Title: Words of January 30th
Contents
Lessons from the Rechabites (Jeremiah 35:5-11)
I. absolute obedience to orders
It was so surprising. The prophet Jeremiah asked, "Why don't you drink wine?" This is how the Rechabites answered why they did not drink wine. We do not drink wine in obedience to the command of our ancestors, “You shall not drink wine, and you shall not build a house” (verses 6, 7). Not only that, but he never built a house, didn't sow, and didn't own a vineyard during his lifetime.
Jonadab, who gave this command to his descendants, was a person 280 years ago. It is said that the Rechabites have been keeping the orders of their ancestors for nearly 300 years. Do not drink wine, do not build houses, live in tents These commands are not easy to follow. Wine was the daily life of the Israelites. In Palestine, water was poor and drinking water was scarce. Wine was the drink of the Palestinians. And at a feast, it was impossible without wine. The Lord also made wine from water at a wedding in Cana. It was never easy not to drink wine in such a living environment.
Everyone! Living a holy life is not easy. This world is a fallen world. All people live in sin. You do not know you are a sinner and you are sinning. Lying, receiving illegal money, and evading taxes are all living that way. I live like it's normal. Living clean in this world is not easy. Not all students cheat, but not cheating is not easy. It is not easy to live a godly life as everyone pursues pleasure.
It is not easy to live in tents all your life and not own vineyards or fields. It is human nature to seek convenience. It is not easy to live in a tent for the rest of your life. It is not easy for everyone to live in peace, but to refuse this peaceful life is by no means easy. Possession is also human nature. It is not easy to live without a field, no vineyard, and no property for the rest of your life. The Israelites lived in the land of Canaan and were too attached to possessions. I'm tempted to own more.
God tells us why the people of Israel did not keep the commandments of God and disobeyed them when the Rechabites had thoroughly obeyed the commands of their ancestors for hundreds of years (35:16-17).
Dear all! We must learn obedience from the Rechabites. All blessings of God's children come through obedience to God's Word. We are now living in an age in which social environment and living conditions are difficult to live according to God's Word. Still, we must become saints who absolutely obey God's Word. We must become believers who regard the word of God as life. So, I pray that you will become a saint who receives God's love and God's blessing.
II. let's go to jerusalem
Jerusalem was completely terrified. At this time, the Rechabites came to Jerusalem. It is a time when people are fleeing Jerusalem and fleeing to the countryside to the countryside because of war and the situation is unstable. However, the Rechabites lived in a relatively safe area, such as the wilderness of Judea, where they lived in tents, shepherds, and herdsmen. Because Jerusalem is a difficult time, they gathered together saying, "Let's go to Jerusalem."
What is Jerusalem like? It is where the temple of God is. It is where God dwells. In the New Testament, it refers to the body of Jesus Christ, the church. Rather, the Rechabites came to Jerusalem in the time of tribulation when the Babylonian army invaded. These words are giving us a valuable lesson today. The Rechabites are true believers who seek God in difficult times and draw closer to God in difficult times.
True faith draws closer to God in difficult times. A person without faith leaves God when faced with difficult situations. I distanced myself from the church and did not even serve. However, in difficult times, true believers draw closer to God, draw closer to the church, and serve more diligently. True believers draw closer to God when they are ill. When business fails When business does not work When you lose your job, you draw closer to God. Live a more diligent life of faith.
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