Jeremiah 35 “The Command to Be Set Apart”

Jeremiah 35 NIV

Suggested Praise Songs:                                                            

• ALIVE – HILLSONG YOUNG AND FREE
• Passion (feat. Brett Younker) – Shine Like Stars
• Run To The Father – Cody Carnes

Resources for Family Worship (with Children):

• Leviticus | Kids Bible Devotional: Teaching Holiness at Home – Lesson for Kids
• Sea of Miracles VBX 2018 I Will Follow You – Song for Kids
• I AM YOURS LYRIC & DANCE VIDEO | Kids on the Move – Song for Kids
• Your Power Will Pull Us Through | Rocky Railway VBS | Group Publishing – Song for Kids
• Discussion Questions for Children & Youth are located in the section after Explanation, Meditation, and Prayer (at the end of this email/blog).

Explanation:

King Jehoiakim (v. 1) is the third-to-last king of Judah. This means the events recorded in chapter 35 occurred long before those in chapter 34, which took place during the reign of Zedekiah, the final king.

The Lord tells Jeremiah to find the Rekabites, bring them into one of the rooms of the Temple, and offer them wine to drink (v. 2). The “Rekabites” are descendants of Moses’ father-in-law (1 Chron. 2:55). After Israel settled in Canaan, they were incorporated into the people of Israel. Among them, the descendants of Jonadab followed their ancestor’s command to live a nomadic life and never drink wine.

Jeremiah gathers the Rekabites living in Jerusalem, leads them into a Temple room, and offers them wine (vv. 3–5). They refuse, saying they cannot drink wine because of the family tradition established by Jonadab, son of Rekab. For more than two hundred years, they have obeyed Jonadab’s command to abstain from wine and maintain a nomadic lifestyle (vv. 6–10). The only reason they now live inside Jerusalem is because Babylon’s invasion made their nomadic way of life impossible (v. 11).

At that moment, the word of the Lord comes to Jeremiah (v. 12). The Lord rebukes Judah and the residents of Jerusalem because the descendants of Rekab have faithfully obeyed their ancestor Jonadab’s command for more than two hundred years, while the people of Judah have not listened to the commands God Himself gave them (vv. 13–14). Even though God repeatedly sent prophets to tell them that obedience to the Lord is the path to blessing, they refused to listen (v. 15). In other words, the people of Judah did not honor God even as much as the Rekabites honored their ancestor Jonadab.

The Lord declares that He will bring upon Judah and Jerusalem all the disaster He has warned them about (vv. 16–17). Yet through Jeremiah, the Lord also promises the Rekabites that a line of people who serve the Lord will never fail to come from their descendants (vv. 18–19).

Meditation:

Moses’ father-in-law was a Kenite, people who lived as nomads in the wilderness. When the Israelites settled in Canaan, some of the Kenites were incorporated into the Israelite community through Moses’ father-in-law. When the Israelites left Egypt, other minority groups who had also lived as slaves alongside them joined the Israelites and became part of the nation.

One of the descendants of the Kenites was Rekab. After settling in the land of Canaan, Jonadab, one of Rekab’s descendants, likely believed it was necessary to preserve the Kenite identity. So, he commanded his descendants to continue living a nomadic lifestyle in accordance with Kenite tradition and forbade them from drinking wine. Remarkably, Jonadab’s descendants followed that tradition for more than two hundred years. They resisted the temptation to buy land, settled down comfortably, and indulged in whatever food or drink appealed to them. As a result, they maintained their distinct identity.

The reason the Lord gave Moses the Law was to enable the people to preserve their identity as a priestly nation. The various food regulations in Leviticus 11 were not primarily about hygiene or health; they were intended to help God’s people maintain their identity as a holy people once they entered the land of Canaan. The Hebrew word qadosh, meaning “holy,” literally means “set apart.” When God says, “Be holy, because I am holy” (Lev. 11:44), He is calling His people to live distinctly in this world. Unfortunately, the Israelites failed to remain set apart. Instead of living differently as a priestly kingdom, they chose to live like the surrounding nations.

The Rekabites, for more than two hundred years, preserved their Kenite identity by keeping their ancestor’s command, yet the Israelites ignored God’s command—a command far weightier than any human tradition. In doing so, they treated God’s word as less important than their ancestors’ words.

Prayer

Lord, You have called us to be “the salt and light of the world.” May the words of the apostle Paul be fulfilled in us: “You must become blameless and pure, God’s faultless children in a crooked and depraved generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky” (Phil. 2:15). Amen.

Discussion Questions for Children & Youth:

Key Point: God calls His people to be “set apart”—to live differently from the world—just like the Rekabites kept their identity for over 200 years. Following God’s ways helps us shine like lights in a confusing and challenging world.

• For Preschool-Elementary:
  • What is something special or different about being God’s child?
  • The Rekabites followed their family’s command for a long time. What is something God asks us to do every day?
  • What helps you remember to follow God even when friends do something different?
    
    
• Youth:
  • The Rekabites kept their identity for 200+ years. What are some habits or values that help you keep your identity as God’s child today?
  • Why do you think it’s sometimes hard to live differently from others?
  • In what situation this week can you choose to be “set apart” in a small but real way?