Moment of Meditation: Do Not Muzzle the Ox (Deuteronomy 25:4)

Do not muzzle an ox
while it is treading out the grain.
(Deuteronomy 25:4)

Do Not Muzzle the Ox

St. Paul quotes this verse to Timothy in order to make sure that Timothy doesn't allow the Scriptures to be muzzled in the congregation in Ephesus. If you muzzle an ox, the ox will focus primarily on the muzzle over its mouth. It will blind itself to everything around it. Paul warns Timothy to not let that happen in the Church.

I have been in congregations where they have muzzled the preacher. They give the preacher a list of doctrines and topics that he cannot preach about. They seek to muzzle God's Word because they don't want to hear about their pet sins. The things they don't want to admit are wrong because they are part of everyday life in the congregation.

We are God's creatures. We're not allowed to tell Him what His Word can and cannot say to us. Did Jesus give into the pressures of the Pharisees and scribes? Did He change His message to better suit their ears? No. He made it harder. He added gasoline to the fires of hatred burning in their hearts.

As sinners, we don't want to hear about our sin. But we want to hear that God has forgiven us. But forgiven us of what? If the Scriptures are muzzled about our sin, what good does forgiveness do us? Amen.