Dawn at the open edge of the Judean wilderness: a few low black goat-hair tents pitched on a stony slope, sheep and goats grazing, no fields or walls anywhere, a thin thread of cookfire smoke.

The last days of Judah

Jeremiah 35

Would the people who know you best say you keep your word?

19 verses≈ 5 minBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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Where we are

1The callJosiah’s thirteenth year (about 627 BC): a prophet to the nations
2–6Return to MeBroken cisterns, faithless Judah, disaster from the north
7–10The temple gateThe temple sermon, a weeping prophet, the living God
11–20Covenant and complaintThe broken covenant, the potter, Jeremiah’s confessions
21–29Shepherds and prophetsKings judged, the Branch, seventy years, the yoke, the letter
30–33The Book of ComfortRestoration, the new covenant, a field bought in a siege
34–39The last days of JudahThe scroll burned, the cistern, Jerusalem falls (586 BC)Chapter 35
40–45After the fallGedaliah at Mizpah, the flight to Egypt, a word for Baruch
46–51The nationsEgypt to Babylon: the LORD is Judge of all the earth
52Jerusalem fallsThe record of 586 BC, and a king released

The Obedience of the Rechabites

This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah:

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God

God

“Go to the house of the Rechabites, speak to them, and bring them to one of the chambers of the house of the LORD to offer them a drink of wine.”

Jeremiah

Jeremiah

So I took Jaazaniah son of Jeremiah, the son of Habazziniah, and his brothers and all his sons—the entire house of the Rechabites— and I brought them into the house of the LORD, to a chamber occupied by the sons of Hanan son of Igdaliah, a man of God. This room was near the chamber of the officials, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah son of Shallum the doorkeeper.

Jeremiah

Inside a plain stone chamber lit from a small high window: clay pitchers of wine and simple clay cups set out untouched on a low table; beyond them Rechabite men sit calmly on a mat, one raising an open hand in polite refusal.

Then I set pitchers full of wine and some cups before the men of the house of the Rechabites, and I said to them, “Drink some wine.”

The Rechabites

“We do not drink wine,” they replied, “for our forefather Jonadab son of Rechab commanded us, ‘Neither you nor your descendants are ever to drink wine. Nor are you ever to build a house or sow seed or plant a vineyard. Those things are not for you. Instead, you must live in tents all your lives, so that you may live a long time in the land where you wander.’

The Rechabites

The Rechabites

And we have obeyed the voice of our forefather Jonadab son of Rechab in all he commanded us. So we have not drunk wine all our lives—neither we nor our wives nor our sons and daughters. Nor have we built houses in which to live, and we have not owned any vineyards or fields or crops. But we have lived in tents and have obeyed and done exactly as our forefather Jonadab commanded us.

The Rechabites

The Rechabites

So when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched into the land, we said: ‘Come, let us go into Jerusalem to escape the armies of the Chaldeans and the Arameans.’ So we have remained in Jerusalem.”

Question

Quick question

Jeremiah set pitchers of wine before the whole clan in a room of the temple. Look at 35:6.

Why would the Rechabites not drink the wine?

Who listened?

Whiteboard

A family kept a man’s word for generations. God’s own people would not keep His.

Judah Rebuked

God

God

Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: “This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: Go and tell the men of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem: ‘Will you not accept discipline and obey My words?’ declares the LORD.

God

The words of Jonadab son of Rechab have been carried out. He commanded his sons not to drink wine, and they have not drunk it to this very day because they have obeyed the command of their forefather. But I have spoken to you again and again, and you have not obeyed Me!

God

Again and again I have sent you all My servants the prophets, proclaiming: ‘Turn now, each of you, from your wicked ways, and correct your actions.

Jeremiah 35:15

God

Do not go after other gods to serve them. Live in the land that I have given to you and your fathers.’ But you have not inclined your ear or listened to Me. Yes, the sons of Jonadab son of Rechab carried out the command their forefather gave them, but these people have not listened to Me.

God

Therefore this is what the LORD God of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘Behold, I will bring to Judah and to all the residents of Jerusalem all the disaster I have pronounced against them, because I have spoken to them but they have not obeyed, and I have called to them but they have not answered.’”

Jeremiah

Dawn at the door of a black goat-hair tent: an old Rechabite with a white beard stands with his staff, his sons and grandsons behind him, the flock beyond.

Then Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites: “This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘Because you have obeyed the command of your forefather Jonadab and have kept all his commandments and have done all that he charged you to do, this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: Jonadab son of Rechab will never fail to have a man to stand before Me.’”

0:23

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

Pray

Lord, You have spoken to me again and again. Give me an ear that bends toward You, and a faithfulness that keeps Your word longer than the Rechabites kept their father’s. Amen.

You’ve experienced

Jeremiah 35

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A verse to carry with you

Again and again I have sent you all My servants the prophets, proclaiming: ‘Turn now, each of you, from your wicked ways, and correct your actions.

Jeremiah 35:15

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