Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Go and say to the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will you not receive instruction and listen to my words? declares the Lord.
The command that Jonadab the son of Rechab gave to his sons, to drink no wine, has been kept, and they drink none to this day, for they have obeyed their father’s command. I have spoken to you persistently, but you have not listened to me. I have sent to you all my servants the prophets, sending them persistently, saying, ‘Turn now every one of you from his evil way, and amend your deeds, and do not go after other gods to serve them, and then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to you and your fathers.’ But you did not incline your ear or listen to me.
The sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have kept the command that their father gave them, but this people has not obeyed me. Therefore, thus says the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I am bringing upon Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the disaster that I have pronounced against them, because I have spoken to them and they have not listened, I have called to them and they have not answered.”
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, 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.”
Jeremiah 35:12-19, ESV

The story of the Rechabites in Jeremiah might be familiar to you. The Rechabites were faithful to the vows they had made, even though it involved denying themselves things that others could enjoy. That faithfulness was rewarded.

But why did God cause this story to be recorded in his Word? After all, it is just a detail in the middle of world-shaking events – the destruction of Jerusalem, the promise of the return of God’s people to their land and the future reign of Christ upon the earth.

The reason is set out clearly in vv.14 and 15. The Rechabites were faithful in obeying an earthly father in things that were a matter of personal choice – not to drink wine and to live in tents rather than having the comfort of a house.

In contrast, the people of God did not obey their heavenly Father in things that were not personal choice, but his holy commandments.

Through the obedience of the Rechabites — their faithfulness to their father — God demonstrates just how unfaithful His own children the people of Israel were, and the evil their sin would bring evil upon them (v.17).

Yet how God had pleaded with them! Notice the picturesque way this is shown – he did not warn them at the last minute but right from the start ‘rising up early’.

The lesson for us: listen to the Lord’s pleadings and warnings. If we obey him he will richly bless us with his mercy and grace.

Editor’s note: The above is taken from the ‘Daily Readings,’ printed weekly for the Dumbarton Free Sunday School by Tommy MacKay, elder. Each entry is edited lightly for the blog post.

Excerpt from Reading Notes Week 101, Monday. Copyright Tommy MacKay, used by permission.