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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1712)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>J E R E M I A H.</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. XXXV.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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</CENTER>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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A variety of methods is tried, and every stone turned, to awaken the
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Jews to a sense of their sin and to bring them to repentance and
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reformation. The scope and tendency of many of the prophet's sermons
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was to frighten them out of their disobedience, by setting before them
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what would be the end thereof if they persisted in it. The scope of
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this sermon, in this chapter, is to shame them out of their
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disobedience if they had any sense of honour left in them for a
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discourse of this nature to fasten upon.
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I. He sets before them the obedience of the family of the Rechabites to
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the commands which were left them by Jonadab their ancestor, and how
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they persevered in that obedience and would not be tempted from it,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+35:1-11">ver. 1-11</A>.
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II. With this he aggravates the disobedience of the Jews to God and
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their contempt of his precepts,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+35:12-15">ver. 12-15</A>.
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III. He foretels the judgments of God upon the Jews for their impious
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disobedience to God,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+35:16,17">ver. 16, 17</A>.
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IV. He assures the Rechabites of the blessing of God upon them for
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their pious obedience to their father,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+35:18,19">ver. 18, 19</A>.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="Jer35_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jer35_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jer35_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jer35_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jer35_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jer35_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jer35_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jer35_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jer35_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jer35_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jer35_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Case of the Rechabites.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 607.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 The word which came unto Jeremiah from the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> in the days
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of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying,
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2 Go unto the house of the Rechabites, and speak unto them, and
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bring them into the house of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, into one of the chambers,
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and give them wine to drink.
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3 Then I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, the son of
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Habaziniah, and his brethren, and all his sons, and the whole
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house of the Rechabites;
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4 And I brought them into the house of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, into the
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chamber of the sons of Hanan, the son of Igdaliah, a man of God,
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which <I>was</I> by the chamber of the princes, which <I>was</I> above the
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chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the keeper of the door:
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5 And I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites pots
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full of wine, and cups, and I said unto them, Drink ye wine.
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6 But they said, We will drink no wine: for Jonadab the son of
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Rechab our father commanded us, saying, Ye shall drink no wine,
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<I>neither ye,</I> nor your sons for ever:
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7 Neither shall ye build house, nor sow seed, nor plant
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vineyard, nor have <I>any:</I> but all your days ye shall dwell in
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tents; that ye may live many days in the land where ye <I>be</I>
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strangers.
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8 Thus have we obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab
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our father in all that he hath charged us, to drink no wine all
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our days, we, our wives, our sons, nor our daughters;
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9 Nor to build houses for us to dwell in: neither have we
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vineyard, nor field, nor seed:
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10 But we have dwelt in tents, and have obeyed, and done
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according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us.
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11 But it came to pass, when Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon
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came up into the land, that we said, Come, and let us go to
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Jerusalem for fear of the army of the Chaldeans, and for fear of
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the army of the Syrians: so we dwell at Jerusalem.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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This chapter is of an earlier date than many of those before; for what
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is contained in it was said and done <I>in the days of Jehoiakim</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+35:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>);
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but then it must be in the latter part of his reign, for it was after
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the king of Babylon with his army <I>came up into the land</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+35:11"><I>v.</I> 11</A>),
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which seems to refer to the invasion mentioned
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+24:2">2 Kings xxiv. 2</A>,
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which was upon occasion of Jehoiakim's rebelling against
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Nebuchadnezzar. After the judgments of God had broken in upon this
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rebellious people he continued to deal with them by his prophets to
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turn them from sin, that his wrath might turn away from the. For this
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purpose Jeremiah sets before them the example of the Rechabites, a
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family that kept distinct by themselves and were no more numbered with
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the families of Israel than they with the nations. They were originally
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Kenites, as appears
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+2:55">1 Chron. ii. 55</A>,
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<I>These are the Kenites that came out of Hemath, the father of the
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house of Rechab.</I> The Kenites, at least those of them that gained a
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settlement in the land of Israel, were of the posterity of Hobab,
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Moses's father-in-law,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jdg+1:16">Judg. i. 16</A>.
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We find them separated from the Amalekites,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+15:6">1 Sam. xv. 6</A>.
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See
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jdg+4:17">Judg. iv. 17</A>.
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One family of these Kenites had their denomination from Rechab. His
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son, or a lineal descendant from him, was Jonadab, a man famous in his
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time for wisdom and piety. He flourished in the days of Jehu, king of
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Israel, nearly 300 years before this; for there we find him courted by
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that rising prince, when he affected to appear zealous for God
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+10:15,16">2 Kings x. 15, 16</A>),
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which he thought nothing more likely to confirm people in the opinion
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of than to have so good a man as Jonadab ride in the chariot with him.
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Now here we are told,</P>
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<P>
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I. What the rules of living were which Jonadab, probably by his last
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will and testament, in writing, and duly executed, charged his
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children, and his posterity after him throughout all generations,
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religiously to observe; and we have reason to think that they were such
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as he himself had all his days observed.</P>
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<P>
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1. They were comprised in two remarkable precepts:--
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(1.) He forbade them to <I>drink wine,</I> according to the law of the
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Nazarites. Wine is indeed given to <I>make glad the heart</I> of man
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and we are allowed the sober and moderate use of it; but we are so apt
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to abuse it and get hurt by it, and a good man, who has his heart made
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continually glad with the <I>light of God's countenance,</I> has so
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little need of it for that purpose
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+4:6,7">Ps. iv. 6, 7</A>),
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that it is a commendable piece of self-denial either not to use it at
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all or very sparingly and medicinally, as Timothy used it,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ti+5:23">1 Tim. v. 23</A>.
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(2.) He appointed them to <I>dwell in tents,</I> and not to build
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houses, nor purchase lands, nor rent or occupy either,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+35:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>.
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This was an instance of strictness and mortification beyond what the
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Nazarenes were obliged to. Tents were mean dwellings, so that this
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would teach them to be humble; they were cold dwellings, so that this
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would teach them to be hardy and not to indulge the body; they were
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movable dwellings, so that this would teach them not to think of
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settling or taking root any where in this world. They must dwell in
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tents <I>all their days.</I> They must from the beginning thus accustom
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themselves to endure hardness, and then it would be no difficulty to
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them, no, not under the decays of old age. Now,</P>
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<P>
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2. Why did Jonadab prescribe these rules of living to his posterity? It
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was not merely to show his authority, and to exercise a dominion over
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them, by imposing upon them what he thought fit; but it was to show his
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wisdom, and the real concern he had for their welfare, by recommending
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to them what he knew would be beneficial to them, yet not tying them by
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any oath or vow, or under any penalty, to observe these rules, but only
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advising them to conform to this discipline as far as they found it for
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edification, yet to be dispensed with in any case of necessity, as
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here,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+35:11"><I>v.</I> 11</A>.
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He prescribed these rules to them,
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(1.) That they might preserve the ancient character of their family,
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which, however looked upon by some with contempt, he thought its real
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reputation. His ancestors had addicted themselves to a pastoral life
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+2:16">Exod. ii. 16</A>),
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and he would have his posterity keep to it, and not degenerate from it,
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as Israel had done, who originally were shepherds and dwelt in tents,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+46:34">Gen. xlvi. 34</A>.
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Note, We ought not to be ashamed of the honest employments of our
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ancestors, though they were but mean.
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(2.) That they might comport with their lot and bring their mind to
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their condition. Moses had put them in hopes that they should be
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naturalized
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+10:32">Num. x. 32</A>);
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but, it seems they were not; they were still <I>strangers in the
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land</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+35:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>),
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had no inheritance in it, and therefore must live by their employments,
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which was a good reason why they should accustom themselves to hard
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fare and hard lodging; for strangers, such as they were, must not
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expect to live as the landed men, so plentifully and delicately. Note,
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It is our wisdom and duty to accommodate ourselves to our place and
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rank, and not aim to live above it. What has been the lot of our
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fathers why may we not be content that it should be our lot, and live
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according to it? <I>Mind not high things.</I>
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(3.) That they might not be envied and disturbed by their neighbours
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among whom they lived. If they that were strangers should live great,
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raise estates, and fare sumptuously, the natives would grudge them
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their abundance, and have a jealous eye upon them, as the Philistines
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had upon Isaac
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+26:14">Gen. xxvi. 14</A>),
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and would seek occasions to quarrel with them and do them a mischief;
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therefore he thought it would be their prudence to keep low, for that
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would be the way to continue long-to live meanly, that they might
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<I>live many days in the land where they were strangers.</I> Note,
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Humility and contentment in obscurity are often the best policy and
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men's surest protection.
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(4.) That they might be armed against temptations to luxury and
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sensuality, the prevailing sin of the age and place they lived in.
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Jonadab saw a general corruption of manners; the drunkards of Ephraim
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abounded, and he was afraid lest his children should be debauched and
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ruined by them; and therefore he obliged them to live by themselves,
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retired in the country; and, that they might not run into any unlawful
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pleasures, to deny themselves the use even of lawful delights. They
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must be very sober, and temperate, and abstemious, which would
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contribute to the health both of mind and body, and to their living
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many days, and easy ones, and such as they might reflect upon with
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comfort <I>in the land where they were strangers.</I> Note, The
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consideration of this, that we are strangers and pilgrims, should
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oblige us to abstain from all fleshly lusts, to live above the things
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of sense, and look upon them with a generous and gracious contempt.
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(5.) That they might be prepared for times of trouble and calamity.
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Jonadab might, without a spirit of prophecy, foresee the destruction of
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a people so wretchedly degenerated, and he would have his family
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provide, that, if they could not <I>in the peace thereof,</I> yet even
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in the midst of the troubles thereof, <I>they might have peace.</I> Let
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them therefore have little to lose, and then losing times would be the
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less dreadful to them: let them sit loose to what they had, and then
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they might with less pain be stripped of it. Note, Those are in the
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best frame to meet sufferings who are mortified to the world and life a
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life of self-denial.
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(6.) That in general they might learn to live by rule and under
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discipline. It is good for us all to do so, and to teach our children
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to do so. Those that have lived long, as Jonadab probably had done
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when he left this charge to his posterity, can speak by experience of
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the vanity of the world and the dangerous snares that are in the
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abundance of its wealth and pleasures, and therefore ought to be
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regarded when they warn those that come after them to stand upon their
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guard.</P>
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<P>
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II. How strictly his posterity observed these rules,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+35:8-10"><I>v.</I> 8-10</A>.
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They had in their respective generations all of them <I>obeyed the
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voice of Jonadab their father,</I> had <I>done according to all that he
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commanded them.</I> They <I>drank no wine,</I> though they dwelt in a
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country where was plenty of it; their wives and children drank no wine,
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for those that are temperate themselves should take care that all under
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their charge should be so too. They built no houses, tilled no ground,
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but lived upon the products of their cattle. This they did partly in
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obedience to their ancestor, and out of a veneration they had for his
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name and authority, and partly from the experience they themselves had
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of the benefit of living such a mortified life. See the force of
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tradition, and the influence that antiquity, example, and great names,
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have upon men, and how that which seems very difficult will by long
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usage and custom become easy and in a manner natural. Now,
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1. As to one of the particulars he had given them in charge, we are
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here told how in a case of necessity they dispensed with the violation
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of it
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+35:11"><I>v.</I> 11</A>):
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<I>When the king of Babylon came into the land</I> with his army,
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though they had hitherto dwelt in tents, they now quitted their tents,
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and came and dwelt in Jerusalem, and in such houses as they could
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furnish themselves with there. Note, The rules of a strict discipline
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must not be made too strict, but so as to admit of a dispensation when
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the necessity of a case calls for it, which therefore, in making vows
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of that nature, it is wisdom to provide expressly for, that the way may
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be made the more clear, and we may not afterwards be forced to say,
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<I>It was an error,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ec+5:6">Eccles. v. 6</A>.
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Commands of that nature are to be understood with such limitations.
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These Rechabites would have tempted God, and not trusted him, if they
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had not used proper means for their own safety in a time of common
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calamity, notwithstanding the law and custom of their family.
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2. As to the other particular, we are here told how, notwithstanding
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the greatest urgency, they religiously adhered to it. Jeremiah took
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them into the temple
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+35:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>),
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into a <I>prophet's chamber,</I> there, rather than into the <I>chamber
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of the princes,</I> that joined to it, because he had a message from
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God, which would look more like itself when it was delivered in the
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<I>chambers of a man of God.</I> There he not only asked the Rechabites
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whether they would drink any wine, but he set <I>pots full of wine
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before them,</I> and cups to drink out of, made the temptation as
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strong as possible, and said, "<I>Drink you wine,</I> you shall have it
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on free cost. You have broken one of the rules of your order, in coming
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to live at Jerusalem; why may you not break this too, and when you are
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in the city do as they there do?" But they peremptorily refused. They
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all agreed in the refusal. "No, <I>we will drink no wine;</I> for with
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us it is against the law." The prophet knew very well they would deny
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it, and, when they did, urged it no further, for he saw they were
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stedfastly resolved. Note, Those temptations are of no force with men
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of confirmed sobriety which yet daily overcome such as, notwithstanding
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their convictions, are of no resolution in the paths of virtue.</P>
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<A NAME="Jer35_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jer35_13"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jer35_14"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jer35_15"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jer35_16"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jer35_17"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jer35_18"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jer35_19"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec2"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>Case of the Rechabites Applied.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 607.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>12 Then came the word of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> unto Jeremiah, saying,
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13 Thus saith the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> of hosts, the God of Israel; Go and tell
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the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will ye not
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receive instruction to hearken to my words? saith the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>.
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14 The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded
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his sons not to drink wine, are performed; for unto this day they
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drink none, but obey their father's commandment: notwithstanding
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I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye
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hearkened not unto me.
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15 I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets,
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rising up early and sending <I>them,</I> saying, Return ye now every
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man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after
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other gods to serve them, and ye shall dwell in the land which I
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have given to you and to your fathers: but ye have not inclined
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your ear, nor hearkened unto me.
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16 Because the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have performed
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the commandment of their father, which he commanded them; but
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this people hath not hearkened unto me:
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17 Therefore thus saith the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> God of hosts, the God of
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Israel; Behold, I will bring upon Judah and upon all the
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inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced
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against them: because I have spoken unto them, but they have not
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heard; and I have called unto them, but they have not answered.
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18 And Jeremiah said unto the house of the Rechabites, Thus
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saith the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> of hosts, the God of Israel; Because ye have
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obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his
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precepts, and done according unto all that he hath commanded you:
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19 Therefore thus saith the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> of hosts, the God of Israel;
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Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me
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for ever.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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The trial of the Rechabites' constancy was intended but for a sign; now
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here we have the application of it.</P>
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<P>
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I. The Rechabites' observance of their father's charge to them is made
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use of as an aggravation of the disobedience of the Jews to God. Let
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them see it and be ashamed. The prophet asks them, in God's name,
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"<I>Will you not</I> at length <I>receive instruction?</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+35:13"><I>v.</I> 13</A>.
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Will nothing affect you? Will nothing fasten upon you? Will nothing
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prevail to discover sin and duty to you? You see how obedient the
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Rechabites are to their father's commandment
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+35:14"><I>v.</I> 14</A>);
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but <I>you have not inclined your ear to me</I>"
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+35:15"><I>v.</I> 15</A>),
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though one might much more reasonably expect that the people of God
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|
should have obeyed him than that the sons of Jonadab should have obeyed
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|
him; and the aggravation is very high, for,
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|
1. The Rechabites were obedient to one who was but a man like
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|
themselves, who had but the wisdom and power of a man, and was only the
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|
father of their flesh; but the Jews were disobedient to an infinite and
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|
eternal God, who had an absolute authority over them, as the Father of
|
|
their spirits.
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2. Jonadab was long since dead, and was ignorant of them, and could
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neither take cognizance of their disobedience to his orders nor give
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correction for it; but God lives for ever, to see how his laws are
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observed, and is in a readiness to revenge all disobedience.
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3. The Rechabites were never put in mind of their obligations to their
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|
father; but God often sent his prophets to his people, to put them in
|
|
mind of their duty to him, and yet they would not do it. This is
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|
insisted on here as a great aggravation of their disobedience: "<I>I
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|
have</I> myself <I>spoken to you, rising early and speaking</I> by the
|
|
written word and the dictates and admonitions of conscience
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+35:14"><I>v.</I> 14</A>);
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nay, <I>I have sent unto you all my servants the prophets,</I> men like
|
|
yourselves, whose terrors shall not make you afraid, <I>rising up early
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|
and sending them</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+35:15"><I>v.</I> 15</A>),
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|
and yet all in vain."
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|
4. Jonadab never did that for his seed which God had done for his
|
|
people. He left them a charge, but left them no estate to bear the
|
|
charge; but God had given his people a <I>good land,</I> and promised
|
|
them that, if they would be obedient, they should still dwell in it, so
|
|
that they were bound both in gratitude and interest to be obedient, and
|
|
yet they <I>would not hear,</I> they would not <I>hearken.</I>
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|
|
|
5. God did not tie up his people to so much hardship, and to such
|
|
instances of mortification, as Jonadab obliged his seed to; and yet
|
|
Jonadab's orders were obeyed and God's were not.</P>
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|
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<P>
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|
|
|
II. Judgments are threatened, as often before, against Judah and
|
|
Jerusalem, for their disobedience thus aggravated. The Rechabites shall
|
|
rise up in judgment against them, and shall condemn them; for they very
|
|
punctually <I>performed the commandment of their father,</I> and
|
|
continued and persevered in their obedience to it
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+35:16"><I>v.</I> 16</A>);
|
|
|
|
but <I>this people,</I> this rebellious and gainsaying people, <I>have
|
|
not hearkened unto me;</I> and therefore
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+35:17"><I>v.</I> 17</A>),
|
|
|
|
because they have not obeyed the precepts of the word, God will perform
|
|
the threatenings of it: "<I>I will bring upon them,</I> by the Chaldean
|
|
army, <I>all the evil pronounced against them</I> both in the law and
|
|
in the prophets, for <I>I have spoken to them, I have called to
|
|
them</I>--spoken in a still small voice to those that were near and
|
|
called aloud to those that were at a distance, tried all ways and means
|
|
to convince and reduce them--spoken by my word, called by my
|
|
providence, both to the same purport, and yet all to no purpose; they
|
|
have not <I>heard</I> nor <I>answered.</I>"</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
III. Mercy is here promised to the family of the Rechabites for their
|
|
steady and unanimous adherence to the laws of their house. Though it
|
|
was only for the shaming of Israel that their constancy was tried, yet,
|
|
being unshaken, it was <I>found unto praise, and honour, and glory;</I>
|
|
and God takes occasion from it to tell them that he had favours in
|
|
reserve for them
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+35:18,19"><I>v.</I> 18, 19</A>)
|
|
|
|
and that they should have the comfort of them.
|
|
|
|
1. That the family shall continue as long as any of the families of
|
|
Israel, among whom they were strangers and sojourners. it shall
|
|
<I>never want a man</I> to inherit what they had, though they had no
|
|
inheritance to leave. Note, Sometimes those that have the smallest
|
|
estates have the most numerous progeny; but he that sends mouths will
|
|
be sure to send meat.
|
|
|
|
2. That religion shall continue in the family: "<I>He shall not want a
|
|
man to stand before me,</I> to serve me." Though they are neither
|
|
priests nor levites, nor appear to have had any post in the temple
|
|
service, yet in a constant course of regular devotion, they stand
|
|
before God, to minister to him. Note,
|
|
|
|
(1.) The greatest blessing that can be entailed upon a family is to
|
|
have the worship of God kept up in it from generation to generation.
|
|
|
|
(2.) Temperance, self-denial, and mortification to the world, do very
|
|
much befriend the exercises of piety, and help to transmit the
|
|
observance of them to posterity. The more dead we are to the delights
|
|
of sense the better we are disposed for the service of God; but nothing
|
|
is more fatal to the entail of religion in a family than pride and
|
|
luxury.</P>
|
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<!-- (End Body) -->
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