July 11

Jeremiah 35
Jonadab, the son of Rechab, was the founder of the Rechabites. He recognized the value of obeying his glorious Lord. He also knew the corrupting influence of cities and wine. In the days of the Kings, Israel excelled in the production of wine. They exported wine all over the world. Of course, if there is something that a nation produces a lot of, the nation is usually first a consumer of it. Israel was surely a consumer of their product. The Canaanite religions were excessive in their use of wine. We can safely assume that as Israel picked up the worship of the Canaanite Gods, they also picked up their drinking habits. Centuries before Jeremiah, Jonadab charged his sons to live the life of nomads and not drink wine for the purpose of avoiding the corrupting influences of cities and wine. According to the KJV Commentary, “During the reign of Jehu (841–814 B.C.) the Rechabites assisted in the eradication of the Baalim from Israel (II Kgs 10:15–23). Obviously, the Rechabites had been holding true to their tradition.
As an object lesson to the nation, Jeremiah tests the Rechabites who are now living in Jerusalem because of the Babylonian invasion. He sets wine before them and asks them to drink. They passed the test. They refused to drink the wine out of obedience to their fathers. The Lord points out how much He appreciated their obedience and His desire for Israel to be equally obedient to Him. There is One who was totally obedient, the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians tells us that he was obedient to the Father even to the point of death, even death on a cross. It is the glory of our Lord that He is obedient to the Father. He wants us to share in His glory. Will we obey? If we do we may share in His glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john