Jeremiah 35 FSI - HEAR, O EARTH

> [!title|noicon] **Jeremiah 35 Notes** > [[Jeremiah 34 FSI|<Prev]]   [\[Bible\]](Bible%20Books%20Navigation.md)   [[Jeremiah 36 FSI|Next>]] [[Jeremiah 35|Verse list view]] > [Jeremiah 35:1](Jeremiah%2035.md#^1) note > > Here God backs up in time a little bit from the previous chapters. Previously we were looking at the time of Zedekiah, the last king of Judah just as King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon was about to fight against Jerusalem and take it. And now we're back in the days of Jehoiakim son of Josiah. So this is early on during that time of great tribulation that Judah went through which began in 609 BC when Josiah was killed in battle against King Necho of Egypt, and his son Jehoiakim is reigning. So this was some time during the 11 years after Josiah was killed when Jehoiakim reigned. ^jer35-1 > [Jeremiah 35:2](Jeremiah%2035.md#^2) note > > So the LORD commanded Jeremiah to "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." So here is this family of the Rechabites that have taken refuge in Jerusalem as Nebuchadnezzar is destroying the land all around ([v11](Jeremiah%2035.md#^11)). And they receive this message from THE prophet of God, Jeremiah. This was a significant invitation that they are receiving from God Himself to go into the house of the LORD, into the temple. ^jer35-2 > [Jeremiah 35:3](Jeremiah%2035.md#^3), [4](Jeremiah%2035.md#^4), [5](Jeremiah%2035.md#^5) note > > So Jeremiah brings the whole family of the Rechabites "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:" (v4). In other words, they came right into the most holy enclave, right into the place where God Is. And, lo and behold, set before them are pots full of wine and cups. And Jeremiah says to them, "Drink wine." > > Now, this wasn't just anybody telling them to drink wine. It was Jeremiah, the prophet of God, right in the house of God the most holy place. The whole setting was absolutely holy: "Drink wine." And, as we'll see in verse 6, they said, "**No.**" > > The name *Jaazaniah* here is found in 3 other places in the Bible. Here he is a faithful leader of the Rechabite clan. But in the other 3 places this name is found, which is all around the same time frame, they are in rebellion against God, all quite different from the Jaazaniah here. These are found in [Ezekiel 8:5-12](Ezekiel%208.md), [Ezekiel 11:1-7](Ezekiel%2011.md) and in [2 Kings 25:23](2%20Kings%2025.md#^23). So the Jaazaniah here in Jeremiah 35 is set over against the other 3 which are not faithful to God. ^jer35-3-5 > [Jeremiah 35:6](Jeremiah%2035.md#^6), [7](Jeremiah%2035.md#^7), [8](Jeremiah%2035.md#^8), [9](Jeremiah%2035.md#^9), [10](Jeremiah%2035.md#^10) note > > Now here is a family, the Rechabites. And they loved the Lord dearly. And they received a command from Jonadab the son of Rechab their father. Now, he wasn't their direct father, but their ancestor of about 240 years earlier. And he commanded them to basically be like nomads in the land, like strangers and pilgrims. They were not to build houses but to dwell in tents, they were not to sow seed nor plant vineyards, they were not to drink any wine and so on. Of course, right away this makes us think of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And, ultimately, they point to any of us in this world who have become saved. We are strangers and pilgrims in this world just passing through ([Heb 11:13](Hebrews%2011.md#^13)). And so they have obeyed the voice of Jonadab for all the years since. > > So was Jeremiah's command to drink wine in the house of God ([in verse 5](Jeremiah%2035.md#^5)) a temptation for them? They hadn't drunk wine in over 240 years. But, frankly, now they lived in Jerusalem and they witnessed all of the other Israelites who would drink wine all the time. When there was a wedding or a party there was always plenty of wine flowing. They had it with their dinners. So surely now that Jeremiah *the prophet of God* is telling them to drink wine then God must be overruling the command of their great great great grandfather. But it was not a temptation for them, they had no desire whatsoever to drink it and they're not about to change now ([Jam 1:12](James%201.md#^12), [13](James%201.md#^13), [14](James%201.md#^14)). And, as we'll see, this points to how we are to listen to God as our Father regardless of what someone else might tell us to do, regardless of how holy or righteous they may look. Everything must be tested by the Word of God. And if we're committed to doing the will of God, it's no longer a test for us. We have one desire, and that is to be faithful to the Word of God. > > To put this in perspective today, we live in a world that is exciting. There are lots of interesting things going on that we can get excited about: new gadgets, new toys, new opportunities, new careers, new ways of making money. We might as well face it, it's enormously exciting in many ways. But how are we to live in this world as a child of God? We're living in a tent, we're living as strangers and pilgrims here because our eye recognizes that this world is not the inheritance. This world is going to be destroyed. Our heritage is in the new heaven and new earth to be eternally with the Lord Jesus Christ. That's where it all is and the only thing we really care about. That's why poor beggar Lazarus actually had everything while the rich man had nothing, because he had his eye on the inheritance, on what comes when we are living for God. The things of this world aren't worth a hill of beans. This present earth is cursed and will soon be destroyed so they're not worth thinking about or arguing about at all. We don't need them, we don't want them, we only want to live in a way that is pleasing to God. Our homeland is with the Lord Jesus Christ, He is Everything. And this is what the unsaved human race is throwing away, like Esau despising his birthright for a mess of pottage. > > Why did God use *wine* to present this example of obedience? If we look at the Nazarite vow in [Numbers 6:3](Numbers%206.md#^3), [4](Numbers%206.md#^4), we read that he was not to eat any seeds of grapes, no skin of grapes, no grape juice, nothing from grapes. And in [Leviticus 10:8](Leviticus%2010.md#^8), [9](Leviticus%2010.md#^9) we read that the high priest was not to drink wine (proving that Christ would *never* have drunk any wine Himself as THE High Priest). In fact, the reason He was called by a glutton and a winebibber by those who opposed Him ([Mt 11:19](Matthew%2011.md#^19)) had nothing to do with Him drinking wine. It was actually to falsely brand Him as a rebellious son in order to give credence to the idea that He ought to be put to death ([Deu 21:18](Deuteronomy%2021.md#^18), [19](Deuteronomy%2021.md#^19), [20](Deuteronomy%2021.md#^20), [21](Deuteronomy%2021.md#^21)). Again, in [Proverbs 31:4](Proverbs%2031.md#^4) we see that it is not for *kings* to drink wine nor for *princes* strong drink. So wine and strong drink is not for Christ nor for the believers as represented by the priests, princes and kings. > > In [1 Corinthians 11:25](1%20Corinthians%2011.md#^25), [26](1%20Corinthians%2011.md#^26), [27](1%20Corinthians%2011.md#^27) we find that the wine represents the *blood* of Christ. And when we have become a believer we are completely tied to the blood of Christ. In the Life is the blood. The blood of Christ has to do with the fact that He gave His life for us, the fact that through that we have been given eternal life. Now, the Nazarite was a picture of someone who is a true believer, completely tied to the life of Christ, who was not to countenance *any other* kind of wine, not even grape juice or the skin of the grape or *anything* else relating to it. The same is true for the high priest, the king and the prince. As they went about their priestly or kingly or princely duties they were not to think about any other kind of wine beyond the blood of Christ. It was to represent that only in the blood (wine) of Christ alone can we have salvation, we are not to look for any other kind of wine (doctrine). We don't even want to read, listen to or think about anything else with regard to our salvation but the Lord Jesus Christ Himself and the Word of God in the Bible alone. ^jer35-6-10 > [Jeremiah 35:11](Jeremiah%2035.md#^11) note > > As strangers and pilgrims, the Rechabites weren't repudiating the command of their father from generations back, Jonadab, to dwell in tents. They had come to Jerusalem for safety as King Nebuchadnezzar attacked the surrounding towns and cities. And this spiritually represents how we draw nearer to God as we are under assault by Satan and the world. As they threaten us we come further into the New Jerusalem as we draw near to God. ^jer35-11 > [Jeremiah 35:12](Jeremiah%2035.md#^12), [13](Jeremiah%2035.md#^13), [14](Jeremiah%2035.md#^14) note > > So God is using the Rechabites to represent those who are true believers, to demonstrate what true believers are. They are altogether faithful to the Blood of Christ and will never countenance another kind of a gospel. They recognize that this world is not our home. We're just passing through and our eye is constantly fixed on the Heavenly City (see [Ph'p 1:21](Philippians%201.md#^21)). > > And in these closing verses of Jeremiah 35, God sets up the contrast. He's setting forth this event where the Rechabites would not drink wine as a proof of what a true believer is, how they have continued to obey their father Jonadab all these years, to contrast against the nation of Judah who were not listening to God: "notwithstanding I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye hearkened not unto me" ([v14](Jeremiah%2035.md#^14)). We'll take a look at this a little more in the next section since this phrase is very similar to what we find in verse 15. ^jer35-12-14 > [Jeremiah 35:15](Jeremiah%2035.md#^15) [16](Jeremiah%2035.md#^16), [17](Jeremiah%2035.md#^17), [18](Jeremiah%2035.md#^18), [19](Jeremiah%2035.md#^19) note > > In verse 15, God uses a similar phrase to what we read in [verse 14](Jeremiah%2035.md#^14), saying here that He has "sent also unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending *them*." It is a phrase that emphasizes the *diligence* of God, that He has been *pressing* with His Word for them to listen. Yet they obstinately still would not hear, they have not listened to Him with the desire to be obedient. And, as a result, God's judgment is upon them as we see in [verse 17](Jeremiah%2035.md#^17). This compares with other passages where this phrase is used, such as [Jeremiah 7:11](Jeremiah%207.md#^11), [12](Jeremiah%207.md#^12), [13](Jeremiah%207.md#^13), [14](Jeremiah%207.md#^14) -- God completely abandoned Israel in Shiloah represented by the ark that was taken captive by the Philistines; and [Jeremiah 29:17](Jeremiah%2029.md#^17), [18](Jeremiah%2029.md#^18), [19](Jeremiah%2029.md#^19). > > ^jer35-15-19 Tags: #Old_Testament #Jeremiah #Gods_judgment_on_His_people #FSI