WILLFUL OBEDIENCE

JEREMIAH 35:1-19

Friday, 17 April 2026

But they replied, “We do not drink wine, because our forefather Jehonadab son of Rekab gave us this command: ‘Neither you nor your descendants must ever drink wine.”- Jeremiah 35:5

Throughout Scripture, God repeatedly reminds His people the importance of obeying His commands. But time and time again we see His own treasured people treat His words with contempt and disobedience. Though this deeply hurt the Lord and He had every right to reject them permanently, He always took steps to draw them back to Him.

In today’s text, God is using the example of a group called the Rekabites to teach what it looks like when one has an attitude of ‘willful obedience’, hoping Judah would learn a valuable lesson from them.

We do not have much information about the Rekabites. But one thing stands out about them: here was a group who did not fail to obey the commands laid down by their forefather Jehonadab (2Kings10), even after his death. They continued to obey it with diligence nearly200 years later, up to the time of prophet Jeremiah. 

Why would they do this?

1. Honour Leads to Obedience 

The Rekabites honored the words of their forefather by choosing to obey what he had commanded without questioning (Vs 6&8). In turn, they honored the God of their forefather, who had instituted it, as their own faith expression toward God! In contrast, we see the nation Israel failing to walk in obedience to the God of their forefathers, dishonoring Him among the nations. Even though God had warned them in Deut. 8:11 not to forget His laws, we see repeatedly that whenever their love towards God grew cold, they replaced His words with the practices of the pagans around them. 

We must never forget this fact: we honor others when we love them, and the result is obedience.

Jesus reminds us, “If you love me, you will keep my commandment.” (John 14:15). Our lifestyle of loving Jesus must lead to obedience to His word. In this way we honor Him in the world! Let’s note that this one act of ours will be the reason for our descendants to be faithful followers of Jesus Christ. 

2. Faithfulness leads to Obedience

Not only did the Rekabites show honor to their forefather, but they remained faithful to this vow even two centuries later. Through all the changes around them, they did not compromise on the vows taken. 

What does one require to remain faithful to a cause? 

• Faith in the one who has spoken: We repeatedly read: “obeyed everything our forefather Jehonadab commanded.” (Vs 6,8,10). They were confident that he had made the right decisions and so trusted it and followed it fully.

In contrast, we read in Vs.12 &14 God asking His people these heartrending questions-“will you not learn and obey my words? “ I have spoken again and again and yet you have not obeyed me.” The people of Judah had no value for the words spoken by the Creator of the universe as Jeremiah 32:33 says, “They turned their backs to me and not their faces; though I taught them again and again, they would not listen or respond to discipline.” 

• Determined to follow at any cost: The world has so many examples of people laying down their lives for meaningful causes. For anyone to follow such a rule, requires commitment to what they believed no matter the opposition or ridicule they have toface. The Bible commends the Rekabites for staying strong and remaining faithful in obedience to their leader’s command.  

In contrast, we read that Judah constantly across the centuries followed the ways of their heart and their desires thus breaking their covenant with God. How did God respond to these two groups? He pronounces punishment for Judah’s faithlessness and a blessing of always having a descendant of Jehonadab serve the living God.

Where do we stand today? 

The choice is ours. We have a perfect example in Jesus, who lived a life of obedience. Let us follow Him so that our life of obedience to His commands will impact the coming generations to follow Him wholeheartedly. 

Watch Your Life: “The worst possible heritage to leave with children: high spiritual pretensions and low performance.” -D A Carson

Listen: 'Trust & Obey'