Jeremiah Chapter 35 – Commentary and Explanation (Blog Style, Human Tone, Slight Imperfections)
Hey there! So, welcome back again to another long yet hopefully meaningful journey into the book of Jeremiah. Today we gonna look into Chapter 35, which honestly, is not one of those flashy chapters filled with visions or dramatic prophecies, but it still packs a serious punch in terms of lesson and personal conviction. If you're someone who's ever struggled with the idea of obedience—whether to God, your family, or even yourself—then stick around because this chapter might speak louder than a shout through a megaphone.
📜 Setting the Scene – Who Are the Rechabites?
Jeremiah 35 jumps kinda unexpectedly into a story about this group called the Rechabites. Now if you’re like me reading this first time, you might think, “Wait who in the world are these Rechabites?” Well, you ain’t alone. Turns out, these were descendants of a man named Jonadab son of Rechab, who lived a few generations back, during the time of King Jehu of Israel. That’s way back, like 2 Kings 10 kinda back.
Now here’s the thing about Jonadab—he told his descendants, don’t ever drink wine, don’t build houses, don’t sow seed, don’t plant vineyards. Just live in tents. Sounds kinda extreme, right? But these instructions weren’t random. They were rooted in a kind of lifestyle that was supposed to be separate from the temptations and corruption of settled city life. He was trying to keep his descendants spiritually clean and mobile, maybe even humble and dependent on God.
🏠 God Sends Jeremiah with a Strange Task
So fast forward back to Jeremiah 35. God tells Jeremiah to bring the Rechabites into the temple and offer them wine to drink. That’s a bit strange, because God obviously knows they don’t drink. But this was a test. Not a test for the Rechabites, really. It was a lesson for Judah—God wanted to show the contrast between these obedient nomads and His own stubborn people.
Jeremiah does as told. He gets them into the chamber of one of the temple rooms, offers them bowls and cups full of wine, and basically says, “Go ahead, drink.” And here comes the surprising moment—they flat-out refuse.
They don’t flinch. No hesitating. They go, “Nah, sorry, our forefather Jonadab told us not to drink wine, and we obeyed. We don’t drink, don’t build houses, don’t plant seed. That’s just not our way.”
Whoa. That’s bold, right?
💬 Rechabites’ Response – A Lesson in Obedience
This part hits hard because they say it so clear. They didn’t say, “Well it’s not convenient,” or “It’s too old-fashioned now,” or “I think we should modernize our customs.” Nah. They’re like, “This is what our father commanded, and we obeyed.” Simple. No compromise.
And here’s where God jumps in through Jeremiah and makes a BIG contrast. He basically says:
“These Rechabites obeyed the command of their human ancestor. Meanwhile, I’ve been sending prophets again and again, telling you people to repent, to turn from your evil ways, and you haven’t listened at all.”
Can you feel the weight of that comparison? The Rechabites obeyed a man’s voice for centuries. God’s people, on the other hand, wouldn’t obey God’s own voice, even when He pleaded with them again and again.
Ouch. That’s convicting.
📣 A Message for Judah – Obedience Over Ceremony
Let’s be honest for a sec. A lot of times, people (and yep, I’m guilty too) treat God’s commands kinda like suggestions. Like when it fits into our lifestyle, we go “Yes Lord!” but when it doesn’t match our convenience, we’re like “maybe later” or “it’s complicated.” But here’s the lesson God’s pointing out: the Rechabites obeyed without question.
God ain’t using them to shame Judah just for the sake of it. No, He’s showing that faithful obedience is possible. Even hard instructions can be obeyed—if there’s love and commitment.
You see, Judah had the temple, the laws, the sacrifices, and still, they didn’t obey. Meanwhile, this obscure family with no vineyards, no homes, no place to call their own, managed to walk faithfully in the steps of their ancestor.
That’s a huge statement about how outward religion means nothing without heart obedience.
🧍 Let’s Bring This Home – What About Us?
Okay, so enough about them. What about us? What are we supposed to do with this ancient story?
To be real, this chapter makes me look at my own obedience. Am I really following what God has commanded, or am I just picking and choosing what’s convenient? Are we the kind of people who obey only when it’s popular or socially acceptable?
Or do we, like the Rechabites, stick to our principles even when the world says, “Here, take a drink”?
I mean, think about the pressure. You’re brought into the temple, a respected prophet offers you wine, and you’re still like “Nah.” That takes serious integrity.
🌾 The Reward for Obedience – God Honors Them
Here comes the best part though. God doesn’t just use them as an example and move on. Nope. He honors them. In verses 18–19, He says Jonadab’s descendants will never fail to have a man to stand before Me.
That’s incredible. While Judah is about to be destroyed and taken into captivity for their rebellion, the Rechabites get a blessing for their obedience. That’s God showing that He sees every act of faithfulness, even when the world doesn’t.
And it reminds us too—when we choose to obey, even in quiet ways, God notices. Even if the world doesn’t clap for you or give you a trophy, God sees. And that’s what matters most.
⛺ Simplicity and Faith – A Lifestyle Challenge?
Now I don’t think the takeaway here is “go live in tents” (unless God is calling you to that). But there’s something to be said about the simplicity of the Rechabites’ life. They gave up comfort to stay committed. They avoided city life, maybe because they knew the kind of temptations that came with it.
We often fill our lives with so much stuff—houses, tech, careers, status—that sometimes our spiritual focus gets foggy. These folks didn’t even plant vineyards! That’s dedication to staying set apart.
What if we also took a step back and asked, “Are there comforts or habits I’m clinging to that pull me away from obeying God?” That’s a hard question. But this chapter kinda pushes us to wrestle with it.
🔁 God Repeats Himself for a Reason
One thing you’ll notice if you read Jeremiah straight through (which I recommend if you haven’t), is that God repeats Himself a lot. He keeps saying, “Turn from your evil ways,” “Don’t follow other gods,” “Obey my commands.”
It’s not because He forgot He already said it. It’s because we forget to listen. God is patient, and He keeps giving us chance after chance to get it right.
But He also eventually holds people accountable.
Judah ignored God’s voice. They heard it, but they hardened their hearts. Meanwhile, the Rechabites obeyed without needing repeated warnings or signs. They just followed through.
🎯 Final Thoughts – Not Just About Wine
So yeah, this chapter might seem at first like it's all about wine and tents. But it’s way deeper than that.
It’s about obedience, faithfulness, integrity, and honoring your commitments, even when no one’s watching or cheering you on.
The Rechabites didn’t expect a reward. They weren’t doing it for show. They were simply faithful to what was passed down to them. And in return, God gives them a lasting blessing—something far more precious than any vineyard or city.
As we reflect on this chapter, maybe the question we should all ask ourselves is:
“What has God asked me to do that I’ve been putting off?”
Or maybe even:
“Am I being faithful with the little things, the simple instructions?”
🧎♂️ A Simple Prayer Inspired by Jeremiah 35
Lord, help me like recabit. Give me the strength to obey, even if it is impractical. Help me listen to more on your voice than on the noise of the world. I would like to live a life that reads it in a small and great way. Amen.
🤔 Your Turn – Reflect and Share
Have you ever been in a situation in which you had to be in obedience, even if others tried to influence them? Or maybe you feel like a Jew - bend God's voice, but try to obey with all your power. Wherever you are, you are not alone. Leave your thoughts or certificates in the comments (if it is a real blog) or, better, a magazine about it. This chapter may not be bright, but the message is one of the most powerful in Jeremiah.
Thanks for walking through this with me. Come back again for Chapter 36 soon, and let’s keep learning together through God’s Word—one chapter at a time, one imperfect but honest heart at a time.
Peace and grace ✌️
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