The Eternal Perspective Makes Me Bold
Scripture Passage: Jeremiah 35:1-11 (NASB)
35 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying, 2 “Go to the house of the Rechabites and speak to them, and bring them into the house of the Lord, into one of the chambers, and give them wine to drink.” 3 So I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, son of Habazziniah, and his brothers and all his sons, and all the household of the Rechabites, 4 and I brought them into the house of the Lord, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan the son of Igdaliah, the man of God, which was next to the chamber of the officials, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the doorkeeper. 5 Then I set before the men of the house of the Rechabites pitchers full of wine, and cups; and I said to them, “Drink wine!” 6 But they said, “We will not drink wine, for Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us, saying, ‘You shall not drink wine, you or your sons, forever. 7 You shall not build a house, and you shall not sow seed nor plant a vineyard, nor own one; but you shall live in tents all your days, so that you may live many days in the land where you live as strangers.’ 8 And we have obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, in all that he commanded us, not to drink wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, or our daughters, 9 nor to build ourselves houses to live in; and we do not have a vineyard, a field, or seed. 10 But we have lived only in tents, and have obeyed and have done according to all that our father Jonadab commanded us. 11 However, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against the land, we said, ‘Come, and let’s go to Jerusalem away from the army of the Chaldeans and the army of the Arameans.’ So we have lived in Jerusalem.”
SUMMARY
The word came to Jeremiah from the Lord to invite the Rechabites to the house of the Lord, and to give them food and wine. However, the Rechabites refused Jeremiah’s invitation to drink wine because they vowed to follow the commands of their father, Jonadab by abstaining from wine, not building any houses, not possessing wineries, and inhabiting only in tents.
REFLECTION
The Rechabites stayed faithful and obedient to their forefather’s commands, whereas the people of Israel displayed disobedience by breaking the covenant with God. In previous chapter 34 of Jeremiah, the people of Israel have forgotten God’s warning against bringing their own brothers and sisters into slavery. They have broken their covenant with God by bringing the servants that they had released back into subjection.
To the people of Israel, their immediate self-interests and gains were higher priority for them than the will of God. In contrast, the Rechabites honored their forefathers’ commands. Not only they abstained themselves from drinking wine, but they stayed away from building wealth and worldly possessions. The Rechabites’ lifestyle wasn’t for self seeking, but God seeking. The fact that they did not drink wine means that they did not seek to please the flesh desires. They did not build any houses, nor possess any wineries because they were not after worldly possessions. They lived only in tents as if they were aliens and strangers on earth.
Today’s QT reminds me what kind of attitude I should be having living in this world. Hebrews 11:13 says “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.”
Godly people don’t try to accumulate possessions nor try to fill the desires of flesh. They understand that the earthly living is temporary, and have longing for a heavenly home with the Lord. Because of their eternal perspective in life, they patiently follow the commands of God staying away from the path of destruction.
APPLICATION
Just as God used the Rechabites to reprimand the people of Israel, I can see that He is warning me of the lifestyle I should seek. Even at an invitation by the prophet, the Rechabites were able to say “no” because they were so firm on staying faithful to their father. They made the decision and resolution to follow and obey the commands no matter what.
I can recall countless instances when I gave in and compromised on my beliefs just because I wanted to fit in, and please people. I will remember and I want to boldly be able to say “NO” when the spirit inside me tells me so.
PRAYER
Father, with today’s QT I realize how I’ve been living my life. I was drinking wine, building houses, sowing seeds on a field, and planting a vineyard for myself. I was basically trying to live a life fulfilling my worldly desires. But you call me again to turn my eyes to you, away from the worthless things in life. You call me to open my eyes to eternal matters. Lord, help me to live my life serving the purpose that you desire in me. Let me say “no” to what I should abstain from, but say “yes” to your leading from small to big matters. Let me not lose the eternal perspective everyday. In Jesus’ name I pray.
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