How does a legitimate human tradition compare to a tradition of disobedience? Let’s look at Jeremiah 35.
What did the Lord tell Jeremiah to do with the gentile descendants of Rechab?
The word which came to Jeremiah from Yahweh 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 Yahweh’s house, into one of the rooms, and give them wine to drink.” (Jer 35:1-2 WEB)
What did Jeremiah offer the Rechabites after bringing them into a special room of the temple complex?
So I took Jaazaniah, Jeremiah’s son and Habazziniah’s grandson, and his brothers and all his sons, and the whole Rechabite family. I brought them to the room in the Lord’s temple assigned to the sons of Hanan, Igdaliah’s son, the man of God. The room was next to the one used by the chief officers and right above the room of Maaseiah, Shallum’s son, the temple doorkeeper. Then I set bowls full of wine before the Rechabites, along with several cups, and I said to them, “Have some.” (Jer 35:3-5 CEB)
Though Jews were permitted to drink wine in moderation, what had Jonadab son of Rechab set as clan rules?
But they answered: No! The ancestor of our clan, Jonadab son of Rechab, made a rule that we must obey. He said, “Don't ever drink wine or build houses or plant crops and vineyards. Instead, you must always live in tents and move from place to place. If you obey this command, you will live a long time.” Our clan has always obeyed Jonadab's command. To this very day, we and our wives and sons and daughters don't drink wine or build houses or plant vineyards or crops. And we have lived in tents, except now we have to live inside Jerusalem because Nebuchadnezzar has taken over the countryside with his army from Babylonia and Syria. (Jer 35:6-11 CEV)
Did God compare honoring a clan rule to a nation that disobeys God’s rules?
Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Go and say to the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will you not receive instruction and listen to my words? declares the Lord. The command that Jonadab the son of Rechab gave to his sons, to drink no wine, has been kept, and they drink none to this day, for they have obeyed their father's command. I have spoken to you persistently, but you have not listened to me. I have sent to you all my servants the prophets, sending them persistently, saying, ‘Turn now every one of you from his evil way, and amend your deeds, and do not go after other gods to serve them, and then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to you and your fathers.’ But you did not incline your ear or listen to me. The sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have kept the command that their father gave them, but this people has not obeyed me. (Jer 35:12-16 ESV)
What did God say would happen to Judah for disobeying and ignoring Him?
Therefore, this is what the Lord, the God of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: I will certainly bring to Judah and to all the residents of Jerusalem all the disaster I have pronounced against them because I have spoken to them, but they have not obeyed, and I have called to them, but they would not answer.” (Jer 35:17 HCSB)
Because the Rechabites honored a clan rule from their father Jonadab, what blessing did God promise them?
And Jeremiah said unto the house of the Rechabites, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according unto all that he hath commanded you: Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me for ever. (Jer 35:18-19 KJV)
Is there a difference between a legitimate tradition and a tradition that sets aside the commandment of God?
Leaving the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men.” And He was also saying to them, “You are good at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition.” (Mark 7:8-9 LSB)
How does a legitimate human tradition compare to a tradition of disobedience? You decide!
