Devotional
Commentary on Jeremiah 35
In
the days of Jehoiakim, before 597 BCE, the Lord spoke to Jeremiah (verse 1). He
was asked to go to the house of the Rechabites who was known not to drink wine.
They were the sons of Jonadab through Rechab to Jetro. He asked them to follow
him to the house of the Lord to one of the chambers (verse 2). The entire house
of the Rechabites came and Rabbi Abarbanel said in 1509 that the whole family
came, from young to old, so that Jeremiah can demonstrate that even though they
are young, they will not be persuaded to drink wine (verse 3). The chamber they
went to is that of the sons of Hanan, the man of God. It is near the chamber of
the princes, above the keeper of the vessels where Maaseieah the son of Shallum
is (verse 4). Jeremiah tried to tempt the sons of the Rechabites by placing cups
of wine before them (verse 5). It was probably grape juice because alcohol
would never have been placed before people in the House of God. Even if their
lifestyle was problematic, Jeremiah would never take alcohol and said to them: “Drink
wine” (verse 5). They said, we will not drink wine because the rule was given
that no-one of them should drink wine (verse 6).
No
wIne, no housebuilding, no vineyard planting, and nomadic lifestyle they will
live this way on the land (verse 7). They insisted that their forefather told
them not to drink wine, the whole family: the men, wives, sons and daughters
(verse 8). They were not to drink wine forever, that is grapejuice. They were
not to have a vineyard, a field, or seed.
When
they heard that Neb is coming they went to Jerusalem to dwell there (verse 11).
The
Lord wants to use this small group of very faithful people as a living witness
and lesson to spiritual Israel (verse 13). God spoke to them and they listened
but God spoke to Israel many times and they did not listen (verse 14).
Many
times God sent prophets to them telling them “to repent every man from his evil”
(verse 15). That is exactly what is our situation as well. No matter who or
what or how we are: every man and woman must repent from his/her evil. Each one
of us have individual sins. Our sins are personally packaged. Therefore the
repentance is a personal affair. Others cannot repent on your behalf.
They
refused to listen. The Rechabites did what their forefather said to them once,
but spiritual Israel is not willing to listen to God over and over for generations
and centuries (verse 16).
So
all the evil that God said will happen as a result of their evil ways, He was
planning to bring over them (verse 17). To the Rechabites God said that because
they obeyed that from them there shall not be a man standing before the Lord
for all times (verse 35).
Dear
God
It
is in our hearts the wish and desire to stick to your precepts and keep it
always before us so that we will not sin against you. Thanks You for victories
by Your Spirit. Amen.