LESSONS FROM THE TENTS OF THE RECHABITES PART 1: WHEN GOD CALLS FOR AN EXAMPLE

LESSONS FROM THE TENTS OF THE RECHABITES
PART 1 — WHEN GOD CALLS FOR AN EXAMPLE

Jeremiah 35:1–2 (KJV)

“The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying,

Go unto the house of the Rechabites, and speak unto them, and bring them into the house of the LORD…”

Not every correction comes as rebuke. Sometimes, God corrects a people by pointing to another people.

In Jeremiah 35, Judah is deep in rebellion, idolatry, and spiritual fatigue. Yet God does not begin with thunder. He begins with contrast.

He tells Jeremiah:

“Go to the house of the Rechabites.”

God chooses a living illustration.

Scriptural Focus

“The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD…” (v.1)

This story begins with God speaking. Judgment is never God’s first language — instruction is.

Spiritual Dimension

God speaks before He strikes. Silence from God is more dangerous than correction.

“…in the days of Jehoiakim king of Judah…”

This was a season of moral decay and spiritual compromise.

Social & National Dimension

Leadership failure often reveals itself in generational disobedience.

When leaders ignore God, the nation drifts.

God’s Strategy: Use An Example

“Go unto the house of the Rechabites…” (v.2)

God does not call prophets first. He calls obedient people. The Rechabites were not priests.

Not kings.

Not prophets.

Yet God elevated their obedience as His sermon.

Spiritual Lesson

God values obedience more than position.

Why An Example Matters

Examples do three things:

They expose rebellion without argument.

They teach without shouting.

They convict without condemning.

Judah could argue with Jeremiah — but they couldn’t argue with the lifestyle of the Rechabites.

Emotional Dimension

A consistent life carries authority that words cannot replace.

Brought Into The House Of The Lord

“…bring them into the house of the LORD…”

God brings the Rechabites into sacred space.

This was not a trap — it was revelation.

Spiritual & Moral Lesson

True conviction survives holy environments and public exposure.

Balanced Life Applications

Spiritually

God still uses people as messages. Obedience attracts divine attention.

Emotionally

Convictions give emotional stability. Discipline reduces inner conflict.

Physically

Order produces health. Self-control protects the body.

Materially

Obedience is greater than accumulation. Simplicity preserves focus.

Socially

Your life is speaking, even when your mouth is quiet. Society learns more from models than from critics.

Key Truth (Central Statement)

Before God corrects a generation, He raises an example within it.

Reflection Questions

If God needed an example today, would He choose my life?

What habits am I practicing that silently teach others?

Does my lifestyle agree with my confession?

Verse for the Day

“Go unto the house of the Rechabites…”

— Jeremiah 35:2 (KJV)

Prayer

Lord, help me to hear Your word before You correct my ways. Let my life reflect obedience, not noise. Make me an example that honors You, even when no one is watching. Amen.

Looking Ahead

In the next message, we step closer to the tension: Wine on the Table. Cups Filled. A Choice to Make.

PART 2: Wine on the Table — The Test of Discipline

📖 Jeremiah 35:3–5

Do not ignore the quiet instructions God is giving you.

Examine your life this week:

Where has obedience been delayed?

What habits are silently teaching others?

If this word challenged you, let it shape you.

If it spoke to you, let it speak through you.

Share this message with someone who needs clarity and direction.

God is still speaking. Are you listening?

Prince Julius Nenebi-Darkson

(EL-PJ God’s Penman)