Rechabites: Family Legacy Of Obedience

1. Rechabites: Family Legacy Of Obedience Text: Jer. 35 Scripture Reading: Jer. 35:5-11

2. Jer. 35:1-11 1. The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah (608-597 BC), saying, 2. "Go to the house of the Rechabites and speak to them, and bring them into the house of the LORD, into one of the chambers, and give them wine to drink." 3. Then I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, son of Habazziniah, and his brothers and all his sons and the whole house of the Rechabites, 4. and I brought them into the house of the LORD, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan the son of Igdaliah, the man of God, which was near the chamber of the officials, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the doorkeeper. 5. Then I set before the men of the house of the Rechabites pitchers full of wine and cups; and I said to them, "Drink wine!" 6. But they said, "We will not drink wine, for Jonadab the son of Rechab (841-814 BC), our father, commanded us, saying, 'You shall not drink wine, you or your sons, forever. 7. 'You shall not build a house, and you shall not sow seed and you shall not plant a vineyard or own one; but in tents you shall dwell all your days, that you may live many days in the land where you sojourn.' 8. "We have obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, in all that he commanded us, not to drink wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons or our daughters, 9. nor to build ourselves houses to dwell in; and we do not have vineyard or field or seed. 10. "We have only dwelt in tents, and have obeyed and have done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us. 11. "But when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against the land, we said, 'Come and let us go to Jerusalem before the army of the Chaldeans and before the army of the Arameans.' So we have dwelt in Jerusalem." Intro Rechabites: Family Legacy Of Obedience

3. Jer. 35:12-19 12. Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying, 13. "Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, 'Go and say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, "Will you not receive instruction by listening to My words?" declares the LORD. 14. "The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, which he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are observed. So they do not drink wine to this day, for they have obeyed their father's command. But I have spoken to you again and again; yet you have not listened to Me. 15. "Also I have sent to you all My servants the prophets, sending them again and again, saying: 'Turn now every man from his evil way and amend your deeds, and do not go after other gods to worship them. Then you will dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your forefathers; but you have not inclined your ear or listened to Me. 16. 'Indeed, the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have observed the command of their father which he commanded them, but this people has not listened to Me.'"' 17. "Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel, 'Behold, I am bringing on Judah and on all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the disaster that I have pronounced against them; because I spoke to them but they did not listen, and I have called them but they did not answer.'" 18. Then Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, "Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, 'Because you have obeyed the command of Jonadab your father, kept all his commands and done according to all that he commanded you; 19. therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, "Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not lack a man to stand before Me always."'" Intro Rechabites: Family Legacy Of Obedience

4. Important not to lose focus of the main point: If a family of nomads can obey a physical ancestor for hundreds of years, the nation of Israel was without excuse for failing to obey God! What we see of the Rechabites is a family legacy of obedience! (To a physical father) Intro Rechabites: Family Legacy Of Obedience

5. Who were the Rechabites? • I Chr. 2:55: They were Kenites. Who were the Kenites? • Judges 4:11: Descendants of Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law. • I Sam. 15:6: Saved from God’s wrath on the Amalekites. • Judges 4:17-22: Jael, wife of Heber the Kenite slayed Sisera of Canaan. • I Kings 10:15-23: Jonadab helped Jehu stamp out Baal & Asherah worship in Israel. • Where was your family 220-240 years ago? • 2013 – 220-240 years = 1773-1793: Revolutionary War Era! • Imagine an ancestor giving commands then and maintaining them to now in modern times! (Amish, circa 1693!) Amazing Family Legacy of Obedience Rechabites: Family Legacy Of Obedience

6. Jeremiah 35: • Jer. 35:3-4: Family taken into an inner chamber of the Temple! • Jer. 35:11: Not even used to being in city—for protection from Babylon • Jer. 35:5: He sets out pitchers of wine and cups and commands, “Drink wine!” • Jer. 35:6: Despite the fact that this command was from Jeremiah, a prophet sent from God, the Rechabites refused because their ancestor 240 years ago said, “No!” • In a time of moral & spiritual decay, the Rechabites stood alone! Not about drinking wine (Deut. 14:23,26), planting crops or living in tents (Jer. 29)…God used the Rechabites as an example of obedience: A Family Legacy of Obedience! Amazing Family Legacy of Obedience Rechabites: Family Legacy Of Obedience

7. Jer. 35:13 13. "Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, 'Go and say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, "Will you not receive instruction by listening to My words?" declares the LORD. • God’s main point: • Here is this family demonstrating loyal obedience to their ancestor who has been dead for hundreds of years, and yet the nation of Israel refused to listen to God who continually sent them His servants and His prophets! Jonadab was a great man (II Kings 10), but he was just a man, and his restrictions were not inspired! God’s Application What was God’s message? What did He want them to do? Jer. 35:15-16 15. "Also I have sent to you all My servants the prophets, sending them again and again, saying: 'Turn now every man from his evil way and amend your deeds, and do not go after other gods to worship them. Then you will dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your forefathers; but you have not inclined your ear or listened to Me. 16. 'Indeed, the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have observed the command of their father which he commanded them, but this people has not listened to Me.'"' Rechabites: Family Legacy Of Obedience

8. May not be any living Rechabites today…However, • There are many people around us who through their dedication to various secular pursuits can put many of God’s people to shame. • Fashion, hobbies, sports, teams, etc… Not that those things are wrong, but if they can do that, then what is holding God’s people back from following the word of God today? God’s Application If they can be faithful to Jonadab, then the rest of us can be faithful to God Who is so much more than a mere man! Rechabites: Family Legacy Of Obedience

9. Jer. 35:18-19 18. Then Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, "Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, 'Because you have obeyed the command of Jonadab your father, kept all his commands and done according to all that he commanded you; 19. therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, "Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not lack a man to stand before Me always."'" For their obedience to their physical father (ancestor) God says they will be rewarded! Neh. 3:14: Just as God promised, the descendants of Rechab were still around, were still active, and they were still obedient to God! Rechabites Rewarded for Obedience Rechabites: Family Legacy Of Obedience

10. Jn. 14:23 23. Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. Heb. 5:9 9. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, • In a symbolic way, it seems faithful Christians today are • the true descendants of Rechab! • Scriptures teach that God’s people will always be blessed when they obey the Lord! (Jn. 14:23; Heb. 5:9) Rechabites Rewarded for Obedience If the Rechabites received a reward for being faithful to their ancestor, imagine the reward waiting for the faithful child of God! (Rev. 2:10; 21:3-7) Rechabites: Family Legacy Of Obedience

11. The Rechabites remind us God wants our obedience! They remind us of the value of an obedient example! 2013 – 240 years = 1773: About the length of time that the Rechabites held firmly to the example set by Jonadab! Where will our descendants be 240 years from now in the year of 2253? Will our descendants be able to look back in history at our example of obedience to the gospel? (What will they see?) Conclusion Let us NOT do as Israel did: If the Rechabites can faithfully obey an ancestor, then we can faithfully obey God all our lives! Rechabites: Family Legacy Of Obedience

12. Hear The Gospel (Jn. 5:24; Rom. 10:17) Believe In Christ (Jn. 3:16-18; Jn. 8:24) Repent Of Sins (Lk. 13:35; Acts 2:38) Confess Christ (Mt. 10:32; Rom. 10:10) Be Baptized (Mk. 16:16; Acts 22:16) Remain Faithful (Jn. 8:31; Rev. 2:10) “What Must I Do To Be Saved?” For The Erring Child: Repent (Acts 8:22), Confess (I Jn. 1:9), Pray (Acts 8:22)