This morning a fascinating word stood out to me from Isaiah chapter 3. The word was used in a statement made by the people. They had refused to be persuaded by the Lord’s prophets and their attitude was revealed in this fascinating declaration: - "We should bind up the righteous man because he is "INCONVENIENT to us.”
In the LXX, (Septuagint) the Greek word is δÏσχÏηστος - a compound of the prefix "dus” + "xpnstos”. Jesus said his yoke was "xpnstos” - easy - (better translated a good fit). So "dus” is a prefix similar to the English prefix "un” or "mis”.
The people were saying we should bind up the righteous man because he is NOT "a good fit” for us - ie - the righteous man is "un-easy” for us - righteous men are "mis-fits”.
Have you experienced this attitude? Do you see this attitude increasing? For those who live according to their own desires, a righteous man who lives according to the words of the Lord, is an "inconvenience.”
This attitude is the undercurrent of those no longer willing to endure sound teaching. When sound teaching makes people uneasy, it becomes an "inconvenience”. That’s when people begin gathering to themselves teachers that "suit their own desires.”
The yoke of Jesus involves doing His Father’s will. We find His life when we lose our own life. This yoke is only "easy” when we "learn of Him” and discover His joy makes our own joy full. But if we seek joy in doing our own will, His yoke is "un-easy”, a "mis-fit”, an "inconvenient” hindrance to the desire to be "blessed” fulfilling our own lusts.