According to Vine's Bible Dictionary, the term yoke means "serving to couple two things together". In another Bible dictionary, it is defined as a coupling instrument that symbolizes forced labor, submission, and oppression driven by a higher power in authority. This definition is illustrated in the image below with two oxen that have been coupled together and are used for labor. If you take a closer look at the image you can see that the yoke is around the necks of the oxen. They are not joined by their tails, midsection, nor any other part of their anatomy. The weight of the yoke that surrounds their neck is supported by their shoulders.
How easy do you think it would be for one of the oxen to move independently while being yoked with the other ox? It wouldn't be easy at all. As a matter of fact, it would be very difficult to move independently if the ox is coupled with another ox, especially if you considered the weight of a yoke around the oxen. During slavery, humans were also yoked together to indicate "oppression, submission, and forced labor."
The Bible tells us that God warned of the consequences of obedience and disobedience to His commandments because disobedience could result in being physically yoked in slavery. In Deuteronomy chapters 27 and 28, Moses tells the children of Israel, plainly, to take heed to the Lord's commandments. The children of Israel were told that if they hearkened unto his commandments, then their obedience would yield a number of blessings. However, if they chose not to hearken unto the Lord's commandments, then the result would be curses upon their lives such as the slave yoke. In chapter 28 and verse 48, it reads:
Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee.
Can you image how heavy an iron yoke would have been in the Bible days? There's no way that an individual would have been able to walk upright with a yoke of iron around his/her neck. Obviously, it would have been better for God's people to have obeyed Him and have their obedience yeild it's blessings rather than to have disobeyed God and fall underneath the curses. Well, we can apply this to our lives now. God gives each of us a choice, whether to hearken to His word and fall under the blessing or to rebel against His word and fall under the curses. When we fall under the curses, we permit the enemy to yoke us with him and under his bondage. We become slaves to God's own enemy (who should also be our enemy). John 10:10 says, "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." Remember, in Deuteronomy, the enemy will put a yoke of iron around the neck "until he have destroyed thee." A yoke placed by the enemy is designed to destroy your life. That's why Jesus said that He came that we might have life and to have life more abundantly. The enemy's yoke will have you depressed, worried, stressed, confused, bitter, lying, stealing, fornicating, thinking suicidal thoughts, and a whole list of other things to keep you yoked to him. If you had all of this on your shoulders, you wouldn't be able to walk upright spiritually. To be coupled with the enemy is to share in his pleasures and his pleasure is to ultimately have you destroyed. He doesn't just want your life to end here on earth; he wants your life, meaning your soul, to be in eternal damnation with him.
But thanks be unto God who has the power to break the yokes of the enemy! Let's see what the Lord did for the children of Israel. In Leviticus 26 and verse 13 He says, "I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you go upright." When God delivers and sets you free, you will be able to "go upright." No longer will you be bowed over with a sad countenance. No longer will you feel the weight surrounding your neck and on your shoulders. No longer will you share pleasures with the enemy. God will cause you to "go upright"!
Jesus said in Matthew 11 verses 28-30:
28Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
What kind of yoke does Jesus carry? The souls of men. Jesus came to this earth because He was after your soul. The Father loved you so much that He did not want you to perish but to have everlasting life. So, Jesus came to fulfill God's desire and God's desire is that His creation spends eternity with Him. So let us take on the burden of Christ and be coupled with Him. Share His pleasures. Let us take upon His yoke and dedicate our lives to the saving of souls so that those who are lost will one day be with Jesus in paradise.
