October 20

Jeremiah 35

There is nothing so thrilling for grandparents as a sleepover. And there is nothing more challenging for grandparents than two fast and curious boys discovering a new world. In a new house there are so many different experiences that promise fun and excitement. This is where obedience becomes a safety net.  

Stay away from the fireplace; it is hot.

Don't turn the knobs on the gas stove.

Don't open the back door and go out for a walk.

Don't swing the baseball bat with your brother nearby.

Don't play near the stairs.

To each of these boundaries the first response is always, "WHY?" That question was asked 2 million times in 36 hours. And in the end the ultimate answer to "why" is because grandma and grandpa say it is dangerous.

God is the ultimate grandpa. He has warned the nation of all the dangers of disobedience. In chapter 35 he tells Jeremiah to use a sermon illustration. Jonadab was a grandpa who lived 250 years before this time. He lived during a dark period of time when King Ahab made Baal worship mandatory in the land. Two rebels named Jonadab and Jehu rode together on a mission to reestablish God's rule in the nation. Their combined efforts postponed the fall of Israel (the Northern Kingdom) for three generations.   

It is now 250 years later and the grandchildren of Jonadab are still faithfully following the Lord. They are sober, living in tents and herding sheep. This lifestyle was the result of believing grandpa Jonadab.

Jeremiah sees a teaching moment here and uses the Recabites to make a point. This family obeyed the earthly boundaries of a grandfather.  Yet the whole nation of Judah refused to listen at all to the boundaries given by their Heavenly Father.

The message is clear. If the command of a mere man, an earthly father, Jonadab, was respected and obeyed by his family for 250 years, why didn't the people of Judah obey the commands of their Heavenly Father?  If a family tradition was preserved with such dedication, why was the very Law of God treated with such disrespect? Obeying Jonadab's words had only a limited and temporal significance, but disobeying God's Word would have eternal consequences.

If there is any true characteristic of being a disciple of Jesus, it is obedience to his Word. True disciples are not defined by their words but by their obedience to the commands.  If we claim to love our Heavenly Father, are we obeying Him?  What boundary is God calling you to obey today?

Trust your Heavenly Father's point of view.

 

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"Multiplying leaders to change the world"