The Rechabites Refuse Wine
Study note
The Rechabites were a family group descended from Jonadab son of Rechab, who lived about 200 years before Jeremiah's time. Jonadab had commanded his descendants to live a simple life: no wine, no farming, no building permanent houses. They were to live in tents as nomads. The Rechabites had faithfully followed these rules for generations. They only came to Jerusalem because the Babylonian invasion forced them to seek safety within the city walls. God had Jeremiah bring them to the temple and offer them wine as a test, knowing they would refuse.
1 The Lord gave this word to Jeremiah. It was during the rule of King Jehoiakim son of Josiah over Judah. The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying,
2 "Go to the family of the Rechabites and invite them to the Lord's Temple. Bring them into one of the side rooms and offer them wine to drink." Go unto the house of the Rechabites, and speak unto them, and bring them into the house of the LORD, into one of the chambers, and give them wine to drink.
3 So I went and got Jaazaniah son of Jeremiah, son of Habazziniah. I brought his brothers and all his sons. The whole family of the Rechabites came. Then I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, the son of Habaziniah, and his brethren, and all his sons, and the whole house of the Rechabites;
4 I brought them into the Lord's Temple, into the room belonging to the sons of Hanan son of Igdaliah, a man of God. This room was next to the one the officials used. It was above the room of Maaseiah son of Shallum, the doorkeeper. And I brought them into the house of the LORD, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan, the son of Igdaliah, a man of God, which was by the chamber of the princes, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the keeper of the door:
5 I set out bowls full of wine and some cups before the members of the Rechabite family and said, "Please have some wine." And I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites pots full of wine, and cups, and I said unto them, Drink ye wine.
6 But they answered, "We don't drink wine. Our ancestor Jonadab son of Rekab gave us this command: 'You and your descendants must never drink wine.'" But they said, We will drink no wine: for Jonadab the son of Rechab our father commanded us, saying, Ye shall drink no wine, neither ye, nor your sons for ever:
7 "'You must also never build houses, plant crops, or own vineyards. Instead, live in tents your whole lives. If you do this, you will live a long time in the land where you are foreigners.'" Neither shall ye build house, nor sow seed, nor plant vineyard, nor have any: but all your days ye shall dwell in tents; that ye may live many days in the land where ye be strangers.
8 "We have obeyed everything our ancestor Jonadab son of Rekab told us. None of us has ever drunk wine — not us, our wives, our sons, or our daughters." Thus have we obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab our father in all that he hath charged us, to drink no wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, nor our daughters;
9 "We have never built houses to live in. We don't own any vineyards, fields, or crops." Nor to build houses for us to dwell in: neither have we vineyard, nor field, nor seed:
10 "We have lived in tents. We have obeyed everything our ancestor Jonadab told us to do." But we have dwelt in tents, and have obeyed, and done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us.
11 "But when King Nebuchadnezzar came into our land, we fled. We said, 'Let us go to Jerusalem.' We wanted to escape the Babylonian and Aramean armies. Therefore we now live here." But it came to pass, when Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came up into the land, that we said, Come, and let us go to Jerusalem for fear of the army of the Chaldeans, and for fear of the army of the Syrians: so we dwell at Jerusalem.
The Lesson for Judah
Study note
God used the Rechabites' faithfulness to make a powerful point. If this family could obey the instructions of their human ancestor for hundreds of years, why couldn't the people of Judah obey the living God? God had sent prophet after prophet to warn them, but they refused to listen. The contrast was striking: the Rechabites obeyed a man, but Judah would not obey God. Because of this disobedience, God declared he would bring disaster on Judah and Jerusalem.
12 Then the Lord gave Jeremiah this message: Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying,
13 "The Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: Go tell the people of Judah and Jerusalem, 'Will you never learn a lesson and start obeying my words?' says the Lord." Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to my words? saith the LORD.
14 "'Jonadab son of Rekab told his descendants not to drink wine, and they have obeyed him. To this day they do not drink wine, because they obey their ancestor's command. But I have spoken to you over and over, and you refuse to obey me.'" The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are performed; for unto this day they drink none, but obey their father's commandment: notwithstanding I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye hearkened not unto me.
15 "'I sent you all my servants the prophets, sending them again and again, to say, "Each of you must turn from your evil ways and fix your behavior. Stop following other gods and serving them. If you do, you can keep living in the land I gave to you and your ancestors." But you would not listen to me or pay attention.'" I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Return ye now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve them, and ye shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers: but ye have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened unto me.
16 "'The children of Jonadab son of Rekab have obeyed the command their ancestor gave them. But this people has not listened to me.'" Because the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have performed the commandment of their father, which he commanded them; but this people hath not hearkened unto me:
17 "So the Lord God of Armies, the God of Israel, says: 'I am going to bring on Judah and everyone living in Jerusalem every disaster I have warned about. I spoke to them, but they would not listen. I called to them, but they would not answer.'" Therefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon Judah and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced against them: because I have spoken unto them, but they have not heard; and I have called unto them, but they have not answered.
God's Promise to the Rechabites
Study note
Because the Rechabites had been faithful to their ancestor's commands, God gave them a special promise. Their family line would never die out; there would always be descendants of Jonadab who would serve the Lord. This was a remarkable blessing, especially during a time when many families in Judah were about to be destroyed or scattered by the Babylonian conquest.
18 Then Jeremiah said to the Rechabite family, "The Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: You have obeyed the commands of your ancestor Jonadab. You have followed all his instructions." And Jeremiah said unto the house of the Rechabites, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according unto all that he hath commanded you:
19 "the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: Jonadab son of Rekab will always have descendants who serve me." Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me for ever.