Wednesday, May 19 2010
Jeremiah 35
Verse of the Week: V19 “Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before Me for ever.”
1. The Obedient Man (V1-11)
V2 “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.”
God commanded prophet Jeremiah to test the obedience of the men of Rechab by offering them wine to drink. The men of Rechab passed the test as they resisted the wine because they were commanded by Jonadab, their father or leader, not to drink wine!
V6 “But they said, We will drink no wine: for Jonadab the son of Rechab our father commanded us, saying, Ye shall drink no wine, neither ye, nor your sons for ever:”
2. The Disobedient Man (V12-16)
V13 “Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to my words? Saith the LORD.”
Jeremiah contrasted the obedient men of Rechab with the disobedient men of Judah and Jerusalem. The men of Rechab consistently obeyed the commandments of Jonadab, by not drinking wine, while the men of Judah and Jerusalem consistently disobeyed the commandments of the prophets of God time and again.
V14 “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.”
3. The Blessed Man (V17-19)
V19 “Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before Me for ever.”
God blessed the men of Rechab as every one of them was obedient to the commandments of Jonadab, their leader, and ultimately, the commandments of God. Let us be blessed of God as we delight in obeying and meditating the commandments of God day and night!
Psalms 1:1-2 “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in His law doth he meditate day and night.”
Prayer of the Week
Dearest God, help me to be an obedient Christian.
