The Rechabites & the Reprobate

The purpose of chapter 35 is to show the contrast between a Gentile people and the people of God. Let’s look at the text.

1. The Rechabites (35).

A. The testing of the Rechabites (1-5).

Chapters 35 and 36 both take place during the reign of Jehoiakim. He was king from 609-598 BC. What we see in these chapters occurs more than ten years before Jerusalem finally falls. As I’ve mentioned before, the book is not in chronological order. However, the book does a good job at reminding us when it is speaking of a different time by recognizing who was king during that period.

Jeremiah is told to bring a clan of people known as the Rechabites into the Temple. Jaazaniah is probably the leader of the Rechabites. He and his people are invited into a room in the Temple. It’s clear that Jeremiah had some favor with people in the Temple. These Temple workers would be witnesses to the message Jeremiah was conveying.

There is not much information given about the Jewish men in the Temple. Hanan is called a man of God. This probably means he was either a priest or a prophet. Maaseiah was a doorkeeper.

Once in the room Jeremiah is to offer the Rechabites wine to drink. They probably wondered why such hospitality was being shown to them. They were a simple people. They were Nomads who normally would not even be in the city of Jerusalem.

B. The Rechabites pass the test (6-11).

They refused the wine because their ancestor, Jonadab, commanded them not to. Jonadab was a Gentile who helped the mighty warrior Jehu fight against Baal worship in Israel (2 Kings 10:15-27). Jonadab had instructed his people to live a nomadic lifestyle free from what we might call “big city life”.

They were not to drink wine (6).

They were not to live in permanent houses, but tents instead (7).

They were not to plant vineyards or fields (7).

They were assured a long life if they obeyed their forefather. For over two hundred years the community had obeyed the command of Jonadab. The only reason they were in Jerusalem at the time was they needed temporary protection from the invading Babylonian army lead by Nebuchadnezzar. Their living in Jerusalem should not be seen as disobedience as it was a temporary thing.

C. The contrast between the two groups (12-19).

Jonadab’s descendants had obeyed his words, but God’s people had not obeyed His. Notice all God did to get His people to obey Him:

He spoke to them persistently (14).

He sent prophets to them (15).

He promised them security if they obeyed Him (15).

Yet God’s people disobeyed Him still. Jonadab told his people what to do and then he died. It had been over 200 years and they were still obeying him. God promises to bring judgment on His people and promises to bless the Rechabites. The Rechabites will always have a man to stand before God. In other words, their lineage will continue.

It is surprising that a group of people would be so faithful to a man while another would be so unfaithful to God. God had been better to His people than Jonadab had been to his. God is certainly worthy of more respect than any man is.

Let’s think about something else as it relates to this. When a godly person gives you advice it is important to listen to it. Jonadab told his people to never drink alcohol. That was good advice. They obeyed his command for a very long time and were blessed for it. I have given my children the same command. Convictions is lived with holiness and sincerity can have a great impact on others.

2. The Reprobate (36).

A. Jeremiah is to write his words on a scroll (1-3).

This is the fourth year of Jehoiakim which means that Jeremiah has been preaching about 23 years by this time. He is told to write all the words the Lord has spoken to him on a scroll. The purpose is so that they can be read to Judah in hopes that the people will repent of their sin and turn to God.

Scrolls were about 30 feet long and ten inches wide. The paper was papyrus. It was rolled up on wooden rollers and read as it was unrolled. How much was written on Jeremiah’s scroll we don’t know. We do know that it was read three times in one day (10, 15, 21).

It's interesting that Jeremiah was able to recall all the messages the Lord had given him. If I were to quiz you on all of his messages so far you, and myself as well, would be doing good to remember half of what we have read. The writing of the words on a scroll will ensure that they will not be forgotten.

B. Jeremiah uses an amanuensis to record his messages (4-7).

This chapter is interesting because it tells us how a prophet recorded his writings. Jeremiah spoke and Baruch recorded it. Look at verses 17-18. Jeremiah dictated the words and Baruch recorded them on the scroll with ink. There is no state of mysticism the prophet was in. His eyes were not closed while the Holy Spirit moved the pen. Jeremiah spoke the words and Baruch wrote them down. That’s simple but it is how it happened.

Jeremiah tells Baruch to take the scroll to the Temple and read it to the people. Jeremiah could not go to then Temple because he had been banned from it for some reason. Baruch is to go on a day when the Temple will be filled, a day of fasting. Days of fasting were set aside when the people were desperate. With Babylon coming against Jerusalem it would be a common thing for a day of fasting to be declared. The scroll is to be read in hopes that the people who hear the Words of the Lord will cry out to the Lord in repentance (7).

C. Baruch obeys (8-19).

Baruch should be commended for his actions. Jeremiah was already banned from the Temple. He was putting his life in danger bringing the message of the Lord to the people. The Temple was one of the most dangerous places he could identify himself with Jeremiah at. Just as Jeremiah asked, he went to the Temple on a fast day. It was filled with people. Baruch began reading in the chamber of a man named Gemariah who was brother to one of Jeremiah’s friends (26:24). Baruch probably stood in the doorway of the chamber and faced the people. He was also in the upper court which means he was in a great position to address the assembled crowd of people. Baruch read the scroll with all the people listening.

After hearing what was read, Gemariah’s son, Micaiah ran to tell the news to a mixture of both political and religious leaders. Present was:

Elnathan who had been involved in bringing the Uriah prophet back from Egypt. That event led to Jehoiakim killing Uriah (26:22).

Gemariah, he held some position in the Temple.

Elishama was part of the royal family (2 Kings 25:25).

Other officials.

After hearing the news the officials wanted to hear the message of Jeremiah for themselves. Baruch was summoned and for the second time that day he read the scroll. He verified to the people the words he read were the words of Jeremiah the prophet. The gathered group then decided Baruch was not safe and had him hidden for his own sake.

D. the scroll is read to the king (20-26).

After securing the scroll in a chamber in the temple the group of officials decided to tell the king what was read from the scroll. Their intention for the scroll was to keep it safe. However, Jehoiakim demanded it be brough to him.

The King was in his winter apartment. It was located on the first floor of the palace and it had a fireplace. Jehudi began reading the scroll to the King. We don’t know who this man was, but he must have been trusted. What happened as he was reading is pretty dramatic. After Jehudi had read a while Jehoiakim would have the scroll brought to him and he would cut that section out. And throw the removed papyrus into the fire. He did that until the enter scroll was cut up and burned.

It appears the king took delight in personally destroying the Word of God. Those around him begged him to stop but he wouldn’t listen (25). After burning the entire scroll, he demanded that both Baruch and Jeremiah be arrested. By God’s grace the two were hidden.

You can’t help but think of Jehoiakim’s father. His father, Josiah, had the Word of God read to him as well. When he heard it, he led the nation to repent of their sins (2 Kings 22). The response of these two men to the Word of God could not have been any different.

E. The scroll is rewritten (27-32).

If Jehoiakim thought he could change the will of God by destroying the Word of God he was wrong. We see in verse 29 why he burned the scroll. It was the message. The message was Babylon would take Jerusalem. The King didn’t like that message. So, he burned the scroll. The Lord gives a specific message to this reprobate king:

He will not have an offspring on the throne.

His dead body will be given to the elements and the scavengers.

His family will be punished for their sins.

Jerusalem will fall.

Jeremiah rewrote the scroll in the same way he initially wrote it. In fact, he wrote even more. What we see here is the beginning of the book we are preaching from. This reminds us that we cannot destroy the Word of God. Our only hope is to obey it.

I want to mention something else as well. It appears early in the invasion that Jeremiah and people who were sympathetic toward him. Some of the people, even those who were a part of the royal household and who worked in the Temple, shared Jeremiah’s concern for the nation. But as the years passed his sympathizers grew fewer and fewer.

I see that in our country. There were many, even unbelievers, who at one time feared God and respected what the Bible says in our country. It appears those days are almost past us. That can only mean that we are getting closer to the day of the Lord. Our nation is turning into a nation of reprobates. The people in this country have made a decision to deny the Word of God and embrace ungodliness. It is our job as believers to stand at the doorway and proclaim the Word of God. God has made sure we have a copy of his Word. It’s our responsibility to read it, believe it, and share it. Jesus Himself told us that heaven and earth shall pass away but the Word of the Lord will endure forever. Jesus was a man of the book. If we want to be like Jesus, we will believe and proclaim the Word of God. This is the means God has ordained to save the world. The preaching of His Word to a lost world will draw people to repentance. Let us never forget that and let us faithfully proclaim it.