Wednesday, November
18, 2015, 9:45 p.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “To Be Like Him.” Speak, Lord, your
words to my heart. I read Jeremiah 35:1-16
(NASB).
The
word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the days of Jehoiakim the son of
Josiah, king of Judah, saying, “Go to the house of the Rechabites and speak to
them, and bring them into the house of the Lord, into one of the chambers, and
give them wine to drink.” Then I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, son of
Habazziniah, and his brothers and all his sons and the whole house of the
Rechabites, and I brought them into the house of the Lord, into the chamber of
the sons of Hanan the son of Igdaliah, the man of God, which was near the
chamber of the officials, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of
Shallum, the doorkeeper. Then I set before the men of the house of the
Rechabites pitchers full of wine and cups; and I said to them, “Drink wine!”
But
they said, “We will not drink wine, for Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father,
commanded us, saying, ‘You shall not drink wine, you or your sons, forever. You
shall not build a house, and you shall not sow seed and you shall not plant a
vineyard or own one; but in tents you shall dwell all your days, that you may
live many days in the land where you sojourn.’ We have obeyed the voice of
Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, in all that he commanded us, not to
drink wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons or our daughters, nor to build
ourselves houses to dwell in; and we do not have vineyard or field or seed. We
have only dwelt in tents, and have obeyed and have done according to all that
Jonadab our father commanded us. But when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came
up against the land, we said, ‘Come and let us go to Jerusalem before the army
of the Chaldeans and before the army of the Arameans.’ So we have dwelt in
Jerusalem.”
Then
the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, “Thus says the Lord of hosts,
the God of Israel, ‘Go and say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of
Jerusalem, “Will you not receive instruction by listening to My words?”
declares the Lord. “The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, which he commanded
his sons not to drink wine, are observed. So they do not drink wine to this
day, for they have obeyed their father’s command. But I have spoken to you
again and again; yet you have not listened to Me. Also I have sent to you all
My servants the prophets, sending them again and again, saying: ‘Turn now every
man from his evil way and amend your deeds, and do not go after other gods to
worship them. Then you will dwell in the land which I have given to you and to
your forefathers; but you have not inclined your ear or listened to Me. Indeed,
the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have observed the command of their father
which he commanded them, but this people has not listened to Me.’”’
The Model
The Rechabites belonged to the Kenites who were with the
children of Israel as they entered the Promised Land (Wikipedia). According to
Encyclopedia Britannica, they were an Israelite sect. “They were fervent
followers of Yahweh, the God of Israel.” According to International Standard
Bible Encyclopedia, the Rechabites were a part of the tribe of Kenite who
“joined the Israelites during their wilderness wanderings.” They became
identified with the tribe of Judah. The father of the Rechabites was Jehonadab,
who was a “zealous Yahweh-worshiper.” He was instrumental in the removal of
Baal worship. He led his family into a simple nomadic lifestyle “in order to
guard against the enervating tendencies of sensualism, and as a covenant of
fidelity to Yahweh, to whom they wholly devoted themselves when they joined
themselves with Israel” (bibleencyclopedia.com).
God used the Rechabites as a model for his people to follow,
not necessarily that they should all abstain from wine and live like nomads,
but as a model of fidelity and obedience, and of the honoring of their
“father.” The Rechabites did not drink wine because their forefather Jehonadab
commanded them not to drink wine. They lived in tents because their forefather
commanded them to live in tents. Evidently this continued for about 300 years (Zondervan
NIV Bible Commentary). The people evidently were faithful to God and to their
ancestor(s).
Obey His Words
God/Jesus Christ demands obedience, not sinless perfection, but
that we take up our cross daily (die daily to sin) and follow (obey) him (Lu.
9:23-25). His word teaches us that if we say we have fellowship with God, but
we continue to conduct our lives according to our flesh (walk in darkness), we
are liars (1 Jn. 1:6). Jesus said that his sheep know his voice, he knows them,
and they listen to him, and they follow (obey) him. They have eternal life, and
no one can snatch them out of the hand of God (Jn. 10:4, 27-30). Jesus said
that if anyone keeps (obeys) his word, that he will never see death (Jn. 8:51).
He said that if anyone loves him, he will keep his word (Jn. 14:23-24). John
said the way we know that we have come to know him is if we keep his word (1
Jn. 2:3-6). “Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them” (1 Jn.
3:24). “This is love for God: to obey his commands” (1 Jn. 5:3). James said, “Do
not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says”
(Jas. 1:22). He said, “Faith without deeds is dead” (Jas. 2:26).
Turn from Sin
Jesus said, “I have not come to call the righteous but
sinners to repentance” (Lu. 5:32). He said, “No, I tell you; but unless you
repent, you will all likewise perish” (Lu. 13:3). He said, “This is what is written:
The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance
and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations…” (Lu.
24:46-47). Peter said, “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be
blotted out” (Ac. 3:19). Paul said, “For godly grief produces a repentance that
leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death” (2 Co.
7:10). And, Peter said, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some
count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish,
but that all should reach repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9). This repentance, though
literally meaning a change of mind, is most always seen in scripture in
connection with turning from sin, forsaking idols, and following God in
obedience. Paul’s mission was to open blinded eyes, to turn them from darkness
to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they would receive
forgiveness of sins (Ac. 26:16-18).
Reform Your Actions
The way in which we come to know Christ is by putting off
our old way of living for sin and self, being transformed in heart and mind of
the Spirit of God, and putting on our new lives in Christ, “created to be like
God in true righteousness and holiness” (See: Eph. 4:17-24). Jesus died that we
might die to sin and live to righteousness (1 Pet. 2:24). He died that we might
no longer live for ourselves, but for him who gave himself up for us (2 Co.
5:15). His grace, which brings salvation, teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness
and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives
while we wait for his return (Tit. 2:11-14). We, who are in Christ Jesus by God’s
grace, through faith, died with Christ to sin, so how can we live in it any
longer? Our old self was crucified with Christ so that we would no longer be
slaves to sin, but so we would be servants of his righteousness. When we were
slaves to sin, we were free from the control of righteousness. Thus, we should
count ourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus (Ro. 6:1-23).
Jesus died that the righteous requirements of the law might
be fulfilled in us who walk not according to the flesh but according to the
Spirit. If we persist in conducting our lives according to the flesh, we will
die, but if by the Spirit we put to death the deeds of the flesh, we will live
(Ro. 8:1-14). Because of God’s great mercy to us, we are to present ourselves
to God as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to him, which is our reasonable service
of worship of him. We are to no longer be conformed to the ways of this sinful
world, but we are to be transformed in the renewing of our minds so that we may
give testimony by our lives of God’s good, pleasing and perfect will (Ro.
12:1-2).
No Other Gods
And, we are not to follow other gods to serve them. “Little
children, guard yourselves from idols” (1 Jn. 5:21). An idol can be anything we
give our hearts, devotion, loyalty, passion, time, affection and attention to
over and above God, or in place of God. An idol could be ourselves and our own
selfish desires, entertainment, games, TV, movies, recreation, relaxation,
careers, hobbies, sports, religious activities, people, computers, smart
phones, and the like. It could be food, eating, exercise, our possessions, properties,
houses, and automobiles, our schedules, control over our own lives, and pride, too.
If it takes the place of God in our affections, attention, time and passion, it
is most likely an idol in our lives. Scripture teaches us that we are not to
love (take pleasure in, long for) the world, or the things of the world. If we
love the things of the world, with the kind of love we should have for God,
choosing what the world chooses, instead of what God chooses for us, God’s love
is not in us (1 Jn. 2:15). Do we not know that friendship with the world is
hatred toward God? If we choose to be a friend of this sinful world, we become
an enemy of God (Jas. 4:4).
So, we need to listen to our Lord, hear what he is saying,
and obey him. We died with Christ to sin. How can we live in it any longer?
To Be Like Him /
An Original Work
March 16, 2014 / Based
off Scripture
Crucified you are with Jesus.
To be like Him, oh, you’ll be,
Because He died at Calv’ry,
So from sin you’d be free.
Oh, what joy He brings into your life,
Giving life with Him endlessly.
Oh, what plans He has for your life.
Share the gospel faithfully.
Show the people He loves them.
Now His witness you’ll be.
Tell the world of sin about Jesus,
How He died for them on a tree.
Purifying hearts, He saves them,
Who believe on Christ, God’s Son.
Turning now from their idols,
New lives they have begun.
Jesus saves from sin; we’re forgiven.
Over sin, the vict’ry He won!
When He comes again to take us
To be with Him evermore,
There will be no more crying.
Gladness will be in store.
Heavens joys will now overtake us:
We’ll be with our Lord evermore.
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