Abundant Grace Apostolic Pentecostal Church

TAKE THE YOKE OF GOD AND LEARN [Document subtitle]

Abundant Grace Apostolic Pentecostal Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, House of Prayer Elder DEBORAH L. D. Scott, Pastor 7601 Scott Hamilton Drive Little Rock, AR 72209 10-09-2022 Take the YOKE of GOD and Learn (The Symbols of Animals) Revelations Chapter 13 & 14 YOKE; When Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you” (Matthew 11:29), He meant that we are to submit ourselves to Him every day in every way. A yoke was made of wood, hand-carved to fit the neck and shoulders of the animal to prevent pain or discomfort. In ancient culture, the word yoke was a term that was used to describe submission. So, when someone was described as being yoked to someone or something, it was communicating the idea that he or she was in submission to that person or thing. According to Smith’s Bible Dictionary, Yoke means "A well-known implement of husbandry, frequently used metaphorically for subjection, e.g. (1 Kings 12:4, 1 Kings 9-11) hence an "iron yoke" represents unusually galling bondage. (Jeremiah 28:48; Jeremiah 28:13)." In Easton’s Bible Dictionary, a yoke is defined to be: Fitted on the neck of oxen for the purpose of binding to them the traces by which they might draw the plow, etc. (Numbers 19:2; Deuteronomy 21:3). It was a curved piece of wood called an 'ol.

Essentially, a yoke was a harness used by oxen and other animals to EASE THE WORK of hauling a load. It was also meant as a designation of servitude and carrying the burden of a task or mission. "Come to me, all 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 11:28-30) What was the yoke Jesus referenced in the Bible? In biblical times, it was a familiar term to most people and worked well for a parable of Jesus. Let's explore the biblical definition of Yoke and why Jesus used it in his teachings. "Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?" (2 Corinthians 6:14) "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." (Galatians 5:1) "Let all who are under a yoke as slaves regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled. Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved. Teach and urge these things." (1 Timothy 6:1-2) Yoke and Discipleship “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loosen the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?” (Isaiah 58:6) Jesus, if we’re willing, releases the yoke of our oppression and encourages us to take on His yoke instead.

He said, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me. My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” But why wouldn't we just avoid yokes altogether and do our own thing? Ironically, there is a comfort in being "yoked" to something or someone, when it is a benevolent entity. We must LEARN the ways of living from somewhere and being completely on our own can be intimidating and overwhelming. Jesus is offering us an opportunity to LEARN from him and serve a righteous purpose by making our lives easier and meaningful LEARN means; to gain knowledge or understanding of or skill in the studying, instructions, or experiences of a particular thing. To master, pick up, ascertain, catch on to, to discover, to find out, to get on to by instructions and studying. There is a reason we must learn the symbols of the Nations. It is when the Lord our God wants to hide it from the World, it is then revealed to His people what He is talking about, so let us prepare ourselves to LEARN how God sees the different Nations that He built!!!

The Symbols to look for: 1. The Lion The King of the Beasts is the most popular national animal. With the loudest roar of all the big cats, lions can be header a distance of 8km (5 miles). This regal feline proudly represents:     

Armenia Belgium Bulgaria England Ethiopia

        

Iran Kenya Liberia Libya Luxembourg Morocco The Netherlands/Holland Singapore Sri Lanka

2. The Golden Eagle This majestic bird of prey is the National animal of:     

Albania Egypt Iraq Germany Mexico

These raptor are extremely fast and can dive after prey at speeds of more than 241 km (150 miles) per hour. 3. The Arabia Oryx The Arabian Oryx is well suited to its hard desert environment, with a white coat to reflect the sun's rays and wide hooves for walking on sand. It's no wonder the following countries all claim this adaptable antelope as their official animal:    

Jordan Qatar Oman United Arab Emirates

4. The Tiger As the largest member of the felid (cat) family, a Siberian tiger can eat up to 88 pounds of meat at one time, and is the symbol of:     

Bangladesh Malaysia Burma/Myanmar South Korea Vietnam

Malaysia claims the smaller, but still impressive, Malayan Tiger as its national animal. 5. The Mute Swan While appearing graceful and placid, swans have voracious appetites and can be quit aggresive. It's the national symbol of"  United Kingdom  Denmark With its hoarse voice, its not really mute, and its wingbeats can be heard as far as a mile away. 6. The Kiwi This flightless bird is only found in the country that proudly claims it as its national animal - New Zealand. The kiwi is nocturnal, with hair-like feathers and a keen sense of smell. Despite its small size, a kiwi can outrun a human on its four-toed feet. 7. The Ganges River Dolphin This dolphin lives in freshwater lakes and rivers in one of the world's most densely populated areas. This unusual mammal is nicknamed the

"Susu" because of the sound it makes when coming to the surface for air. It's the national symbol of India. 8. The Okapi Most closely related to the giraffe, the solitary okapi is found only in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which gave it national status. So little was known about the Congo's shy national animal that it was not recognized as a species until the 20th century. 9. The Emu The second-largest bird in the world (next to the ostrich) the emu is the symbol of its homeland - Australia. Designed for life on the arid outback, emus have a specialized respiratory system that allows them to cool themselves and conserve water. 10. The Baird's Tapir The national animal of Belize is also the largest indigenous mammal in Central America. This rarely-seen primitive ancestor of rhinos and horses has changed very little in the last 35 million years. 11. The Dugong Closely related to elephants, the national animal of Papua New Guinea looks much more like its other kin, the manatee. These enormous vegetarians are believed to be the inspiration for ancient tales of mermaids. 12. The Dodo Extinct since 1681, the dodo is the symbol of the island of Mauritius, where it once lived. Little is known about this flightless bird that evolved and thrived in relative isolation until the arrival of humans and other bird-eating mammals.

Revelations Chapter 13 & 14

ANIMALS LISTED IN THE BOOK OF REVELATIONS         

Snow Leopard (Afghanistan) Golden Eagle (Germany) Russian Bear (Russia) African Leopard (Rwanda) Bald Eagle (United States of America) Dragon, (China, Vietnam) Formosan Black Bear (Taiwan) Lion (Netherlands) Golden Eagle (Egypt)

Abundant Grace Apostolic Pentecostal Church Of the Lord Jesus Christ, House of Prayer Elder Linda D. Scott, Pastor 7601 Scott Hamilton Drive Little Rock, AR 72209

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