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From Splendor to Shadow

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Chapter 35—Judah's Amazing Stubbornness

The first years of Jehoiakim's reign were filled with warnings of approaching doom. All unexpectedly a new world power, the Babylonian empire, was rising to the eastward and swiftly overshadowing Assyria, Egypt, and all other nations. SS 220.1

The king of Babylon was to be the instrument of God's wrath on impenitent Judah. Again and again Jerusalem was to be entered by the armies of Nebuchadnezzar. Tens of thousands were to be taken captive in enforced exile. Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah were in turn to become vassals of the Babylonian ruler, and all in turn were to rebel. Severe chastisements were to be inflicted on the rebellious nation, until at last Jerusalem would be burned, the temple Solomon built destroyed, and Judah fall, never again to occupy its former position among the nations. SS 220.2

Those times of change were marked with many messages from Heaven through Jeremiah. The Lord gave the children of Judah ample opportunity of freeing themselves from alliances with Egypt and of avoiding controversy with Babylon. Jeremiah taught the people by acted parables, hoping to arouse them to a sense of obligation to God and to encourage them to maintain friendly relations with the Babylonian government. SS 220.3

To illustrate the importance of obedience to God, Jeremiah gathered some Rechabites into the temple and set wine before them. As expected, he met with absolute refusal: “We will drink no wine: for Jonadab the son of Rechab our father commanded us, saying, Ye shall drink no wine, neither ye, nor your sons forever.” “Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, ... The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are performed; for unto this day they drink none, but obey their father's commandment.” Jeremiah 35:6, 12-14. But the men of Judah had hearkened not to the words of the Lord and were about to suffer severe judgments. SS 220.4

The Lord declared, “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 doings, and do not go after other gods to serve them, and then you shall dwell in the land which I gave to you and your fathers.’ But you did not incline your ear or listen to Me.” “Therefore, ... I am bringing on Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced against them.” Verses 15, 17, RSV. SS 221.1

When men turn from admonition until their hearts become hardened, the Lord permits them to be led by other influences. Refusing the truth, they accept falsehood to their own destruction. The Chaldeans were to be the instrument by which God would chastise His disobedient people. Their sufferings were to be in proportion to the light they had despised and rejected. God now would visit His displeasure on them as a last effort to check their evil course. SS 221.2

Upon the Rechabites was pronounced a continued blessing: “Because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, ... Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before Me forever.” Verses 18, 19. The lesson is for us. If the requirements of a wise father, who took the most effectual means to secure his posterity against the evils of intemperance, were worthy of strict obedience, surely God's authority should be held in much greater reverence! By His servants He predicts the dangers of disobedience; He sounds the warning and reproves sin. His people are kept in prosperity only by His mercy, through the vigilant watchcare of chosen instrumentalities. He cannot uphold a people who reject His counsel. SS 221.3