Jeremiah 35
COMMENTARY:
: 2 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. (7394 “Rechabites” [Rekab] means horseman or descendants of Habaziniah.
DEVOTION: Here we have an example of a group of people who will stick to their beliefs no matter what. The LORD knew them well. They were descendants of Moses’ father in law.
The picked these individuals to present another object lesson to the people of Judah. These individuals were given a command by their ancestors. They were not to drink wine. They were not to live in houses but in tents. They were not to settle anywhere.
The LORD gave Jeremiah a command to go to these people and invite them to go into a room in the Temple of the LORD and drink wine. They agreed to go with him not knowing what was going to happen.
They were presently in the city of Jerusalem because of the invasion of Babylon. They didn’t have a choice because they were afraid.
Jeremiah took them into the room and offered them a drink. They refused based on their fidelity to their ancestor. They were going to keep his instructions no matter what.
We are given instructions in the Word of God on how we are to live our daily life. There are going to be individuals who are going to challenge our beliefs.
Today we realize that some think that all our beliefs are up for grabs. They think that nothing is absolute. Everything is relative in their eyes. The problem is that some of the ones who want us to change our basic beliefs are found in the pulpits of our churches.
Recently we had a woman speaking in a pulpit in an about the purpose of Jesus coming to this earth. The congregation didn’t hear the truth of the reason for Christ’s coming but only a political statement regarding HIS coming. There was no true to the statements but everyone seemed to be OK with the speech.
There is a state in America and a denomination that want to outlaw the spanking of children. The Bible states that this a proper form of discipline for children who are acting out. What should we do in a culture that wants to let their children go undisciplined and yet wants them to be held accountable when they break the law? They can’t have it both ways.
Our convictions need to be anchored in the Word of God. If they are not we need to change. Our world is trying to make us politically correct when we should only be Biblically correct when the teachings of the Word of God are challenged.
The descendants of Rechab had it right by refusing to weaken their convictions. We need to get it right too.
CHALLENGE: Know what you believe, so that, when they are challenged you can quote chapter and verse. If we know where it can be found we can say “It’s in the Book!!”
: 14 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. (4687 “commandment” [mitzvah] means ordinance, precept, or law.)
DEVOTION: What a testimony to the influence of a father for good. The LORD rewards consistent obedience. This chapter is an illustration of consistent obedience by a group of people. Their obedience lasted for generations. Remember the Word of God tells us that sins follow until the third and fourth generation. Here is consistent obedience following from generation to generation. We can set the tone for future generations. That tone can be either for good or for bad.
Here we see a father giving his children a command to not drink any wine and other commands. The children have obeyed their father for generations. The LORD tells Jeremiah to offer wine to these individuals. Jeremiah comes to them and offers them wine. They say NO. God is using this as an example to children of Israel and us that if a group of children can obey an earthly father, why can’t they obey HIM. HE has so much more to offer than an earthly father.
Do we have more respect for our friends, family and other leaders than we do for God? Reread this chapter and understand that the LORD has sent HIS word and HIS pastors out to teach the TRUTH of HIS word.
Are we listening to those who are presenting the Word of God to us? HE is still sending out Biblical pastors and leaders early to warn of the coming judgment.
Is our world listening to the warnings coming from God or are they just thinking these warnings are coming just from men? The children of Judah thought that Jeremiah was just speaking for himself.
Too often we tend to think that it is “just their opinion” when in reality it is coming from the Word of God through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Some just don’t want to hear the TRUTH!!!
Our responsibility as Christians is to train our children and grandchildren and for some great grandchildren in the Word of God. Parents set the example for their children to follow. If the parents are not obeying the LORD in their everyday life – what is going to happen when the children grow up? Their actions are going to be the same as their parents. There is blessings promised to those who honor the LORD with their training of their children.
CHALLENGE: Set a good example at home and church. Our homes are a representation of our beliefs as much as our teaching in the local church. Don’t open the door to false beliefs.
: 17 Therefore thus says the LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring on Judah and on all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced against them: because I have spoken to them, but they have not heard; and I have called to them, but they have not answered. (7462 “evil” [ra’ah means wickedness, depravity, an event resulting in great loss and misfortune, misery, distress, or calamity.)
DEVOTION: Here we see that the chosen people of God were not listening to the LORD and HE is going to judge them for their lack of obedience to HIM. HE has warned them but they didn’t seem to care.
The children of Israel went into captivity because after a long period of time of not listening the LORD said “OK, you can have it your way!” They wanted to not listen and sin more and more, so HE sent them into captivity in Babylon.
God wants HIS people to obey HIS commands or they will face judgment. That was true then and it is true now.
Those who claim to follow the LORD but are really doing their own thing without obeying the Word of God will face judgment either right away or at the Great White Throne Judgment at the end of time.
The chose was the children of Israel then and the chose we make now is up to us. The LORD doesn’t force people to become HIS followers. HE gives them a choice but they have to live with the choice they make. They can’t say they were never warned of the consequences of their actions.
CHALLENGE: Is the LORD speaking to you today and you are not listening? There is a judgment coming to those who are not believers and those who are believers. Jesus is the only way to avoid the judgment of eternity in hell. I want to encourage you to make the right choice even today!
: 18–19 And Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Because you have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts and done according to all that he commanded you, therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: “Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not lack a man to stand before Me forever.” (The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982).
DEVOTION: God is always careful to uphold and establish His word! When He makes a declaration, it will be accomplished even when it appears to be insignificant. Jeremiah had brought the men of the house of Rechabites to the temple to offer them wine which their father had commanded them not to drink of their entire lives. As they were obedient and carefully followed the command of their father, God blessed them. It reminds me of the first commandment with promise in the Ten Commandments! In Exodus 20:12 God states, “Honor your father and mother that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” Now many years after the promise given to Moses, he again promises a similar blessing to these men for obeying their father. It would seem that God wants us to know His word and then follow its principles regardless of the time between when the promise is given and the present. As a result of preserving the command of God the Rechabites were rewarded with another promise from God.
CHALLENGE: We may not always receive a reward for doing a principle that God commands us to keep but we will be blessed by obedience to His word. It can begin with a simple decision to honor our parents and to keep a statute or decision that they made. It may seem like a small matter but in God’s eyes it will be awesome! (Dr. Brian Miller – board member)
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Children are to submit to their ancestorsverse 6
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
House of the LORDverses 2, 4
Chamber of the princesverse 4
Maaseiah – son of Shallum – keeper of doorverse 4
Rechabitesverse 5
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Word of the LORDverses 1, 12
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal)verses 1, 2, 4, 12, 13, 17-19
God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign, Plural name)verses 4, 13, 17-19
LORD of hostsverses 13, 18, 19
God of Israelverses 13, 17, 18, 19
Question: Will you not receive instruction to hearken to MY words?verse 13
LORD God of hostsverse 17
Judgment of Godverse 17
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 to them
but they have not heard; I have called
to them, but they have not answeredverse 17
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Man of Godverse 4
Nebuchadrezzar – king of Babylonverse 11
Chaldeans – army ofverse 11
Syrians -army ofverse 11
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Wine to drinkverses 2, 5, 6, 14
Not listening to the LORDverses 14-17
Evil wayverse 15
Worshiping other godsverse 15
Serving other godsverse 15
Not inclining your ears or hearkening to LORDverse 15
Not answered Godverse 17
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Commitment to LORDverses 6-10
Obeyed fatherverses 8, 10, 14, 18
Receive instructionsverse 13
Servants the prophetsverse 15
Rising up earlyverse 15
Amend your doingsverse 15
Inheritanceverse 15
Commandments of fatherverse 15
Listen to calling of Godverse 17
Keep preceptsverse 18
Stand before the LORDverse 19
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Jeremiahverses 1, 12, 18, 19
Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Because you have obeyed
the commandments of Jonadab your father, kept all his precepts
and done according to all that he has commandedyou.
Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts.
the God of Israel – Jonadab the son of Rechabshall not want a
man to stand before ME forever
Jehoiakim – son of Josiah – king of Judahverse 1
Judahverses 1, 13, 17
Jonadab – son of Rechabverses 6-11, 14-19
shall not drink wine
not build houses
not sow seed
not plant vineyard
dwell in tents
obeyed all that Jonadab commanded
strangers
dwell in Jerusalem
commanded his sons not to drink wine
unto this day they drink NONE
obeyed their father’s command
shall not want a man to stand before ME
forever
Rechabitesverses 2, 3, 5, 18
Jaazaniah – son of Jeremiah (not prophet)verse 3
Sons of Hananverse 4
Igdaliah – a man of Godverse 4
Maaseiah the son of Shallumverse 4
Jonadab the son of Rechabverses 6, 14, 16, 19
Jerusalemverses 11, 13, 17
Israelverses 13, 19
Men of Judahverse 13
Inhabitants of Jerusalemverse 13
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
A man to stand before God for eververse 19
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