LAMENTATIONS 3:27 BEARING THE YOKE IN YOUR YOUTH
Lamentations 3:27 The yoke in this verse is the law. The law is the Ten Commandments and the law of Moses. It is difficult to explain to someone what it is like to live under the law. It is something you must experience to understand. While the law could not provide salvation it was designed by GOD to lead a person to GODS son, the Christ. Galatians 3:24 Anyone who has experienced living under the law has an advantage over others who have not. Romans 3:1,2 The law was a shadow of the work of Jesus and his preaching of the gospel. Hebrews 10:1 The worlds view of the law differs; some say you must keep the Ten Commandments, some say you must keep the Ten Commandments and parts of the law of Moses, some say you must keep the Ten Commandments and the law of Moses completely and some say the Ten Commandments and law of Moses have been totally abolished by the sacrifice of Christ. What is the truth ?
Jesus did not come to abolish the law or the prophets but rather to fulfill them. Matthew 5:17 The law defines sin for the carnal mind. How then can carnal people sin if the law was abolished ? Jesus fulfilled the law by the love of GOD. Romans 13:10 GODLY love is not natural to humanity but is a gift of GOD to the converted person by the indwelling of GODS spirit in a person. Romans 5:5 Because of another gift of GOD, faith, the converted person is given GODS own righteousness, the righteousness of GOD by faith rather than trying to keep the law on our own. Philippians 3:9 The law served to teach those under it the shadows of what would become the Christ and his gospel. All the law was symbolic and used physical things to symbolize the spiritual reality Christ brought. Therefore the saints, the church, is no longer under the shadow of the law but the light of Christ. The saint is declared righteous by GOD because they believe the message of the gospel and are no longer under the law but under grace. The saints are now righteous but not by their own righteousness but by imputed righteousness from GOD, therefore the law is no longer for them. 1 Timothy 1:9 The saints have passed over from the old covenant into the new covenant.
All of the shadows of the law were in the Ten Commandments and the law of Moses and people that were under these laws performed carnal rituals that pointed to the future messiah. People who have lived under the law and then come to Christ have a salvation experience that is unique and gives them an advantage over those who did not experience the law. This is why it is good for a person to bear the yoke of the law when young and to have a beginning in the old covenant, the oracles of GOD. Romans 3:1,2
People that have been told the law was abolished by Jesus have been cheated out of an experience that would have been of great benefit. The Apostles taught the law to the Gentiles, not so they should keep it but to learn from it as the law is a teacher, a schoolmaster, designed by GOD to lead us to HIS son. Galatians 3:24 Gentiles were given a knowledge of how the law operated and how it was a shadow. Gentiles were taught the failings of Israel by their improper use of the law. Romans 9:30,31,32 Some have mistaken these things to mean that the Apostles were telling the Gentiles that they had to keep the law but this idea was totally refuted very early on. Acts 15:1,2,5,6,24 While the law is an excellent tool to explain the need for a messiah it is not nor has ever been the way to salvation, it can only lead a person to Christ and then it is abolished. Attempting to keep the law while claiming to be in Christ is mixing the old and new covenants together and alienates you from Christ. Galatians 5:4 The law is not evil or wrong rather holy, just and good. Romans 7:12 The law is to produce GODLY sorrow in a person by showing them their sins and the message of the gospel is the light to do this. Then we repent of these sins and are baptized in the name of Christ receiving forgiveness and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38
Anyone who comes to Christ must have understood these things and this is why the Apostles taught the law to the Gentiles but for the one who was truly under the law and practiced it in great detail there was an advantage of bearing the yoke of the law in their youth.