Racabites - Set the Bar for Achievement

By Mary Vee
Jeremiah 35

From Jeremiah's Journal

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My name is Jeremiah. I am a prophet, chosen by God to bring His message to the people. 

God wanted to show the Israelites what He expected. 

He told me to invite the Recabite family for a meal. I was to take them to one of the side rooms of the house of the Lord and give them wine to drink.

I left right away and found them living in tents. I invited the whole family, there were quite a few of them, and all were willing to come.

I set bowls full of wine and some cups before the men of the Recabite family and said to them, "Drink some wine."

One of the men, he must have been the oldest, said to me, "We do not drink wine because our forefather Jonadab, son of Recab commanded us to never drink wine. Everyone from our family is to obey this command, and we have. He also told us to never build houses or plant seed or vineyards. We are to live in tents all our days. If we obey his words, he said we would live a long time in the land where we have become nomads."

"We have done everything our ancestor, Jonadab, son of Recab commanded us to do. Neither we nor our wives nor our sons and daughters have ever drunk wine or built houses to live in or had vineyards, fields, or crops. We have lived in tents and have fully obeyed everything our forefather, Jonadab commanded us. 

"When Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon invaded Israel, all our family members gathered together and decided to move here to Jerusalem to escape the invading armies."

After I heard what leaders of the Racabites said, the Lord spoke to me. He told me to go to the men of Judah and the people of Jerusalem and tell them the story of the Racabites. "Ask them if they could learn the lesson I have given and obey my words. The sons of Jonadab ordered his sons not to drink wine and they have kept his command. But I have spoken to you many times, yet you you don't obey me.

"God then said, 'I am going to bring disaster to Judah and everyone living in Jerusalem."

Not longer after I left the men of Judah, God spoke to me again and said to deliver this message to the Recabites. "You have obeyed the command of your forefather, Jonadab, and have followed all his instructions. You have done everything he ordered. Because you have down this--great is your reward. Jonadab, son of Recab will never fail to have a man to serve me.

Now, if only the people of Judah would do the same and obey God's commands.

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1. Jeremiah is a _____________
2. God told him to invite the ___________ family for a meal.
3. The family refused to have ______________
4. Why?
5. God told Jeremiah to tell ____________ this story? Why?
6. As a reward for obeying their ancestor, God told the _________ family ____________.