> [!title|noicon] **Jeremiah 35 Notes**
> [[Jeremiah 34 FSI|<Prev]] [\[Bible\]](Bible%20Books%20Navigation.md) %%[[Jeremiah 36 FSI|Next>]]%%<br><br>[[Jeremiah 35|Verse list view]]
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> [Jeremiah 35:1](Jeremiah%2035.md#^1) note
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> 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
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> [Jeremiah 35:2](Jeremiah%2035.md#^2) note
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> 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
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> [Jeremiah 35:3](Jeremiah%2035.md#^3), [4](Jeremiah%2035.md#^4), [5](Jeremiah%2035.md#^5) note
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> 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."
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> 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 is very holy. And, as we'll see in verse 6, they said, "No." ^jer35-3-5
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> [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
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> 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 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.
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> 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. 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. ^jer35-6-10
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Tags: #Old_Testament #Jeremiah #Gods_judgment_on_His_people #FSI