A fat neck
“In that day their burden will be lifted from your shoulders, their yoke from your neck; the yoke will be broken because you have grown so fat.” Isaiah 10:27
There is another translation that says the yoke will be broken because of anointing, the Hebrew word means fat, oil, and anointing. In other words, the yoke will be broken because of the “fatness of anointing”.
Humans don't want fat necks, otherwise we will look morbidly obese. The key scripture refers to animals, mostly oxen, that were yoked on the neck for plow work. The yoke symbolizes all forms of oppression, such as sickness, emotional distress, financial difficulties, and relationship problems etc, and the scripture says the yoke cannot hold you anymore because you have grown so fat.
Getting spiritually fat requires a progressive process, and David gives us the example of how to do that: we see how a shepherd boy becomes a giant slayer and ultimately the King of Israel. From humble beginnings tending sheep faithfully, David protected and fought for sheep, even killing bears and lions with his bare hands. It was David's faithfulness that caught the eye of God.
As Samuel anointed Jesse’s sons as the next king, God told Samuel, "Man looks at the outside, but the LORD looks at the heart", so God rejected David's brothers who appeared physically good, but God sees David’s heart as “he is after God’s own heart”. David’s worship and psalms reveal his heart, especially his music had so much anointing to dispel Saul's distress. Anointing comes to David through his heart after God. Additionally, David's anointing increased as a result of the tests he had to go through, just like olive oil is pressed when it is under pressure, so is our anointing.
As David cultivated his faithfulness, his heart after God, and passed many tests, we can become spiritual hulks like David to receive God's anointing that breaks yokes!
Blessing prayer: I pray that you would feed us on your faithfulness and grant us grace to pursue you and be conquerors so that your anointing will break oppression. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
