Jeremiah 35:12

THE FAITHFUL RECHABITES (35:12-19)

GOLDEN TEXT. -- Unto this day they drink none, but obey their father's commandment. -- Jeremiah 35:14. TIME. --About B. C. 606. PLACE. --Jerusalem HELPFUL READINGS. -- 2 Kings 10:15-27; Jeremiah 35:1-11; 2 Chronicles 36:15-21. LESSON ANALYSIS.

1.. Pledge Taken;

2.. Faithful People;

3.. Telling Example;

4.. Splendid Promise.

INTRODUCTION.

About B. C. 607, the greatest monarch who ever sat on the Babylonian throne moved upon Judah to take vengeance for the disloyalty shown in the recent war between Babylon and Egypt. Jeremiah had protested against putting trust in Egypt and had predicted the result. The armies of Nebuchadnezzar rapidly overran Syria and Palestine; Jerusalem was taken after little resistance; King Jehoiakim was put in chains and carried away. prisoner to Babylon; many noble youths, among them Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were taken into exile; the Temple was plundered, but permitted to stand. This event is the beginning of the seventy years' captivity. Jehoiakim, was shortly after permitted to return and to reassume the throne, but three years later, again revolted and attempted to cast off the yoke. The king was soon after besieged in Jerusalem and three years litter was slain. It was during one of these sieges that the events occurred which are narrated in our lesson.

The Kenites, to whom we are introduced, were of Arabian stock, and had dwelt in the wild wastes about Sinai and south of Palestine. Jethro, "the Priest of Midian," and the father-in-law of Moses, seems to have been. Kenite, and by the invitation of Moses. branch of the tribe followed the Israelites into Palestine. Heber, the Kenite, had pitched his tents in northern Palestine, and it was Jael, the wife of Heber, who slew Sisera, the general of the Canaanites, in her tent (Judges 4:17). This clan continued as. pastoral people, simple in their habits, and faithful to Jehovah, until the captivity. One of their chieftains, Jehonadab, or Jonadab, was the stern supporter of King Jehu in his effort to extirpate the idolatry that had spread through Israel under Ahab and Jezebel. He was the founder of the first total abstinence society of which we have any account. We have instances of men who were Nazarites, but the Rechabites, as. people, were pledged to total abstinence. They dwelt in tents and avoided cities, but had been forced by the pressure of war and the devastations of the Assyrian armies to take refuge in Jerusalem.

12. Then came the word of the Lord to Jeremiah.

The impulse of God's spirit that constrained him to speak. He had previously, under the, direction of the Lord, gone to the Rechabites and set before them. temptation to break the total abstinence pledge that was taken by every member of their society. He had set before them vessels of wine and cups and asked them to drink. They had refused and cited the command of the founder of their order. Jeremiah had expected this answer, and his object was to turn upon the Jews who were disobedient to God, the example of the Rechabites who were obedient to their ancestor.