The phrase “burden of the LORD” means “message from the LORD , and in the kingdom of God, it is a capital crime for a man to call his own ideas “the burden of the LORD”. Israel had its share of false teachers who called their own ideas “the burden of the LORD”.
“And as for the prophet, and the priest, and the people, that say, ‘The burden of the LORD!’ I will punish that man and his house, and ‘the burden of the LORD’ shall you mention no more. But because you say, ‘The burden of the LORD!’, and I have sent to you saying, ‘Do not say, “The burden of the LORD”!’ therefore, I will utterly forget you, and I will forsake you, . . . and cast you out of my presence” (Jer. 23:34, 38–39 KJV).
False teachers still claim to be bearing the burden of the LORD to the people who hear them, but it is really their own burden. And they will make you carry that heavy burden for them if you believe what they say:
“Woe to you experts in the law! You burden men down with burdens hard to bear, but you yourselves don’t touch the same burdens with one of your fingers!” (Lk. 11:46).
The true word of God is the easiest burden to carry. Jesus told us so when he said that the doctrine he taught was not his, but God’s (Jn. 7:16), and that the burden with which God sent him to us was easy to bear:
Matthew 11
28. Come to me, all who labor and are heavily laden, and I will give you rest!
29. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest for your souls,
30. for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
