JEREMIAH 35A
LORD gives Jeremiah instructions regarding Rechabites verse 1- 2
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
Jeremiah took Rechabites to Temple room verse 3- 5
THEN I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah – 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
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 you WINE
Fidelity of Rechabites stated verse 6- 11
BUT they said We will drink NO WINE
FOR Jonadab the son of Rechab our father commanded us
saying
You shall drink NO WINE – neither you nor your sons FOREVER
neither shall you build house nor sow seed nor plant vineyards
nor have any
BUT all your days you shall dwell in tents
that you may live many days in the land where you 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 – 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
for fear of the army of the Syrians
so we dwell at Jerusalem
LORD uses fidelity of Rechabites to confront Judah verse 12- 16
Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah – saying
Thus says the LORD of hosts – the God of Israel
Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem
Will you not receive instruction to hearken to MY words?
says 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 you now every man from his evil way
and AMEND your doings
and go not after other gods
to serve them
And you shall dwell in the land
which I have given you and to your fathers
BUT you have not inclined your ear
nor hearkened unto me
BECAUSE the sons of Jonadab son of Rehab have performed
the commandment of their father
which he commanded them
BUT this people hath not hearkened unto ME
Judah refused to listen to LORD verse 17
THEREFORE thus says the LORD God of hosts – 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
I have called unto them
BUT they have NOT ANSWERED
LORD gave promise to Rechabites verse 18- 19
And Jeremiah said unto the house of 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 unto all that he
hath commanded you
THEREFORE thus says the LORD of hosts- the God of Israel
Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man
to stand before ME forever
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 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!!”)
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 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.)
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 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 ancestors verse 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 LORD verse 2, 4
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Word of the LORD verse 1, 12
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal) verse 1, 2, 4, 12, 13,
17- 19
God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign, Plural name) verse 4, 13, 17- 19
LORD of hosts verse 13, 18, 19
God of Israel verse 13, 17, 18, 19
LORD God of hosts verse 17
Judgment of God verse 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 God verse 4
Nebuchadrezzar – king of Babylon verse 11
Chaldeans verse 11
Syrians verse 11
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Wine to drink verse 2, 5, 14
Not listening to the LORD verse 14- 17
Evil way verse 15
Worshiping other gods verse 15
Not answered God verse 17
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Commitment to LORD verse 6- 10
Obeyed father verse 8, 10, 14, 18
Receive instructions verse 13
Servants the prophets verse 15
Rising up early verse 15
Amend your doings verse 15
Inheritance verse 15
Commandments of father verse 15
Listen to calling of God verse 17
Keep precepts verse 18
Stand before the LORD verse 19
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Jeremiah verse 1, 12, 18
Jehoiakim – son of Josiah verse 1
Judah verse 1, 13, 17
Rechabites verse 2, 3, 5, 18
Jaazaniah – son of Jeremiah verse 3
Sons of Hanan verse 4
Igdaliah verse 4
Man of God verse 4
Maaseiah the son of Shallum verse 4
Jonadab the son of Rechab verse 6, 14, 16, 19
Jerusalem verse 11, 13, 17
Israel verse 13, 19
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
A man to stand before God for ever verse 19
QUOTES
This prohibition was apparently meant to help them escape the defiling Baal worship, which was accompanied by the carousing that often goes with city life. (Feinberg, C. L. (1986). Jeremiah. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Volume 6: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (F. E. Gaebelein, Ed.) (601). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
Their lifestyle resembled that of the Nazirites (cf. Num 6:1–21). During their desert wanderings, the Hebrews had no wine. As has already been said, it was not the asceticism of the Recabites that Jeremiah commended but their fidelity to Jonadab (v.10). His restrictions were a protest against social and religious decay in the nation that resulted from increasing urbanization. With the invasion of Nebuchadnezzar and the Syrians, the Recabites were forced to seek refuge in Jerusalem (v.11); but this did not compel them to drink wine. They could no longer live in tents in the open country. (Feinberg, C. L. (1986). Jeremiah. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Volume 6: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (F. E. Gaebelein, Ed.) (601). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
Notice the telling contrasts between the Recabites and Judah.
1. The Recabites obeyed a fallible leader (v.14); Judah’s leader was the eternal God (cf. Mal 1:6).
2. Jonadab gave his commands to the Recabites only once; God repeatedly sent his messages to his people (v.15).
3. The restrictions that bound the Recabites did not deal with eternal issues God’s messages to his people had eternal as well as temporal implications.
4. The Recabites obeyed the commands of Jonadab for about three hundred years; the Lord’s people constantly disobeyed (v.16).
5. The loyalty of the Recabites would be rewarded; for their disloyalty God’s people would be punished (v.17). (Feinberg, C. L. (1986). Jeremiah. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Volume 6: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (F. E. Gaebelein, Ed.) (602). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
2. Rechabites—a nomadic tribe belonging to the Kenites of Hemath (1Ch 2:55), of the family of Jethro, or Hobab, Moses’ father-in-law (Ex 18:9, &c. Nu 10:29–32; Jdg 1:16). They came into Canaan with the Israelites, but, in order to preserve their independence, chose a life in tents without a fixed habitation (1Sa 15:6). Besides the branch of them associated with Judah and extending to Amalek, there was another section at Kadesh, in Naphtali (Jdg 4:11, 17). They seem to have been proselytes of the gate, Jonadab, son of Rechab, whose charge not to drink wine they so strictly obeyed, was zealous for God. (2Ki 10:15–23). (Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Je 35:2). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc)
36:8–10. Some time passed before a national emergency arose which prompted the leaders to call a fast. The scroll was written in Jehoiakim’s fourth year (v. 1), but it was not read until the ninth month of the fifth year. This sounds like a gap of at least nine months, but because of the Hebrew method of dating it could have been a much shorter period of time. Assuming that Jeremiah employed the Tishri (September–October)-to-Tishri year for dating Judah’s kings (see comments on 25:1), Jehoiakim’s fourth year would have extended from October 7 (Tishri 1), 605 b.c. to September 25, 604 b.c. (not October 6 because of the lunar calendar); and his fifth year would have extended from September 26, 604 b.c. to October 14, 603 b.c. (including an intercalary month). However, when a specific month was given it was always reckoned by a Nisan (March–April)-to-Nisan year. Thus the “ninth month” was whatever ninth month from Nisan fell into the “fifth year” that began in Tishri. In the fifth year of Jehoiakim the ninth month extended from November 24, 604 b.c. through December 23, 604 b.c.-a date just three months after the end of Jehoiakim’s fourth year. (for a more detailed discussion of these chronological problems see Edwin R. Thiele, The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew kings. Rev. ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1983; and Richard A. Parker and Waldo H. Dubberstein, Babylonian Chronology: 626 B.C.–A.D. 75. Providence, R.I: Brown University Press, 1956.) The date was significant because the Babylonian Chronicle reports that at the same time Nebuchadnezzar was in Palestine collecting “vast tribute” from those nations he had conquered. In the same month the fast was called, Nebuchadnezzar captured the city of Ashkelon and plundered it (cf. Donald J. Wiseman, Chronicles of Chaldean Kings (626–556b.c.) in the British Museum. London: Trustees of the British Museum, 1956, p. 69). It is possible that the fast was called to plead for deliverance from Babylon’s harsh hand. (Dyer, C. H. (1985). Jeremiah. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 1180). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
Among the host of latter-day evils which are sapping the very foundations of Christianity in the minds of the masses, none has been more audaciously impious in its assault upon the truth of God than the so-called Higher Criticism. Under the guise of reverent scholarship seeking to determine the authenticity of books that faith has never questioned, the advocates of this destructive school have not hesitated to cut in pieces the Scriptures of truth, and deliberately seek to falsify the very words of the Lord Jesus Christ. He, at least, who knew all things, had no doubts as to the divine authority of every jot and tittle of the Old Testament. It was to Him the inspired utterance of the Holy Ghost.
His apostles, likewise, accepted every part of it—the Law, and the Prophets, and the Psalms—as God’s unerring message to His creatures. Nowhere is there the least hesitancy as to owning the full authority of any portion of what was in their day the accepted canon of Holy Scripture
It has remained for present-day theorists, bereft alike of sound judgment and true godliness, to challenge the genuineness and to impugn the veracity of what our Lord and His first followers (themselves inspired men) received without question as the “oracles of God.”
Terrible indeed must be the judgment of those who seek thus to undermine faith in God’s holy Word, and to turn the simple from the ways that be in Christ to paths of error and confusion. And what, alas, will be the eternal state of those who, in many instances, accept all too greedily the poisoned sweetness of these venders of religious confections, glad in heart to be released from a sense of responsibility to God and His Word that has been at least a check upon their consciences, when tempted to ways of utter ungodliness?
Rest assured, dear fellow-believer, ours is a faith founded upon an impregnable Rock. Men who refuse it do so to their own destruction. The wild vagaries of the destructive critics are only the precursors of the great apostasy that is now near at hand. But, thank God, ere that awful night of gloomy unbelief settles down upon the minds of the great mass of Christendom, the Church will have been caught away to be with the Lord in the Father’s house. The Holy Spirit, with the Body of Christ, leaving this scene, Antichrist will quickly arise, to whom all the vaunted learning of the day, then Christless, will bow the knee; for “God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie: that they all may be judged because they obeyed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thess. 2:11, 12).
These opponents of the important truth of the plenary inspiration of the Scriptures are but the John the Baptists of Antichrist—the preparers of his way.
No honest reader of the Old Testament can fail to see that inspiration is stamped on every page. Jesus affirms it again and again; and when quoting Old Testament Scripture, does so as giving forth the last word on the subject, against which there can be no gainsaying. Note it in His temptation, where each passage quoted in defeat of Satan is taken from Deuteronomy, the book so much attacked by the critics. He who knew all things questioned neither its reputed authorship, nor its divine authority. Elsewhere He solemnly declares, “The Scripture cannot be broken,” and that “not one jot or tittle shall pass from the Law until all be fulfilled.” The Scriptures everywhere bear witness of Him, and He is seen as the fulfilment of Scripture. In the wilderness; in His life of service; in His passion on the tree—one thing after another is said or done “that it might be fulfilled which was written” in the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Him; and in resurrection it is still the same. To the two on the road to Emmaus He opens up the sacred volume, explaining in every scripture the things concerning Himself.
It is the same with the apostles: for Peter, Paul, James or Jude the testimony of Scripture is the end of controversy: “Well spake the Holy Ghost,” “The Holy Ghost saith,” “As it is written”—such are the expressions used to introduce passages from the three great divisions of the Old Testament. In reverence they received every word as direct from the living God.
As to the New Testament writings, the stamp of divine authority rests upon every page. The Lord Jesus said to His apostles, “Whoso heareth you heareth Me.” And John therefore writes, “We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error” (1 John 4:6). In the most solemn way he seals the authority of the book of Revelation, testifying that “if any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book; and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book” (Rev. 22:18, 19).
Peter, too, classes the letters of “our beloved brother Paul” with “the other Scriptures,” thus attesting their divine source; and the great apostle to the Gentiles asserts full inspiration in unmistakable terms: “Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth” (1 Cor. 2:13). And in 1 Cor. 14:37 he writes: “If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.” To so acknowledge brings lasting blessing; to deny, brings shame and everlasting confusion, after the plaudits of the “liberal-minded” have been hushed for aye!
It is sometimes stated there are portions of Paul’s epistles where he himself disclaims divine authority, but gives his own private opinion. Because of the importance of the subject, and in order to help any reader who may thus be troubled, we will turn aside to notice these passages. In 1 Cor. 7 he writes, as to the relations of husbands and wives, and in the opening verses gives them their true place in the family. In ver. 5 he says: “Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.” Then he immediately adds: “But I speak this by permission, and not by commandment.” That is, he does not command such times of separation, which in some households might bring in confusion—he simply permits it in cases where it would be profitable. The Revised Version reads: “I speak this by way of permission.” Only an ungodly will could pervert this to teach that the apostle was denying direct inspiration. (Ironside, H. A. (1906). Notes on the prophecy and Lamentations of Jeremiah (pp. 189–193). Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers.)
“There are hundreds of excuses for not being saved, but not one good reason. An excuse is ‘the skin of a reason, stuffed with a lie.’ And Paul declares that, before God, every sinner stands without excuse. It is not reasonable for a man to go to hell when God has already opened the way to heaven. It is not reasonable for a man to carry his sins when Christ has already carried them on the cross. It is unreasonable for a man to miss the joys of salvation when they are available to whosoever will. Are you excusing your way into hell? Then, put aside your excuses and be honest with God and yourself! ‘Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD.’” Warren Wiersbe