The Rechabites

God commanded Jeremiah to gather the Rechabites into the house of the Lord, into one of the chambers, and set wine before them and invite them to drink. Jeremiah did as the Lord commanded him. “But they said, We will drink no wine: for Jonadab the son of Rechab our father commanded us, saying, Ye shall drink no wine, neither ye, nor your sons forever.”

“Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah, saying, … Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to my words? saith the Lord. The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are performed; for unto this day they drink none, but obey their father’s commandment.” Here God contrasts the obedience of the Rechabites with the disobedience and rebellion of His people, who will not receive His words of reproof and warning…. The Rechabites were commended for their ready and willing obedience, while God’s people refused to be reproved by their prophets.

If the requirements of a good and wise father, who took the best and most effectual means to secure his posterity against the evils of intemperance, were worthy of strict obedience, surely God’s authority should be held in as much greater reverence as He is holier than man. Our Creator and our Commander, infinite in power, terrible in judgment, seeks by every means to bring men to see and repent of their sins. By the mouth of His servants He predicts the dangers of disobedience; He sounds the note of warning and faithfully reproves sin. His people are kept in prosperity only by His mercy, through the vigilant watchcare of chosen instrumentalities. He cannot uphold and guard a people who reject His counsel and despise His reproofs. For a time He may withhold His retributive judgments; yet He cannot always stay His hand.
Conflict and Courage p. 238
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—–Please pray for Evelyn and family in prayer. She lost her sister yesterday and will be traveling today. Angie
—–Please pray for my granddaughter Emma who has dental work today and has to be put under anesthesia. Pray all goes well. Rose
—–update—Amy’s father died last night without having the surgery. Please pray for Amy. Pastor D
—–Please pray for John. His brother died yesterday. Connie
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends,
Before I retired, I worked in the District Court system. One of my duties was to schedule alcohol evaluation appointments for the defendants who pled guilty to driving while intoxicated. I used to try to find an appointment that fit their schedule the best but I stopped doing so as too many defendants did not appreciate my trying to accommodate them. One such young man who came in to our office a some years ago caused me to stop. He was a student in a university several hour’s drive from our city. He and his parents explained that he was going to drive back to school on Sunday. It was Friday and the evaluator does not normally do evaluations on Friday, but I called them anyway and asked if they could see this young man that day. They understood his situation and were willing to work him into their busy schedule.

Smiling, I told the young man, that he would be able to get the evaluation that day. Imagine my shock, when instead of being grateful, he began to complain. He didn’t want to “waste” his time by going to get the evaluation. He became argumentative. His parents tried to reason with him. He was very disrespectful to them. Finally, I ended the argument. Disgustedly, I told him that he was to go to the evaluation immediately, and if he didn’t, the evaluator would notify the judge, who would issue a warrant for his arrest. He went.

How often we treat our Great Redeemer in the same way. He has provided the way of salvation, but how seldom we appreciate it. Moreover, He has a plan for our life. He knows what is best. If we follow that plan, we will have the joys of a clear conscience and peace in our heart. Yet, how often we grumble and complain and fight against the very One Who was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities. How often we wound His Great Heart of Love by our ingratitude.

Let us determine never to fight against our Dear Saviour’s leading as He guides us on that rough and rugged path that leads to His Heavenly Kingdom, “because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” Matt 7:14 Let us “give diligence to make [our] calling and election sure.” 2 Peter 1:10 Let us “work out [our] own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in [us] both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Phil 2:12,13

Rose