Daily Devotional – Friday, December 17, 2021
The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, which he commanded his sons, not to drink wine, are performed; for to this day they drink none, and obey their father’s commandment. But although I have spoken to you, rising early and speaking, you did not obey Me.
Jeremiah 35:14 (NKJV)
During the exodus from Egypt, the journey to Canaan and the occupation of the Promised Land, God instructed that any person or tribe that would abandon their idols and worship Him would become part of the chosen race.
Among the foreigners who took up this offer were the Kenites. Many of them mixed with the Israelites and settled in the cities. However, one Kenite, Jonadab the son of Rechab, forbade his descendants from some practices.
In their own words, The Rechabites were, “…to drink no wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, or our daughters, nor to build ourselves houses to dwell in; nor do we have vineyard, field, or seed.” (Jeremiah 35:8-9).
Generation after another of the Rechabites adhered faithfully to this command. So devoted were they that God used them as an object lesson to teach Jews about unadulterated obedience to Him.
We will drink no wine
God instructed Jeremiah to take the Rechabites of his day to one of rooms in the Jerusalem temple and offer them wine. Their answer was unequivocal:
We will drink no wine, for Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us, saying, ‘You shall drink no wine, you nor your sons, forever. You shall not build a house, sow seed, plant a vineyard, nor have any of these; but all your days you shall dwell in tents, that you may live many days in the land where you are sojourners. (Jeremiah 35:6-7).
After thay, God sent Jeremiah to the Jews asking them to compare and contrast their disobedience to Him and the allegiance of the Rechabites to their ancestors. The Lord said,
Surely the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have performed the commandment of their father, which he commanded them, but this people has not obeyed Me.” (Jeremiah 35:16).
Looking for Modern Rechabites
Don’t you wish modern families would have noble principles they adhere to like the Rechabites? Imagine how habitable our world would be if offspring adhered to the godly teachings of their ancestors and bequeathed their children the same heritage?
What if we obeyed God as faithfully as the Rechabites did their ancestors? The Christian church would be more effective in preaching the gospel if we lived by the commandments of God and taught our children to obey God unreservedly.
Almighty Father, live in me; teach me to obey You and help me to inculcate the principles and practice of righteousness in my offspring and those around me.
