Bible Reading: Isaiah 14:1-32
“And it shall come to pass in the day that the Lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrows; and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve” – Isaiah 14:3 (KJV).
Rest begins here and now in Christ. The Sabbath rest under the old covenant is a typology or shadow of the rest in Christ. There is no true rest outside Christ. The labour of man to overcome sin and devil and all of man’s strivings to secure peace and safety wearied man, but in Christ, God offers man rest. It is rest from the dominion of sin and its consequences; it is rest from the curse of the law, it is rest from sickness and diseases, it is rest from servitude and poverty, from slavery, sin and satan. It is rest from death. “Come unto me, all ye that labour 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” – Matthew 11:27 (KJV).
What a paradox that one finds rest by taking the yoke of Jesus upon one and by learning of Christ. The yoke of life is uneasy yoke but the yoke that Jesus gives is easy and his burden is light. The yoke of the devil is an instrument of bondage, affliction, limitation and slavery, but the yoke of Christ is a harnessing instrument meant for discipleship and protection.
The yoke of Jesus frees one from bondage to self defeating habits and slavery to the world and satan. The yoke of Jesus is the Lordship of Jesus in one’s life. This father-son loving relationship brings true rest. Knowing and loving Jesus brings rest. As one takes his yoke and learns of Jesus through his discipleship program, one will truly find rest.
PRAYER: Thank you Lord for the rest you give.
Rev. Vincent Diolu