Spiritual Lessons Learned From An Ox
Categories: Church of Christ Bulletin ArticlesIn Isaiah 1, we see a pronouncement of judgment by God upon Israel. Even though God had provided for their every need, the nation rebelled against God’s law and became corrupt and sinful. They are described as a person with open sores, with no ointment to heal them (Isaiah 1:1-6). Because of their sinful rebellion, God basically describes the nation as being “as dumb as an ox.”
Through Isaiah, He tells them:
“The ox knows its owner And the donkey its master’s crib; But Israel does not know, My people do not consider [understand] (Isaiah 1:3).
Thus, as God’s children today, it behooves us to look at some spiritual lessons we can learn from an ox:
The Ox Teaches Us A Lesson About Salvation
As the above Scripture attests, the ox knows his owner and obeys him, but the children of Israel did not obey God. In Isaiah 1:10-15, we see a courtroom scene with God as judge. He indicts Israel for disobedience and pronounces the verdict (Isaiah 1:16-18). One would think that God would pronounce a “guilty” verdict and pass sentence. Instead, He tells Israel:
“Come now, and let us reason together, Says the Lord, Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool” (Isaiah 1:18).
Predicated upon Israel’s repentance, they were to be made free from sin and “eat the good of the land” (Isaiah 1:19). The purpose of life is not to find liberty (do anything we want to do), but to find the right master. If we find the right Master, then we will have found true liberty (John 8:31-36; cf. Romans 8:2; Gal. 5:1).
God is telling us the same thing He told Israel — that without Christ, we are dumber than an ox, because the ox knows its owner. Do we know our Owner who purchased us with His own blood? Have we experienced salvation from sin? (Acts 20:28; cf. Ephesians 1:3-7; Hebrews 9:11-12).
The Ox Teaches Us A Lesson About Separation
In Deuteronomy 22:10, we learn a another lesson from the ox — a lesson about separation. God instructed His people to “not plow with an ox and a donkey together.“ God knew (as every farmer knows) that two beasts of a different species cannot comfortably associate or work together, because they are always at odds with one another — they will never be able to successfully pull a cart or plow. Thus, we have to separate the two conflicting animals in order to plow successfully.
Making a spiritual application, Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 6:14-15:
“Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?”
A good example is a Christian living with a non-Christian in marriage. Because of different purposes and beliefs, it is more difficult for them to successfully “plow” well together (live for God’s purposes) simply because the non-Christian is living for a “different” purpose than the Christian. Thus, a good rule of thumb is, “Don’t marry a non-Christian” (an apostolic example – 1 Corinthians 9:1-5 NASB). We must separate ourselves from worldly thinking folks (Romans 12:1-2).
The Ox Teaches Us A Lesson About Service
The Proverb writer in Proverbs 14:4 ESV, teaches us a valuable lesson about service:
“Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean; But abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.”
The farmer’s wife may not like the dirty, smelly ox, but without him, there is no food. After a church luncheon, the church custodian may say, “Why can’t all of these people clean up after themselves.”
Let’s ask ourselves, “Is the purpose of the church to run a clean stall or to minister to the physical and spiritual needs of people?” The church’s main purpose is to “sow, water, and harvest” (1 Corinthians 3:5-9; Matthew 9:36-38; cf. Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16). Service to others is a constant ongoing activity.
The Ox Teaches Us A Lesson About Satisfaction
Again, the Proverb writer speaks in Proverbs 15:17 KJV:
“Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.”
Solomon had everything in this world that the mind could imagine, but his soul never experienced true satisfaction (Ecclesiastes 2:1-11). The only thing that gives true and lasting peace is our love for God (keeping His commandments) and love for our fellow man (Ecclesiastes 12:13; 1 John 3:18-24; cf. Matthew 19:16-22).
Conclusion:
Brethren and friends, let us not only “think” about the above spiritual lessons we can learn from an ox, but make a spiritual application of them in our lives and everyday living. Only then will we be motivated to acquire a greater knowledge of our Master, and thus become better servants (2 Peter 1:1-8; cf. Matthew 25:14-23). Like the ox, we will then truly “know” our Owner (Isaiah 1:3; cf. John 10:1-5; 1 John 2:1-6).