2 These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods.
3 So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel.
4 And the LORD said to Moses, “Take all the chiefs of the people and hang them in the sun before the LORD, that the fierce anger of the LORD may turn away from Israel.”
5 And Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you kill those of his men who have yoked themselves to Baal of Peor.”
Yahweh loved Israel. He made them His chosen people. He covenanted with them and blessed them. Time would fail me to recount all that He did for Israel. They chose to yoke themselves to a false god anyway. The word yoke means to join or to attach to something or someone. Israel should have attached themselves to Yahweh. They chose to attach themselves to what God forbade.
It still happens today. Christians attach themselves to all sorts of things they have no business being joined. Christians yoke themselves to ungodly business partners in efforts to make more money. I know those who had money embezzled by those ungodly business associates. Teenagers align themselves with ungodly friends who drag them down. Men and women get yoked into adultery. Believers yoke themselves to in dating and marriage when it is strictly forbidden.
Do we not understand that God is just as offended when we do this today as He was with Israel for yoking with Baal? There are consequences for sin. When we disobey God and become attached to things He forbids, He will chastise. Yahweh did it with His chosen people. He will do it to us as well.
What are you yoked to? With whom are you yoked? Maybe a better question would be, is there anything or anyone you are yoked with that offends God and violates His commands? A tough question.
Many years ago I preached a message entitled "Breaking Up With The Devil," at a youth camp outside Abilene, TX. I challenged students to align themselves with God totally and to get rid of of anything that did not honor Him. I remember a girl named Jessica at the front that night weeping. I had the chance to pray with her. She dated an unbeliever. God convicted her about it that night. She told me she was going outside to a pay phone to call him. She wanted to ask him to get saved and live for God or she would break off their relationship. I prayed for her, and she followed through. He did not commit his life to Jesus and she broke up with him. She never went back to him.
I ran into her a decade later at a doctor's office. She married and had children by that time. She married a Christian and served actively in a church. Good for her following through on a commitment she made as a teenager at youth camp.
If you are yoked to something that offends God, will you make it right? Will you honor God and obey Him?
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