JEREMIAH 35-44

Today is Wednesday.  I have a full day ahead of me and it is filled from the time I leave the house to service tonight.  Here are some thoughts out of the chapters in Jeremiah I have for you today:

1) THIS IS ONLY A TEST!  In Jeremiah 35:2, God tells Jeremiah to go to the house of the Rechabites, and "give them wine to drink."  Now, with all the Bible has to say against wine and strong drink, why did God tell Jeremiah to do this?  It was only a test!  You see, God knew what their answer would be.  No!  In verse 6 it says:  "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 for ever:"  He also told them to dwell in tents, not in houses; also to not sow seed, nor plant vineyards; and they obeyed!  In verse 8-10 it reads:  "Thus have we obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab our father in all that he hath charged us, to drink no wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, nor our daughters: Nor to build houses for us to dwell in:  neither have we vineyard, nor field, nor seed:  But we have dwelt in tents, and have obeyed, and done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us."  Now, here is the kicker.... Jonadab told them to do this..... over 250 years earlier!!  For older than we have a country, they obeyed the voice of their great, great, great, great, .... grand father!!  Now, God tells Jeremiah to go to the men of Israel, and tell them about the house of Rechabites, how they have listened to the voice of a man, and yet, you men of Judah will not listen to the voice of God!  What an indictment!  Let us not be guilty of that either.

2) DIFFERENT TREATMENT- Jeremiah was unpopular because he said what God had him say, versus what the people, princes, and king wanted to hear.  And he was mistreated because of it.  In chapter 36, he had to hide for his life and the scroll that was written down with God's Words were burned.  In chapter 37, he was thrown in prison, and the king secretly came to ask him:  "Is there any word from the LORD?"  He answers:  "Where are now your prophets?"  But, the king keeps him in prison until Jerusalem is conquered.  He was pulled out of the slime pit in the prison's dungeon in chapter 38, but kept in the court of the prison till the city was taken.  In chapter 39, the city of Jerusalem is taken by Nebu-zar-adan, the general of the army of King Nebuchadrezzar, King of Babylon.  In chapter 40, the captives of Jerusalem were bound in chains and being taken out of the city of Jerusalem when Nebu-zar-adan, the general, saw Jeremiah in the line with chains on.  He goes up to Jeremiah and says in verse 2, 3, "The LORD thy God hath pronounced this evil upon this place.  Now the LORD hath brought it, and done according as he hath said:  because ye have sinned against the LORD, and have not obeyed his voice, therefore this thing is come upon you."  Wow!  This general sees his actions as being obedience to the LORD, and ... he is speaking truth!  Now, having been mistreated for so many years by the various kings of Judah, who did not like the Word of the LORD, notice what Nebu-zar-adan says in verse 4:  "And now, behold, I loose thee this day from the chains which were upon thine hand.  If it seem good unto thee to come with me into Babylon, come;  and I will look well unto thee:  but if it seem ill unto thee to come with me into Babylon, forbear:  behold, all the land is before thee:  whither it seemeth good and convenient for thee to go, thither go."  He freed him, and gave him a choice!!  Do what you want to do Jeremiah.  The next verse says he gave Jeremiah, food, a reward, and let him go!!  Wow!  Treated royally by the heathen and mistreated by God's people.  Who would have thought?  Let us be among the people of God who treat people right!!

Well, I've went off too long on each thought, but I like these thoughts.  Hope to see you tomorrow friend and have a blessed day!  Pastor Mike Mutchler