Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the grain. Deuteronomy 25:4. (“The grain” was not in the original Hebrew text.)
This same Scripture was quoted by Paul when he wrote about supporting himself in the ministry: Or I only and Barnabas, have we not a right to forbear working? What soldier ever serveth at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? Do I speak these things after the manner of men? or saith not the law also the same? For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn. Is it for the oxen that God careth, or saith he it assuredly for our sake? Yea, for our sake it was written: because he that ploweth ought to plow in hope, and he that thresheth, to thresh in hope of partaking. If we sowed unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things? If others partake of this right over you, do not we yet more? Nevertheless we did not use this right; but we bear all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ. Know ye not that they that minister about sacred things eat of the things of the temple, and they that wait upon the altar have their portion with the altar? The priests have their portion with the altar.
Even so did the Lord ordain that they that proclaim the gospel should live of the gospel. But I have used none of these things: and I write not these things that it may be so done in my case; for it were good for me rather to die, than that any man should make my glorying void. I Corinthians 9:6–15.
The Scripture in the Old Testament was not given for the sake of the oxen only, but also for the sake of the spiritual people who would one day be “treading out the harvest grain.”
For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn. And, The laborer is worthy of his hire. I Timothy 5:18. The preceding verse tells us, Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and in teaching. Verse 17. He was referring to the elders who were ministering, laboring in the Word of God and teaching that Word: and he again quoted the Scripture regarding not muzzling the ox.
A different application is made in I Corinthians 9 than in I Timothy 5, but the basic theme is the same. One speaks of elders being worthy of double honor because they labored in the Word and doctrine; the others tells of Paul and Barnabas, apostles who went forth to minister, and the right they had to partake of the material things the people could give them while they were giving their lives to serve them spiritual things. Paul argued very forcefully that those who preach the gospel should live of the gospel and that there should be no muzzling of the ox that treads out the corn.
At this time we are not concerned with the financial application of this verse, because most of our ministries are self-supporting as Paul was. We do not have to preach it because we are already doing it. But the principle is that people should not even think of putting a muzzle on the one who is doing the work.
What did the ox do to tread out the corn? (Treading out the corn actually refers to the wheat harvest. The King James translation uses the word “corn,” but corn was not used in Biblical times at all. Corn is a grain native to the United States having been first introduced to the world by the Indians.) The wheat was laid on a flat stone floor where the ox would walk around on it. The grains were piled high enough so the ox would not grind them, but in stepping down his weight would husk the wheat.
Another way of husking grain is referred to in Luke 3:17: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and he will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable. If they did not have an ox they used a flail, which would separate the chaff (the outercoating) from the kernels of wheat. Then with an instrument like a large scoop shovel, they would throw it up in the air where the breeze would blow away the chaff. The wheat, being heavier, would fall to the floor. They would do this a number of times to remove as much chaff as possible, which was then burned.
This is what God is anointing His elders and apostles to do: to labor in the Word and doctrine.
While Paul made reference in I Corinthians 9 to the financial support of the apostles, in I Timothy 5 he referred to the double honor given to elders who minister the Word and doctrine. The meaning was, “Stand back, don’t muzzle the ox when he’s treading out the grain.” While he is stomping around, seeing all that grain, and doing the work for you; he gets hungry and wants to eat. How can he eat if you put a muzzle on him? If you are going to get work out of him, you must feed him. He has to keep chewing or he’s not going to keep moving—he’ll die.
The Lord is trying to give us the word: “Don’t muzzle the ox,” because there’s a weariness on the people in the front lines who are battling, praying and carrying the load. This is the time to stick your spear into the honeycomb.
When Jonathan went out to battle the Philistines he created a very difficult situation for the Lord when he said to his armorbearer, “We will see what the Lord wants us to do. If the Lord is with us, we will be saved by many or by few. When we step out and show ourselves to the Philistines, we will know what to do. If they say, ‘Wait, we’ll come to you,’ then we’ll know to fight them here. But if they say, ‘Come on up and we’ll show you something,’ We’ll go up and show them something.” It was not a matter of whether they were going to have a battle or not; it was where they were going to fight it. The Philistines invited them to come up, so Jonathan and his armorbearer went up. Only the two of them began slaughtering the Philistines right and left, and as soon as Saul heard how the battle was going, he and his men joined in the victory. Now Saul had put everyone on an oath to fast until evening, but you can’t kill Philistines on an empty stomach. The soldiers became faint as they were chasing the Philistines, but the Philistines felt fine and kept on going.
Jonathan, not knowing about the fast and feeling weary, snagged a honeycomb and ate it. His eyes were brightened and he became strong. When Saul saw him he was furious, because he had said, “This day is a fast to the Lord. While we are chasing the Philistines, if anyone eats today, before evening he will die.” He would have killed Jonathan after God had given the victory, but the people delivered Jonathan out of Saul’s hand.
This is not a time to make it difficult for anyone. Snag your honeycomb. Reach out, be enlightened and be enriched. Take the muzzle off—don’t put a muzzle on anyone. Open your heart and rejoice, and take the strength that comes from the Lord.
Lord, we take the blessing and refreshing that comes from Thee: the anointing and the reviving that is to be ours. For those who are ready to enter into new labors; for those, who are about to throw off illnesses and enter into immunities—we believe for divine life. We believe every hindering spirit is to be cast down.
The anointing of the Lord is to be upon our labors to make them effective. No more wavering, no more ups and downs. Fill our valleys. Make a plain highway for us to move on. O Lord, we must be strengthened. We have engaged the enemy, and are pursuing him; we are victorious, but weary. Revive us, O Lord; we have Philistines to chase. We take the spirit of anointing from the Lord not to be discouraged. Our hearts are assured of one thing: God is true. The devil is a lie and the father of it; and we rebuke everything that comes against us that speaks anything other than perfect victory in the name of the Lord.