Day 23

The Yoke of Babylon



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.

Post Comments (76)

76 thoughts on "The Yoke of Babylon"

  1. Nancy Singleton says:

    Amen!!

  2. Nancy Singleton says:

    Yes indeed! Thanks be to God!

  3. Jenna says:

    It’s interesting to see God’s commands given in Deuteronomy and then to see how the Israelites have been led astray by false prophets. It reminds me how important it is to know God’s Word and to commit it to heart. Praying that we would all take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Praying that God would show us the places in our hearts where we have exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served created things rather than the Creator. Praying that we would listen to God, keep his commands, and purge any evil among us.

    1. Leah Rachow says:

      Amen!

  4. Churchmouse says:

    Angie, I agree and support your suggestion!
    My sister renounced the faith several years ago and has become bitter and hostile towards Christianity. She has distanced herself from us siblings since our parents passed away a couple years ago. I have continued to text her birthday greetings and send her a Christmas card yearly but receive only a very rare one word reply (typically “thanks”). She is single, lives alone, and has a very good job she can do remotely. On a nudge from the Holy Spirit I reached out to her this past weekend. Just a casual checking in to say I was thinking of her and hoping she was doing OK and was she working from home. Lo and behold, she responded and several texts went back and forth. This is no small thing. Friends, perhaps you will receive the same kind of nudge. To reach out once again to that difficult or estranged someone. Where it leads, I don’t know. But obedience to the Lord, His holy nudge, is sure to bring blessing.

    1. Melanie Rastrelli says:

      That encourages me so Churchmouse to do the same with my sister. Similar situation. Rarely talk. I will make the effort to do what is right and just and reach out to my sister Peggy and just let her know I am praying for her and her elderly husband and son who lives with them. They really live a very secluded life. I don’t know if they believe in Jesus and His saving grace still. Thank you for nudging me to do this.

    2. Kim Bayon says:

      Boy the joy that must be in your heart. I hope your connection continues. I pray people can use what is going on in the world today as a wake up call and take stock of their way of life concerning their connection with Jesus.

  5. Amanda B. says:

    Great suggestion, Angie! I’ve had the same ideas on my heart. How can we use this historic time, while we have this unprecedented opportunity, to reshape our lives and habits into meaningful ones. Although scary and still full of unknowns, this season we’re all in gives us the chance to reset and focus on what brings us the most joy and fulfillment: Time in God’s word and seeking him, a greater sense of connectedness with family and close friends as we check in on each other more intentionally (ironic, in the face of social distancing), new ways to see and connect in our communities, and maybe some time to clean and reorganize and reassess our belongings and spaces. My heart has been heavy for those who are especially impacted financially and with dependent care needs. I’m trying my best to see this through a positive lens and to hope and pray for positive changes (repentance even) for many who would not have otherwise awaken to the direction they have been heading in (myself included!).

  6. LeAnn Schmitt says:

    I love all of the insights shared here. Thank you to you all for your hearts. Sometimes I get so discouraged by the seeming lack of deep thought about life and faith, but not here.

    Two things jumped out at me in this reading, first, how there is always a balance with God between retribution for sin because He is holy and just, and restoration because He is merciful and loving. The second thing that came to mind with the yoke imagery was Matthew 11:28-30. God had Jeremiah put on a yoke to be a visual for the yoke of slavery but in so doing Jeremiah was carrying out a radical act of obedience and God would enable him in that–sharing the load.

    1. Nancy Singleton says:

      Truth!

  7. Stephanie S says:

    Same!

  8. Angie M says:

    This virus and all of the concerns surrounding it are part of God’s timing also. I am struck by the fact that we are in Lent right now, a time when the people of the Church historically reflects on their lives and see if there is anything that is pulling them away from their Lord. So many of us live in communities that are now shutting down everyday things that we use for entertainment and fellowshipping. We are being forced to reflect on how these things have affected our lives. I heard a pastor who challenged his church to use this time to think about their current habits and see how they align to what Christ calls us to do or be as Christians and then if anything needs to change to use these 30 days of social distancing to do just that, to form new habits that will draw us nearer to our Lord. That is what I am praying for myself, my loved ones, my students and their families. That is what I pray for and challenge you to do, my SRT sisters in Christ. God bless!

    1. Nancy Singleton says:

      Excellent perspective! Thank you Angie M.

    2. Jennifer Anapol says:

      Thank you for that perspective. I have been thinking along the same lines. I believe the Lord allowed this to happen during this time so we could really have the time to reflect on our lives. I know that I can already see that I have been finding false security in the things of this world. I have beloved that doctors and our government could protect us from things like this. In times of trouble maybe I have relied too much in the people around more instead of on God. I do hope this won’t last too long and that people are kept safe from this virus, but I see God working in this time.

    3. Jennifer O says:

      Thank you for sharing!

    4. Camille English Davis says:

      So very true…

    5. Mary Stilin says:

      Amen! I have had these same thoughts/ revelations. This is also my prayer for myself and others around the world.

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