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Text: Jeremiah 35
The Rechabites were a religious sect in Israel that existed for a couple of hundred years by the time Jeremiah uses them as an illustration of faithfulness. They were a conservative, somewhat reactionary group with nomadic practices. The founder of the family tradition was Jonadab.
The Rechabites are put on display for their faithfulness to their forefather (vss 3-11)
- Jeremiah is instructed to gather the Rechabite clan to make an illustration of these faithful people. The Rechabites are known for their obedience to their ancestor Jonadab’s commandments.
- Jonadab, the father of the Rechabites, established rules for his descendants. These rules (don’t drink wine, build houses, or possess vineyards) separated his descendants from wicked Israelite society and, it is said, preserved his family for generations to come.
- The text never once affirms either Jonadab’s rule-setting or the inherent value of any of his rules. Why didn’t God set these rules for the entire nation before they ever entered Canaan, instead of promising wine and houses and vineyards as blessings? Why didn’t Jeremiah learn from these rules and command the faithful remnant in Israel to start following the Rechabite rules? Why didn’t Jeremiah himself follow these rules? Whether their mode of life was right or not is not the issue in this chapter, however. It rather has to do with their obedience to their father.
- Jeremiah plays bartender now. He sets wine before the Rechabites, but they refuse to drink. This family refuses. But the point of the Spirit of God is not to advocate their abstinence or nomadic life or asceticism. If you adopted those things in your life you still wouldn’t get the blessing God’s giving this family. The blessing comes from honoring your father.
- Honoring father and mother is the commandment at work here. This family has honored this commandment. There is no judgment on whether their practice is right or wrong. What is right is how they honor their father.
- Faithfulness to God’s word may not look like what you’re doing
- The story of the Rechabites highlights the sharp contrast between their obedience and the disobedience of Judah.
- God honors their dedication even if what their honoring is an opinion of how to apply God’s words to their lives.
- It’s like me bringing a Muslim in here. He prays three times a day. He feeds strangers.
God rebukes the unfaithful Israelites (vss 12-17)
- Jeremiah contrasts the Rechabites’ obedience with the disobedience of Judah
- The point is that these folks obeyed their father who was a man, how much more should you obey God who is the Creator?
- Hebrews 12:9-11 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
- Now, let me shake up some of your theology just for a second. Some of you believe the “church age” is sometimes when people become the children of God whereas before they weren’t. And now people can be eternally secure because they’re children of God when before they weren’t. Do you not understand that Jeremiah’s entire illustration with the Rechabites assumes the nation of Israel are all children of God? They’re just disobedient children who are going to lose their inheritance.
- Just as the Rechabites honored the instructions of their ancestor Jonadab, we should prioritize and follow God’s word in our lives
- Faithfulness and obedience to God bring blessings and favor from Him.
- Jeremiah, with the LORD’s inspiration, does not distinguish between this family’s faithfulness and their behavior, which is their way of life. Nor does he make a distinction between unfaithfulness and the Israelites’ behavior.
God rewards the Rechabites for their faithfulness (vss 18-19)
- God promises that the Rechabite clan will always have a man standing before Him
- This is a reward for their faithfulness and obedience.
- God’s promise to the Rechabites demonstrates His faithfulness to those who are faithful to Him.
- Just as God rewarded the Rechabites with the assurance of having a man standing before Him, He also rewards those who remain faithful to Him.
- God’s faithfulness is the hope
