Today is Father’s Day and it just so happens that today would have been my Father’s 95th birthday. I miss my father who went to be with the Lord a little over 8 years ago. He was one of the most Godly men I knew. I strive to be just half the man he was.
Today, We’re looking into the story of a family, in the years leading up to the fall of Judah to the Babylonians, around 600 BC. The family was called the “Rechabites.” Let me give you the gist of today’s message: The Rechabites followed the direction of their father, Jonadab, son of Rechab. Jonadab died some 200-250 years previously, yet his family made a promise to always follow his command. They were true "Promise Keepers." They kept the promises made by their ancestors hundreds of years before.
Jeremiah 35:1–6
Many of you remember the parachurch organization called "Promise Keepers?" A non-denomination organization dedicated to the building up Godly men, opposing same-sex marriage, championing chastity and fidelity in marriage, godly fatherhood, and being the head of their families that God has clearly called men to be. Promise Keepers' most notable event was its “Stand in the Gap: A Sacred Assembly of Men” open-air gathering at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. on October 4, 1997. C-SPAN carried the event live in its entirety. Attendance figures vary but have been estimated to be between 600,000 and 800,000. [1] This particular event I’m proud to say was one in which I took part.
My son, when he enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1997, while he was in advance training at the Marine Corps Base in 29 Palms, California, a couple of godly sergeants who were involved in Promise Keepers, took Bobby under their wings to mentor him during his yearlong stay there. I’m very grateful to them for keeping Bobby on the straight and narrow during his early years in the Marines.
One thing this world and our country is lacking, is men of integrity. Men who would be true fathers to their children and pass on their heritage of a firm foundation rooted in the Lordship of Jesus Christ. We are lacking men to teach boys what it means to be a real man. And daughters are suffering too. They learn how a man should treat a woman from the example of their own fathers in how they treat their mothers.
Fatherless homes is beyond crisis levels in this nation. Just a couple of quick statistics from <Fathers.com> quoting data from the U.S. Census Bureau: With the increasing number of premarital births and a continuing high divorce rate, the proportion of children living with just one parent rose from 9.1% in 1960 to 20.7% in 2012. Currently, 55.1% of all black children, 31.1% of all Hispanic children, and 20.7% of all white children are living in single-parent homes. [2]
For many children, they do not know their past and for them their future is even more uncertain. Many today, with the influences and temptations of the world are quickly rejecting the teaching of their parents and many parents are failing to teach their children, these children are falling to the ways of world, and are far from the truth.
This was not the case with the Rechabites. God was using the Rechabites as an example to Israel who have been unfaithful to the commands of God.
Jeremiah 35:1–2 (CSB) This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah: 2 “Go to the house of the Rechabites, speak to them, and bring them to one of the chambers of the temple of the LORD to offer them a drink of wine.”
So Jeremiah brings the Rechabite clan into the temple for a little refreshment of wine. Wine was the drink of the day, it was not like they had a choice of Coca Cola, or Sprite.
Jeremiah 35:5 (CSB) I set jars filled with wine and some cups before the sons of the house of the Rechabites and said to them, “Drink wine!”
I’m sure the Rechabite were wondering, what is this all about. They were, as a group, teetotalers. They did not drink wine at all. Was God commanding Jeremiah to tempt them or otherwise test them? The answer was neither.
But this was putting the Rechabites in a difficult situation. In that day is was the height of rudeness to refuse a host when offered something to eat or drink. It is still that way in mideastern houses today.
Jeremiah 35:6 (CSB) But they replied, “We do not drink wine, for Jonadab, son of our ancestor Rechab, commanded, ‘You and your descendants must never drink wine.
Read the verses that followed. Jonadab also commanded them to live the life of a nomad. Why? What was the purpose behind these commands? No explanation is given for Jonadab’s command. Perhaps Jonadab became repulsed and disillusioned by the corruption and immorality he saw in city life and determined to separate himself and his family from its evil influences.[3]
But what is quite remarkable is that anyone would keep a promise to a forefather who lived hundreds of years before. Many do not keep the commands of their immediate fathers or grandfathers, much less remember what was said and commanded hundreds of year prior.
At no point did Jeremiah or God commend the Rechabites on the principle of the commands given. The point here is not whether drinking or not drinking wine is good (subject for another time), nor the nomadic lifestyle that they followed, but it was the faithfulness of this family to follow the command of Jonadab for all these hundreds of years. God was not testing the Rechabites, He knew they would refuse the wine. God used the Rechabites as an example to the people of Judah.
I hope you still have your Bible open. Let’s read what God had to say.
Jeremiah 35:12–17 (CSB) Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: 13 “This is what the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: Go, say to the men of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem, ‘Will you not accept discipline by listening to my words?—this is the LORD’s declaration. 14 The words of Jonadab, son of Rechab, have been carried out. He commanded his descendants not to drink wine, and they have not drunk to this day because they have obeyed their ancestor’s command. But I have spoken to you time and time again,, and you have not obeyed me! 15 Time and time again I have sent you all my servants the prophets, proclaiming, “Turn, each one from his evil way, and correct your actions. Stop following other gods to serve them. Live in the land that I gave you and your ancestors.” But you did not pay attention or obey me. 16 Yes, the sons of Jonadab son of Rechab carried out their ancestor’s command he gave them, but these people have not obeyed me. 17 Therefore, this is what the LORD, the God of Armies, the God of Israel, says: I will certainly bring on Judah and on all the residents of Jerusalem all the disaster I have pronounced against them because I have spoken to them, but they have not obeyed, and I have called to them, but they did not answer.’ ”
It is remarkable that the Rechabites kept the promises made for hundreds of years, yet it is equally amazing in these times, people who enter a relationship with Almighty God, the creator of the universe, do not keep their promises to God. In today’s climate a “No” means maybe and a “yes” means only if I feel like it. Look around us. People break contracts, a man’s word is no longer his bond. Public officials go against the their oath of office. We see deacons and minister renounce their ordination, we see married couple breaking their vows they made to each other and to God. I guess the phrase “till death do we part” does not mean what it used to mean. Promises are not kept.
Bible Commentator Philip Ryken tells this story: Christians are called to be different. They keep their promises—even to their own detriment. Booker T. Washington recounted a wonderful story about meeting a promise keeper.
The man was an ex-slave from Virginia who had made a contract with his master, two or three years previous to the Emancipation Proclamation, to the effect that the slave was to be permitted to buy himself, by paying so much per year for his body; and while he was paying for himself, he was to be permitted to labor where and for whom he pleased. Finding that he could secure better wages in Ohio, he went there.
When freedom came he was still in debt to his master some three hundred dollars. Notwithstanding that the Emancipation Proclamation freed him from any obligation to his master, this black man walked the greater portion of the distance back to where his old master lived in Virginia, and placed the last dollar, with interest, in his hands. In talking to me about this, the man told me that he knew that he did not have to pay the debt, but that he had given his word to his master, and his word he had never broken.
Washington’s friend sounds like a long-lost descendant of the Rechabites. Or maybe he was just a true Christian. [4]
Yes the Rechabites served as an example. But there is more. God promise to bless those who honor their parents.
Exodus 20:12 (CSB) Honor your father and your mother so that you may have a long life in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
It is interesting that Jonadab gave a similar blessing and promise to his family.
Jeremiah 35:7 (CSB) You must not build a house or sow seed or plant a vineyard. Those things are not for you. Rather, you must live in tents your whole life, so you may live a long time on the soil where you stay as a resident alien.’
And God commends their faithfulness as well.
Jeremiah 35:18–19 (CSB) But to the house of the Rechabites Jeremiah said, “This is what the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Because you have obeyed the command of your ancestor Jonadab and have kept all his commands and have done everything he commanded you, 19 this is what the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: Jonadab son of Rechab will never fail to have a man to stand before me always.’ ”
God has kept his promise. We read about the Rechabite helping the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem in Nehemiah 3:14. The Rechabite clan survived the exile to Babylon and now had a significant part in restoring Jerusalem.
A little detail about I left out about the Rechabites, they were not ethnically Jewish. They were descendants of the Kenites, related to Moses’ father-in-Law, Jethro. They first associated with the Jew in the time of the Exodus. We read about Jonadab in 2 Kings 10 when he help Jehu purge the land of Baal worshippers. God honors this non-Jewish family.
Two things families can take away from this story.
1. Fathers – Lead your families. Jonadab did not ask his family what they wanted. He set the standard. They were to drink no wine. They were to live in tents. Joshua did the same for his family:
Joshua 24:15b (CSB) As for me and my family, we will worship the LORD.”
God has appointed father to be the spiritual heads of their house. The Bible is quite clear. It is the father’s responsibility to teach these things to the family. It is not the mother’s responsibility, but moms, you a big part in all of this. When my kids give me grief over talking to them about these things, I inform them that one day I will answer to Almighty God and not to them, as to how they were raised.
Deuteronomy 6:6–9 (CSB) These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. 7 Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead., 9 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your city gates.
2. Families – Obey the head of the family. The head of the house is not to lord it over the family, but must guide and lead them, knowing he must answer to God.
Jeremiah 35:8 (CSB) We have obeyed Jonadab, son of our ancestor Rechab, in all he commanded us. So we haven’t drunk wine our whole life—we, our wives, our sons, and our daughters.
God has established the order in the family. Men, we must lead our families in Godly ways and families are to follow.
Will we be like Joshua. “As for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”
Fathers, have you set the Godly standard in your family?
[1] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Promise_Keepers and promisekeepers.org/
[2] fathers.com/statistics-and-research/the-extent-of-fatherlessness/ and U.S. Census Bureau. “Living Arrangements of Children Under 18 Years Old: 1960 to Present”. U.S. Census Bureau July 1, 2012. www.census.gov/population/socdemo/hh-fam/ch5.xls
[3] F. B. Huey, Jeremiah, Lamentations, vol. 16, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1993), 315.
[4] Philip Graham Ryken, Jeremiah and Lamentations: From Sorrow to Hope, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2001), 540.
