Oxen Wanted II

I just can't get away from: "No cattle, no crops; a good harvest requires a strong ox for the plow." Proverbs 14:4 The Message

"Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers in to his harvest field." Matthew 9:37,38 NIV

Why was it necessary for the disciples to ask the Lord to send out laborers? Had he not already called the Peter, Andrew, James, and John in Matthew 4:18-22 and Matthew in chapter 9? The Gospel of Mark records their appointment and their calling to preach, heal the sick, and cast out demons.
Same story with the 70 he sent forth in Luke chapter 10.

When I read, "pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest" I feel conviction. I hear the Holy Spirit say to me, "I have already given you the mandate to go, I'm just waiting for you yield and to ask me for instructions." That may not be proper exegesis or exposition of the text, but it is what I know to be true for me.

Again the instructions are clear in Matthew 10:7,8.

Have you raised anyone from the dead lately? Me neither. But we can't let that hinder us from trying. There is still so much to do and His return is near. We have to go into the fields and get our hands dirty. It will take sweat and tears, but His barns will be filled. We don't need to pick and choose what we will and will not pick. Not every ear of corn is perfect. Some of it is immature, some may be infested with parasites or disease. None the less, it is there in the field waiting to be harvested.

I believe it was the late President Reagan that said, " If not now, then when? If not us, then who?" Even if I didn't get the quote just right, you get the idea. The time is now and the who is every blood bought believer.

Anything for an Ox

Doubtless you have heard the expression, "I had an ox in the ditch" or some variation of it. It is just another saying that man has taken from the Bible and shaped to suit his own purposes. In most instances today, it is merely an excuse. "An excuse is a skin of truth stretched over a lie." That's what an aged Sunday School teacher told me, and I believe she was right.

Many times this expression is used in regards to missing church or being late getting there. Oh they will elaborate and say something about having to run an errand before church and......and..... It is in all the explanation that you find the truth of the matter. Something else took priority over attending the house of God. Does it really take both parents and all the siblings to care for one puny child? Couldn't they have filled up the car before the service?

And Jesus answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day? Luke 14:5

In the original context, getting the ox out of a pit was considered work and thus broke the Law of the Sabbath. Yet having mercy on the animal outweighed the penalty of the Law. Jesus had just healed a man of dropsy. It was the Sabbath. The Pharisees looked on him with disdain. Jesus used this example to expose the weakness of the Law, highlight the supremacy of mercy, and shut the mouths of the religious critics.

Showing mercy to an ox is an attribute we all should have. If we see a fellow ox in the ditch then we should act immediately. Don't wait for the elders to pray for them on Sunday. Don't wait until their struggles have zapped all their strength. Don't wait until they are covered in mud or the water is over their heads. Jesus would not wait, so why should we?

By the way, be sure to check out the reader's comments on the previous post. Good stuff.

A Strong Ox

No cattle, no crops; a good harvest requires a strong ox for the plow.
Proverbs 14:4 The Message


There is no mention of the farmer in this verse, neither of the seed or soil quality. The farmer is a given since he is required for the ox and plow to be of any use. The actual soil contents are not mentioned but it's condition is implied. The soil is unbroken, else there would be no need for the plow. The plow is not useful without a beast strong enough to pull it. The farmer and the ox can do little to work the ground without the plow. In order to have a good harvest there must be a farmer, a plow, and an ox.


Again, this is just basic info setting the stage for the spiritual parallel. The amount of time spent on these things would depend on the age group being taught. For this post we will pick out a couple of traits and draw the appropriate conclusions. In a classroom setting, you could use as many or as few as needed to fill the time slot or make the desired points.

It is essential for church workers to be saved. A wild ox is of little value to the farmer until it is domesticated. The first lesson in obedience for the ox is yielding to the farmer's restraint. When a worker in the church struggles against leadership then he jeopardizes the whole work of the church particularly as it relates to the harvest. Consistent commands and disciplines will bring about the desired responses.

Just as the younger ox will often be paired with an older/more experienced one, a new convert in the church should be paired up with a mature saint. Proper lifestyle changes will be brought about by teaching as well as example. Mentors are an indispensable resource for those new in the Kingdom and new to a particular duty within the church.

The tough hide of the ox affords protection from the elements. It can hold up to the wear and tear of the yoke and harness. It is difficult for insects to pierce. When the ox dies, it's hide can still be useful to the farmer. Let me hear your comments on a parallel for this one.

Without strong oxen in the church, there will be no harvest. The pastor can not do it alone. Get in the yoke today and help your pastor pull the plow.

No Ox - No Crops

The lesson of the ox is meant to encourage the believer to recognize his importance in the Kingdom and challenge him to work in the Master's fields. This is basically a topical study that parallels natural oxen and the spiritual workers within the body of Christ.


The term ox can be used to describe any of the bovine family both wild and domesticated. Musk-ox, water buffalo, and yak are just a few beside the common ox or cow. Basic characteristics of the ox include: stocky legs, heavy muscular body, tough hide, steady gait, working well in pairs or teams, and demonstrates consistent responses to commands once domesticated. These traits enhance the usefulness of the ox.


Oxen are used for a variety of tasks related to farming. Plowing, pulling a cart/transportation, moving heavy loads, and treading of grain. The mature are often paired with the younger in order to teach them how to pull in the harness as a team. Of course the female oxen are valuable for bearing offspring. Sometimes the oxen are eaten as a meat source. In biblical times they were also used as sacrificial animals.


In the initial oxen post the picture was of some Kenyan farmers. The ox is a valuable possession there and used every day for any number of activities. The literal translation, "no cattle- no crops" applies to those farmers as well as most of the ones living in Third World countries. It could also be said, "no crop- no life". For them, there are no markets on every corner.


Without the oxen there is little chance of putting in a crop. If the oxen are lost between planting time and harvest, the farmer is put in a extremely difficult place. He will have no way to turn the wheel that pumps the water to irrigate, no means of transporting the crop from the field, and no alternative but to walk everywhere.


The info presented thus far is remedial but required to draw the parallel. In a classroom setting, this would have come in the form of answers from the students. When I am teaching a lesson parallel, I generally ask the questions and record the answers on a large dry erase board. I list them in a column so the spiritual parallels can be listed opposite them as we cover the material.

A Goad for this Ox

I guess I can be too particular about how I want a post to unfold. I have been working for days on a post related to the oxen. It is easier for me to jot a few notes on an index card,step behind the lectern, and let it fly. All the more reason to blog, I guess. The goad will do me good if I yield to it.

Then again; I begin on one subject and realize that it can't be properly covered without covering other subtopics. Next thing I know I have one of those involved posts that require too much time for the average surfer to read. Just excuses. I know I can just break it down into a series of shorter posts. That would probably be better anyway. I can write all I want while my mind is on the subject, then post at regular intervals.

A confession is in order here. Actually, the ease of discovering and reading blogs requires so much less concentration than writing them. There's so much good material out there. I am drawn to the blogs of ministers and theologians. I also enjoy learning about widgets, templates, and HTML. Even writing about needing to write seems to be a deterrent to fulfilling the purpose of this blog.


"But what I’m discovering, contrary to the pervasive wisdom of educating oneself, makes me wonder if this information deluge might be hindering the discipleship process God created rather than boosting it." writes Dan of Cerulean Sanctum. He also has a lot of excellent feedback in the comment section.

What really applies here is that old saying about too much of a good thing.
Isn't that just how the enemy works? He substitutes good things for the best things. He offers excuses in place of the truth. My how he transforms himself into an angel of light!

Even as I write about the enemy, I am reminded of the Victor. He said to Paul on the road to Damascus, " It is hard for you to kick against the pricks". I haven't ever run from my calling and I'm not going to now. I will yield to the goad. Tomorrow is a new day and a new effort.

Oxen Wanted

Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox. Proverbs 14:4 KJV



No cattle, no crops; a good harvest requires a strong ox for the plow. Proverbs 14:4 The Message