BIBLE STUDY LESSON 08

SERIES P --- YHVH’S PROPHETS

THE LESSON OF THE RECHABITES

From Jeremiah 35

During the reign of King Jehoiakim of Judah, the son of Josiah, Adonai spoke again to Jeremiah. [Go visit the community where the Rechabites live and have a talk with them,] Adonai said. [Bring them to the temple, and there in an inner room offer them a drink of wine.] I brought Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah and grandson of Habaziniah along with his brothers and sons, representatives of the Rechabite clan, to the temple. We went into a room used by the sons of Hanan the prophet, the son of Igdaliah. This room was next to the one used by high officials and above the room used by Maaseiah the son of Shallum, doorkeeper of the temple. While we were there, I set jugs of wine and cups before the Rechabites. [Have some wine to drink,] I offered. [But we do not drink wine,] the Rechabites answered. [Our father Jonadab the son of Rechab ordered us never to drink wine, and not only us but our descendants. He also commanded us never to build houses or plant fields or own vineyards or farms, but to live in tents always. He assured us that if we obey him, we would live long and be prosperous in this land. We have obeyed our father Jonadab the son of Rechab in all that he commanded us. None of us -- including our wives, sons, or daughters -- drink wine or build houses to live in, or plant fields or vineyards. We all live in tents, obeying all that Jonadab our father commanded us. But now Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon has come against this land, and we are afraid. We have agreed to move into Jerusalem because we are afraid of the armies of the Chaldeans and the Syrians. That’s why we are now living in the city.] Then Adonai spoke to Jeremiah saying, [Adonai of hosts, the YHVH of Israel, orders you to take this message to the people of Judah and Jerusalem, ‘Why aren’t you willing to learn from Me and listen to My words? The Rechabites have listened carefully to their father and have obeyed his commands completely, refusing to drink wine as he instructed them. But I have repeatedly told you what I want, and you will not listen to Me. ‘Time after time I sent you a prophet who warned you to turn from your evil ways and stop worshiping and serving other gods so that you might live peaceably in this land. But you will not listen to Me. The Rechabites listen to their earthly father, but you will not listen to Me. Because you will not listen or obey Me, I will send on Judah and Jerusalem all the evil that I have warned that I would send.’ Then Jeremiah spoke to the Rechabites. [Adonai of hosts, the YHVH of Israel, says, ‘Because you have faithfully followed the command of your father Jonadab and listened to his teaching, your father will always have a descendant who will stand faithfully before Me.’

COMMENTARY

THE RECHABITES: IN THE WAYS OF THE ANCESTORS

For generations the Rechabites remained faithful to the command of one of their forefathers not to drink wine or settle in cities. How different from the people of Judah, who would not be faithful to the Commands of Almighty YHVH! Jeremiah held up the Rechabites as an example of faithfulness. They had turned from the wine cups, the wine jugs, and the ways which struck against their conscience. He promised them a blessing. And YHVH through Jeremiah promised unfaithful men judgment. The Rechabites did not build homes, own land or farm it, or drink wine. They lived in tents in the desert, until Nebuchadnezzar’s army forced them to move to Jerusalem for their safety. No one is certain where the Rechabites came from or what their customs meant. One view says Rechab, the group’s ancestor, was a Kenite nomad who joined the wandering Israelites. Some think both the Kenites and Rechabites were metalworkers who had to keep moving from place to place as they used up the supply of ore in each place. Some say that they did not drink wine lest they reveal trade secrets when drunk. But the Rechabites’ customs evidently showed their devotion to YHVH. It is likely that the Rechabites’ founder, Jehonadah, set down these rules for the first Rechabite family in order to prevent pagan Canaanite influences from taking hold. He would have known that many Israelites, who had learned farming from the Canaanites, had also adopted Canaanite gods. Thus, the Rechabites continued in a nomadic life to represent and maintain a time when Israel was pious and obedient. Some historians say Rechabite ways are common to all nomads. Nomads live in tents and they do not farm. Since they do not grow grapes, they don’t make wine; not to drink it, then, makes a virtue of necessity. Rechabites were greatly outnumbered in Israel. But with the whole small group before him, Jeremiah promised them that their descendants would survive. Even today, travellers in the Middle East say they have found desert people who claim to be Rechabites.