LESSONS FROM THE FAMILY OF THE RECABITES ~ Precious C Philip

In Jeremiah 35:1-19, we read the incredible story of the Recabites. Amazingly, there are unique lessons we can learn from this unique family. Even God Himself asked the people of Judah and Jerusalem to learn important things about obedience from them.

Let's read their story:

"This is the message the Lord gave Jeremiah when Jehoiakim son of Josiah was king of Judah: 2 “Go to the settlement where the families of the Recabites live, and invite them to the Lord’s Temple. Take them into one of the inner rooms, and offer them some wine.”

3 So I went to see Jaazaniah son of Jeremiah and grandson of Habazziniah and all his brothers and sons—representing all the Recabite families. 4 I took them to the Temple, and we went into the room assigned to the sons of Hanan son of Igdaliah, a man of God. This room was located next to the one used by the Temple officials, directly above the room of Maaseiah son of Shallum, the Temple gatekeeper.

5 I set cups and jugs of wine before them and invited them to have a drink, 6 but they refused. “No,” they said, “we don’t drink wine, because our ancestor Jehonadab[a] son of Recab gave us this command: ‘You and your descendants must never drink wine. 7 And do not build houses or plant crops or vineyards, but always live in tents. If you follow these commands, you will live long, good lives in the land.’ 8 So we have obeyed him in all these things. We have never had a drink of wine to this day, nor have our wives, our sons, or our daughters. 9 We haven’t built houses or owned vineyards or farms or planted crops. 10 We have lived in tents and have fully obeyed all the commands of Jehonadab, our ancestor. 11 But when King Nebuchadnezzar[b] of Babylon attacked this country, we were afraid of the Babylonian and Syrian[c] armies. So we decided to move to Jerusalem. That is why we are here.”

12 Then the Lord gave this message to Jeremiah: 13 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: Go and say to the people in Judah and Jerusalem, ‘Come and learn a lesson about how to obey me. 14 The Recabites do not drink wine to this day because their ancestor Jehonadab told them not to. But I have spoken to you again and again, and you refuse to obey me. 15 Time after time I sent you prophets, who told you, “Turn from your wicked ways, and start doing things right. Stop worshiping other gods so that you might live in peace here in the land I have given to you and your ancestors.” But you would not listen to me or obey me. 16 The descendants of Jehonadab son of Recab have obeyed their ancestor completely, but you have refused to listen to me.’

17 “Therefore, this is what the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Because you refuse to listen or answer when I call, I will send upon Judah and Jerusalem all the disasters I have threatened.’”

18 Then Jeremiah turned to the Recabites and said, “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘You have obeyed your ancestor Jehonadab in every respect, following all his instructions.’ 19 Therefore, this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Jehonadab son of Recab will always have descendants who serve me."

Jeremiah 35:1-19 (NLT VERSION)

Important Lessons About Obedience to God that we can learn from this family are:

1. OUR OBEDIENCE TO GOD MUST BE WITHOUT COMPROMISE: In verse 6 "but they refused. “No,” they said, “we don’t drink wine, because our ancestor Jehonadab son of Recab gave us this command: ‘You and your descendants must never drink wine", the Recabites boldly rejected the wine offered to them by Prophet Jeremiah because they made a decision to obey the command of their ancestor - Jehonadab without compromise. We must never compromise in obeying the commands and instructions of God regardless of the authority, societal status, or spiritual office of whoever is asking or compelling us to compromise. The Recabites did not even care that it was a renown prophet who was offering them a wine; they boldly stood their ground and said "No!". Don't compromise and sin against God simply because the person asking you to do what you clearly know is wrong is a man of God, a pastor, a priest or a spiritual leader. Don't accept the ungodly advice of a prophet or a spiritual mentor. Do not fear and respect people more than you fear and respect God. Yield not to the wrong advice or counsel of anyone regardless of their status in the society - whether they're Christians or not.

2. OUR OBEDIENCE TO GOD MUST BE WITHOUT UNFAITHFULNESS:  We are to obey God faithfully. We must obey God constantly, consistently and steadfastly. Verse 14 records that the Recabites do not drink wine to this day because their ancestor Jehonadab told them not to; this is what faithful obedience is. They were not drinking wine once in a while neither did they ever taste it, they refrained from tasting and drinking wine till this day. We must be constant, steady, loyal, stable and consistent in our obedience to God. Faithful Obedience to God's commands protects us from living short and miserable lives. We enjoy good, long life living in faithful obedience to God's commands as verse 7 leads us to believe "...If you follow these commands, you will live long, good lives in the land".

3. OUR OBEDIENCE TO GOD MUST BE WITHOUT SELECTIVITY: We are not to select the commands of God we will obey and reject the ones we don't like. We are to obey God's commands completely. According to verse 10 "We have lived in tents and have fully obeyed everything our forefather Jehonadab commanded us" and verse 16 "The descendants of Jehonadab son of Recab have obeyed their ancestor completely...", the Recabites obeyed their forefather's commands completely - from not drinking wine to not building houses or planting crops or vineyards, and living in tents.

We also should not render incomplete or half obedience to God. Full obedience to God, not half obedience or selective obedience is what God wants from us. 

4. OUR OBEDIENCE TO GOD MUST BE WITHOUT DISOBEDIENCE: Disobedience will always attract curses, misfortunes, harm and troubles into our lives instead of God's blessings. God says in verse 17 to the people of Judah and Jerusalem, "Therefore, this is what the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Because you refuse to listen or answer when I call, I will send upon Judah and Jerusalem all the disasters I have threatened." Obey God without disobeying Him, meaning, don't mix obedience and disobedience in your walk with God - today you obey His command, tomorrow you disobey Him. Choose obedience and choose God's blessings.

Finally, when we obey God, there's a reward for our obedience. God commended and rewarded the Recabites in verse 18-19 for their obedience, "Then Jeremiah said to the family of the Recabites, “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘You have obeyed the command of your forefather Jehonadab and have followed all his instructions and have done everything he ordered.’ Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘Jehonadab son of Recab will never fail to have a descendant to serve me."

Jesus says “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” John 14:21

Do you have the commands of God? Do you know the commands of God? KEEP THEM!

Shalom!