Jeremiah 35: A Lesson in Faithfulness and Obedience
The word which came unto Jeremiah from the Lord in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying,
Go unto the house of the Rechabites, and speak unto them, and bring them into the house of the Lord, into one of the chambers, and give them wine to drink.
Then I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, the son of Habaziniah, and his brethren, and all his sons, and the whole house of the Rechabites;
And I brought them into the house of the Lord, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan, the son of Igdaliah, a man of God, which was by the chamber of the princes, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the keeper of the door:
And I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites pots full of wine, and cups, and I said unto them, Drink ye wine.
But they said, We will drink no wine: for Jonadab the son of Rechab our father commanded us, saying, Ye shall drink no wine, neither ye, nor your sons for ever:
Neither shall ye build house, nor sow seed, nor plant vineyard, nor have any: but all your days ye shall dwell in tents; that ye may live many days in the land where ye be strangers.
Thus have we obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab our father in all that he hath charged us, to drink no wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, nor our daughters;
Nor to build houses for us to dwell in: neither have we vineyard, nor field, nor seed:
But we have dwelt in tents, and have obeyed, and done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us.
But it came to pass, when Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came up into the land, that we said, Come, and let us go to Jerusalem for fear of the army of the Chaldeans, and for fear of the army of the Syrians: so we dwell at Jerusalem.
Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah, saying,
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to my words? saith the Lord.
The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are performed; for unto this day they drink none, but obey their father’s commandment: notwithstanding I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye hearkened not unto me.
I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Return ye now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve them, and ye shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers: but ye have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened unto me.
Because the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have performed the commandment of their father, which he commanded them; but this people hath not hearkened unto me:
Therefore thus saith the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon Judah and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced against them: because I have spoken unto them, but they have not heard; and I have called unto them, but they have not answered.
And Jeremiah said unto the house of the Rechabites, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according unto all that he hath commanded you:
Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me for ever.
Jeremiah 35 offers a powerful lesson in faithfulness and obedience, contrasting the steadfast commitment of the Rechabites with the persistent disobedience of Judah. This chapter, a flashback to the time before Zedekiah's reign and the Babylonian siege, highlights God's unchanging standard and the consequences of rejecting His word. (Jeremiah 35)
The Rechabites' Remarkable Commitment (Jeremiah 35:1-11)
God instructed Jeremiah to invite leaders from the Rechabite clan to a chamber in the temple and offer them wine. (Jeremiah 35:2) The Rechabites were a nomadic group who had sought refuge in Jerusalem due to the advancing Babylonian army. Jeremiah, following the Lord’s command, presented the wine to them. (Jeremiah 35:3-5)
However, the Rechabite leaders politely but firmly refused. (Jeremiah 35:6-11) They explained that their ancestor, Jonadab (also known as Jehonadab), the son of Rechab, had given them a strict command: they were not to drink wine, build houses, sow seed, or plant vineyards. This was a long-standing family covenant designed to maintain their nomadic lifestyle and separation. Jonadab understood the corrupting influence of settled life and the potential for assimilation into the surrounding culture. The Rechabites, including their entire families, were resolutely committed to upholding this ancestral decree.
God's Powerful Object Lesson (Jeremiah 35:12-16)
The Rechabites' unwavering adherence to their ancestor's command served as a powerful object lesson for the people of Judah. God instructed Jeremiah to point out their faithfulness. (Jeremiah 35:12-16) For generations, the Rechabites had remained true to their promise, even though there was nothing inherently spiritual about their chosen way of life. The crucial point was not the specific prohibition itself, but their unyielding faithfulness to the covenant they had made.
God employed an "a fortiori" argument – from the lesser to the greater. If the Rechabites could so diligently obey the command of Jonadab, a mere man, why couldn't the people of Judah obey the word of the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel? (Jeremiah 35:13) Jonadab’s commands had been followed for generations. God had repeatedly spoken to His people for their own good, offering them life and blessing, yet they consistently ignored Him. (Jeremiah 35:15-16)
Consequences of Disobedience and Rewards of Faithfulness (Jeremiah 35:17-19)
The consequences for Judah and Jerusalem were inevitable: disaster. God declared, "Because I have spoken to them, but they have not obeyed." (Jeremiah 35:17) Their persistent disobedience would lead to judgment.
In stark contrast, the Rechabites were promised a blessing for their faithfulness. The Lord declared that they would always have a descendant to stand before Him. (Jeremiah 35:19) This promise signified continued favor and a lasting legacy. The story of the Rechabites serves as a reminder that rebellion against God carries consequences, while a life of faithfulness brings reward.
Jeremiah 35 underscores the importance of honoring commitments and obeying God's voice. It challenges us to examine our own lives and consider whether we are as diligent in following God's commands as the Rechabites were in keeping their ancestral vow. The chapter highlights that true obedience stems from a heart of devotion and love for God, and it is this kind of obedience that He ultimately honors.
The word which came unto Jeremiah from the Lord in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying,
Go unto the house of the Rechabites, and speak unto them, and bring them into the house of the Lord, into one of the chambers, and give them wine to drink.
Then I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, the son of Habaziniah, and his brethren, and all his sons, and the whole house of the Rechabites;
And I brought them into the house of the Lord, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan, the son of Igdaliah, a man of God, which was by the chamber of the princes, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the keeper of the door:
And I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites pots full of wine, and cups, and I said unto them, Drink ye wine.
But they said, We will drink no wine: for Jonadab the son of Rechab our father commanded us, saying, Ye shall drink no wine, neither ye, nor your sons for ever:
Neither shall ye build house, nor sow seed, nor plant vineyard, nor have any: but all your days ye shall dwell in tents; that ye may live many days in the land where ye be strangers.
Thus have we obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab our father in all that he hath charged us, to drink no wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, nor our daughters;
Nor to build houses for us to dwell in: neither have we vineyard, nor field, nor seed:
But we have dwelt in tents, and have obeyed, and done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us.
But it came to pass, when Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came up into the land, that we said, Come, and let us go to Jerusalem for fear of the army of the Chaldeans, and for fear of the army of the Syrians: so we dwell at Jerusalem.
Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah, saying,
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to my words? saith the Lord.
The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are performed; for unto this day they drink none, but obey their father’s commandment: notwithstanding I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye hearkened not unto me.
I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Return ye now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve them, and ye shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers: but ye have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened unto me.
Because the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have performed the commandment of their father, which he commanded them; but this people hath not hearkened unto me:
Therefore thus saith the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon Judah and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced against them: because I have spoken unto them, but they have not heard; and I have called unto them, but they have not answered.
And Jeremiah said unto the house of the Rechabites, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according unto all that he hath commanded you:
Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me for ever.
Jeremiah 35 offers a powerful lesson in faithfulness and obedience, contrasting the steadfast commitment of the Rechabites with the persistent disobedience of Judah. This chapter, a flashback to the time before Zedekiah's reign and the Babylonian siege, highlights God's unchanging standard and the consequences of rejecting His word. (Jeremiah 35)
The Rechabites' Remarkable Commitment (Jeremiah 35:1-11)
God instructed Jeremiah to invite leaders from the Rechabite clan to a chamber in the temple and offer them wine. (Jeremiah 35:2) The Rechabites were a nomadic group who had sought refuge in Jerusalem due to the advancing Babylonian army. Jeremiah, following the Lord’s command, presented the wine to them. (Jeremiah 35:3-5)
However, the Rechabite leaders politely but firmly refused. (Jeremiah 35:6-11) They explained that their ancestor, Jonadab (also known as Jehonadab), the son of Rechab, had given them a strict command: they were not to drink wine, build houses, sow seed, or plant vineyards. This was a long-standing family covenant designed to maintain their nomadic lifestyle and separation. Jonadab understood the corrupting influence of settled life and the potential for assimilation into the surrounding culture. The Rechabites, including their entire families, were resolutely committed to upholding this ancestral decree.
God's Powerful Object Lesson (Jeremiah 35:12-16)
The Rechabites' unwavering adherence to their ancestor's command served as a powerful object lesson for the people of Judah. God instructed Jeremiah to point out their faithfulness. (Jeremiah 35:12-16) For generations, the Rechabites had remained true to their promise, even though there was nothing inherently spiritual about their chosen way of life. The crucial point was not the specific prohibition itself, but their unyielding faithfulness to the covenant they had made.
God employed an "a fortiori" argument – from the lesser to the greater. If the Rechabites could so diligently obey the command of Jonadab, a mere man, why couldn't the people of Judah obey the word of the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel? (Jeremiah 35:13) Jonadab’s commands had been followed for generations. God had repeatedly spoken to His people for their own good, offering them life and blessing, yet they consistently ignored Him. (Jeremiah 35:15-16)
Consequences of Disobedience and Rewards of Faithfulness (Jeremiah 35:17-19)
The consequences for Judah and Jerusalem were inevitable: disaster. God declared, "Because I have spoken to them, but they have not obeyed." (Jeremiah 35:17) Their persistent disobedience would lead to judgment.
In stark contrast, the Rechabites were promised a blessing for their faithfulness. The Lord declared that they would always have a descendant to stand before Him. (Jeremiah 35:19) This promise signified continued favor and a lasting legacy. The story of the Rechabites serves as a reminder that rebellion against God carries consequences, while a life of faithfulness brings reward.
Jeremiah 35 underscores the importance of honoring commitments and obeying God's voice. It challenges us to examine our own lives and consider whether we are as diligent in following God's commands as the Rechabites were in keeping their ancestral vow. The chapter highlights that true obedience stems from a heart of devotion and love for God, and it is this kind of obedience that He ultimately honors.