Question: What is “My yoke” in Matthew 11:29, 30?
Answer: Read from verse 25. This context tells of our Lord’s perfect submission to the Father’s will; then He reveals the Father (verse 27), and (verse 28) says, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” This includes the knowledge of the Father, and gives us the place of children, so that the rest He gives is the result of His finished work. He knows the weary toilers for salvation, toiling for what they can never gain in that way. He gives rest to all who come to Him.
Further blessing He promises in the words, “Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” His yoke is submission to the Father’s will, and He desires us to enjoy the Father’s care and love in full submission to His will – “Learn of Me.” It was His path; it is to be ours, and rest is found in it. Ye shall find rest unto your souls. Submission to His yoke makes it easy and the burden light. It is rest indeed (see Psa. 16:5, 6).
Question: Is the present war in Europe the fulfillment of the scripture? (Matt. 24:6, 7).
Answer: Matthew 24:6, 7, refers to the time when the Jews will again occupy Jerusalem; when the gospel of the kingdom will again be preached (vs. 14), and they will have their holy place or temple built again (verse 15), in the land of Judea (verse 16).
The wars, earthquakes, pestilences, and famines, that have taken place or may take place, ever since the destruction of Jerusalem, are not the fulfillment of prophecy. Prophecy centers around Israel and Palestine. God holds the nations in His hand, overruling, till the Roman beast rises again, and that cannot be till the church is gone from the earth. The beast rises from the bottomless pit (Rev. 17:8), and his power is wholly from the Dragon, or Satan (Rev. 13:4). While the church is on earth, He, the Holy Spirit, who now restrains will restrain, until He is taken out of the way, and then the lawless one can be manifested (2 Thess. 2:7, 8).
The hope of the church is the coming of the Lord to receive her to Himself (1 Thess. 4:15-18) and there are no signs given for this, it may take place at any moment. The state of the church as in 2 Timothy; 2 Peter; Jude and Revelation 2 and 3, is our sign, and the conditions mentioned in these different Scriptures are already fulfilled. He may come now. Till He comes, we preach the gospel of the grace of God. The gospel of the Kingdom comes afterward for Israel and the Gentiles.