Year 2, Week 14, Day 3 Bible Reading Observations

Year 2, Week 14, Day 3

I have a brief observation for today’s reading of Jeremiah 34-35.

Today’s reading begins the fourth segment of the Book of Jeremiah. This fourth segment (chapters 34-45) corresponds to the second segment (chapters 21-29) in that each segment contains messages and incidents that are historically oriented with dates and other historical markers. Like the second segment, this fourth segment does not have the messages of hope and salvation that were found in chapters 30-33, but the focus returns to the destruction brought on by disobedience. Jeremiah 34 describes an incident that occurred a year or so before the final destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC. Jeremiah 34 records the words concerning King Zedekiah’s capture and deportation to Babylon: “Yet hear the word of the LORD, O Zedekiah king of Judah! Thus says the LORD concerning you: You shall not die by the sword. You shall die in peace. And as spices were burned for your fathers, the former kings who were before you, so people shall burn spices for you and lament for you, saying, “Alas, lord!”’ For I have spoken the word, declares the LORD” (Jeremiah 34:4-5). Since Zedekiah’s promised peaceful existence in Babylon would be contingent upon his obedience, we will not need to be surprised when we eventually learn: “The king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and also slaughtered all the officials of Judah at Riblah. He put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him in chains, and the king of Babylon took him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day of his death” (Jeremiah 52:10-11). Jeremiah 34 also highlights an example of disobedience on the part of the people of Judah: "Therefore, thus says the LORD: You have not obeyed me by proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother and to his neighbor; behold, I proclaim to you liberty to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine, declares the LORD. I will make you a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth” (Jeremiah 34:17). Jeremiah 35 offers a contrast to the disobedience of Judah: “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…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” (Jeremiah 35:17-18).

One of the things that struck me from today’s reading was the enduring faithfulness of the Rechabites: “We have obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, in all that he commanded us, to drink no wine all our days, ourselves, our wives, our sons, or our daughters, and not to build houses to dwell in. We have no vineyard or field or seed, but we have lived in tents and have obeyed and done all that Jonadab our father commanded us” (Jeremiah 35:8-10). The Rechabites, who were a nomadic tribe who had fled to Jerusalem as Nebuchadnezzar was conquering the lands, were offered wine by Jeremiah: “Then I set before the Rechabites pitchers full of wine, and cups, and I said to them, “Drink wine.” But they answered, “We will drink no wine, for Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us” (Jeremiah 35:5-6a). This clan had made a vow to not engage in certain practices, so Jeremiah uses them to make a point: “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” (Jeremiah 35:13-14). The stubborn loyalty of the Rechabites served as a sharp contrast to the stubborn disobedience of the Israelites.

The Rechabites had pledged their faithfulness to some arbitrary rules that they had received on one occasion many, many years ago; nevertheless, they remained faithful to their commitment. Israel, on the other hand, had received instructions from the LORD God Himself, not once, a long time ago, but persistently: "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” (Jeremiah 35:15). The Rechabites were faithful to their own principles; how much more should Israel have been faithful to the eternal Law of God. The LORD would punish Judah for their refusal to listen to and obey God’s Word; but the LORD would always remember the obedience of the Rechabites: “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 35:19).

What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?

Pastor Joe