Keep God’s Word and Follow Through in Obedience
16 The sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have kept the command that their father gave them, but this people has not obeyed me.
In chapter 35 of Jeremiah we have the story of the Recabites. Jonadab’s father, was Rechab. Rechab made a vow to God to never drink wine and to never live in permanent dwellings. Throughout their generations of Rechab’s family, they continued to honor and obey Rechab. This is the point of the story. For generations the Rechabites obeyed father Rechab. When tested by Jeremiah with bottles of wine, the family refused to drink it. This is what God wanted the nation of Israel to learn. Whereas this one, single family in Israel would obey their ancestor father, why wouldn’t Israel obey their Heavenly Father, the God of the Universe. Why is it we will obey our spouse, but not God? Why is it we will obey our boss and not God? Why is it we obey our government and file tax returns but we will not obey God? That is the point of this story. God wants us to obey Him via faith. Note how Jeremiah ends this chapter:
18 But to the house of the Rechabites Jeremiah said, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Because you have obeyed the command of Jonadab your father and kept all his precepts and done all that he commanded you, 19 therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Jonadab the son of Rechab shall never lack a man to stand before me.”
This is God’s promise to a family. Believers have greater promises as we obey Him in faith. Why don’t we?
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