense. I wasn’t thinking of how the people were already in bondage to their idols. Also, the ladies discussed in the podcast that Scripture tells them to serve the king in a foreign land, grow gardens, have children. They were called to be a light for God while in exile. I had never noticed that! God is good even when disciplining His children. They needed it, and God was doing this for their good. Please forgive me, Lord for my weaknesses and failures. Help me to live a life pleasing to You was in Jesus’ Name Amen.
By the way, please listen to the She Reads Truth podcast. They do a great job explaining some of what we are reading.-
I agree!!!
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What a great reminder that our God is in control. People can say whatever they want about what is happening now, but truly only God knows. I’m trusting in Him through this time.
Praying for all of us affected by this. Let us stand strong in our trust in Jesus.
Lord, may some good come of all this hurt and uncertainty. Praise your name. -
Hananiah sounded quite prophetic….except it was all lies. Please Lord, in all days and especially in these days of uncertainty and rapidly changing virus related developments, give us your wisdom to see and know the difference between the Hananiahs and the Jeremiahs.
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Amen!
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Amen!
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Amen. I was just praying the same thing.
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Whew! Amen.
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Yes! I was praying the same thing! Lord, give us discernment to know truth from lies.
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