Jeremiah 35:16-19

C. The Fate of the Rechabites and the Jews Jeremiah 35:16-19

TRANSLATION

(16) Because the sons of Jonadab the Son of Rechab have kept the commandment of their ancestor, and this people have not obeyed Me, (17) therefore thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I am about to bring against Judah and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the calamity which I have spoken against them; because I have spoken unto them and they did not obey, I called out to them but they did not answer. (18) And to the house of the Rechabites Jeremiah said, Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Because you have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your ancestor, and you have kept all his commandments, and have done everything which he commanded you; (19) therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not lack a man to stand before Me forever.

COMMENTS

In view of the fact that Judah had ignored or spurned all efforts of God to turn them back from apostasy, God is compelled to execute judgment upon the nation. God declares: I will bring upon Judah and Jerusalem all the evil (calamity) that I have pronounced against them (Jeremiah 35:17). Just before bringing the children of Israel into Canaan God had warned His people through Moses that remaining in possession of that land flowing with milk and honey was contingent upon their faithfulness (Deuteronomy 28). Every prophet from Amos onwards had reminded the nation of this fact. The fall of Samaria in 722 B.C. should have served as empirical proof of the proposition. Yet Judah plunged even deeper into apostasy. There was no other alternative. Judah must be punished, her population deported and her land made desolate. The contrast in Jeremiah 35:16-17 is great: a small obscure clan faithful to the word of their forefather on the one hand; an entire nation unfaithful to the word of their heavenly Father on the other. Surely the impending judgment was justified.

The passage concludes with a word of commendation for the Rechabites. Because they had faithfully observed the commandments of their father, Jonadab shall not want a man to stand before Me forever (Jeremiah 35:18-19). To stand before anyone in Old Testament thought is to function as a servant to that person. Thus the promise here is that throughout the ages there would always be obedient servants of the Lord among the descendants of Jonadab. It is not easy to determine in what way the Lord fulfilled His promise to the Rechabites. Some missionaries and travelers report having encountered Rechabites in Yemen and Mesopotamia.[308] Perhaps it is better, however, to think in terms of a spiritual fulfillment of the promise. Throughout history there have been and will be spiritual descendants of the Rechabites who remain true to their convictions and separate themselves from the sinfulness of the world.

[308] Naglesbach, op. cit., p. 308.