Who Are The Rechabites?

"Go to the house of the Rechabites and speak with them and bring them to the house of the LORD..." 

- Jeremiah 35:2

Are you the rule breaker?  If not, more than likely you know "that guy."  The one who tries to defy every rule just because.  Who likes to do the opposite of what you are supposed to do.  Maybe your a parent who has a disobedient child.  We all have a streak of disobedience in us, an urge to not obey the rules, to be our own person.  Besides, no one can tell me what to do...right?  Or can they?  The people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem were God's chosen people, yet constantly refused to listen to the voice of the LORD.  In fact, God speaks to them saying,

"...I have spoken to you persistently, but you have not listened to me.  I have sent to you all my servants the prophets, sending them persistently, saying, "Turn now every one of you from his evil way, and amend your deeds, and do not go after other gods to serve them, and then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to you and your fathers.  But you did not incline your ear or listen to me.""

- Jeremiah 35:14b-15

God uses the example of the Rechabites in Jeremiah 35 to show us a picture of obedience.  Because they feared and respected their father they obeyed him.  They did not drink wine all the days that they lived and did not build houses to dwell in because that is what their father commanded them not to do.  They spent their lives living in tents being obedient and listening to the instruction of their father.

You may not listen to the speed limit signs on the interstate, the "no trespassing" sign, or the cancer warnings on tobacco products but there is one person we must listen to.  You see, because of Judah's disobedience God brought disaster upon them.  He gave them every opportunity to listen to him.  He persistently sent prophets to speak to them but their hearts turned cold.

Don't let your heart grow cold.  Understand who God is, the creator, the author of life and death.  Understand who we are, his creation, created to bring glory to Him.  My prayer is that wherever you are at in your spiritual journey you would start to listen to God.  I don't care what you think about "Christians" or "Church" but I do care that you listen to what God says in Scripture.  I challenge you to open the Bible, seek Him, and he will be found by you.  He is the God of all hope, full of grace, mercy, truth.