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More Jeremiah commentaries
Jeremiah 32:1-15
Does Your Life Seem Like it is Sitting Still?
Jeremiah 32:16-27
There is Nothing to Hard For God
Jeremiah 32:28-44
The Practice of Child Sacrifice
Jeremiah 33:1-13
What Can We do in Difficult Times?
Jeremiah 33:14-26
God Never Breaks His Promises
Jeremiah 34:1-22
Treacherous Treatment of Slaves
Jeremiah 35:1-11
Worship or Tradition?
Jeremiah 35:12-19
Loyalty to a Group or to God?
Jeremiah 36:1-32
You Can Reject God’s Word But Not Destroy it
Jeremiah 37:1-21
Giving is More Important Than Getting
Jeremiah 38:1-13
Discerning Between Public Opinion And God’s Will
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Loyalty to a Group or to God?
Jeremiah 35:12–19
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)
Hitler imprisoned a German pastor, Martin Niemoeller, for eight years. He spent some time in prisons and concentration camps, including Dachau. Hitler realized that if Niemoeller, a First World War hero, could be persuaded to join his cause then much opposition would collap … More
While the Rechabites obeyed and followed the teachings of Jonadab their father, Israel had neither obeyed the Lord nor followed His instructions. The Rechabites were more loyal to their earthly father and his human judgments than the people of Israel were to their Creator God. (v. 12).
It would be very easy to misread this passage – as though God were simply commending these Rechabites for their loyalty to their father’s wishes (vv. 13-19). He does do that. Later on in the passage he promises them that they “shall never lack a man to stand before” him. I wonder if this does not suggest that it is possible to trace the origin of Gypsies back to these Rechabites, because they live exactly this way today. At any rate, the real point of the passage is not so much that the Rechabites were commended for keeping their father’s command, but rather that Judah is reproved because the nation would not obey God. In other words, the power of tradition has greater force with men than the revelation of the living God. The Rechabites were under the grip of their father’s whim, and were obedient to his request three hundred years after he had made it. “But,” God says, “I who am among you as a living God, speaking to you through the prophets persistently, trying to correct the evils in the life of this nation, am paid no attention whatsoever” (vv. 16-17).
The church is often gripped by the power of tradition as well. As I have traveled about the country I have seen hundreds of churches which are so held in the iron grip of the past that they feel unable to obey God in what he is saying to them in the present hour.
Application
It is so easy to get locked into doing things like we have always done it that we refuse to do what God wants us to do for Him now. Lord help me to loyal but flexible for You!
Jeremiah 35:12-19 (English Standard Version)
Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: "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. 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. The sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have kept the command that their father gave them, but this people has not obeyed me. Therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: 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, I have called to them and they have not answered." 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, 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."
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