This verse, like all the others, has a modern day lesson for every one of us. The words get straight to the point - God spoke but someone didn't listen.
God told Jeremiah to go get a certain family, the Rechabites, bring them to the temple and offer them wine. So he did. But they refused the wine because an ancestor told them to never drink wine, own vineyards or live in a house. They made their homes tents instead...all because an ancestor left that instruction for them. They took his commands seriously.
Based on the culture, I think everyone in Jerusalem knew these people and that they abstained. I cant help but believe Jeremiah knew they would say "no" to the wine but made the choice to obey God, to let God have His way and make His point. And I bet God's words about them afterwards were not what Jeremiah was expecting. We cannot predict God or His ways because He is so vast! He is a beautiful and faithful mystery, worthy of following!
Obeying God is a litmus test for how much of our hearts we've truly given Him. Its's also a path to freedom. In the history of Israel, God often promises them that if they make Him their God, obeying Him, He will protect them from being besieged by other nations. I see this as a picture symbolizing the freedom He provides for each of us individually. We can either have our hearts besieged by the enemy or set free in Jesus. There is no middle ground. There is no such thing as standing on our own two feet. Therefore, it makes sense that He gives us over to the bondage we seek after when we refuse to listen. He isn't going to force His way on us because true love offers a choice.
It's easy for us to take things we've learned in life and consider them truths, even when the these things contradict scripture. It's easy for us to justify disobeying God by claiming His instruction will bring us trouble, harm or makes no sense to us. It is easy to let our fears keep us from doing what He tells us to do. But any reason not to obey Him is a barrier that keeps us from giving Him our whole heart. His ways are always best for us. They stretch us and grow us, they dispel our fears and make us wiser. The only way we're ever going to know He is faithful is to step out and obey and let Him do with it what He will.
He loves us. He doesn't want to hurt us. But hurting us isn't the same in His eyes as it is in ours. It's like the difference between what we allow for our kids based on their health, emotional and intellectual needs. They may think we are hurting them by taking them for shots or making them do things they don't like, but in reality we are loving them by doing what is best for them.
He speaks to all of us who believe in Him, whether we believe that or not. The test is, are we willing to listen, weight and test whether it is Him or not. Are we willing to give Him our whole heart and give up everything else in it if necessary? Are we willing to be uncomfortable? Are we willing to have our believe systems challenged and changed - all because He said so? When we do, we reap more rewards than we can weigh. We become more and more of His, and realize how safe we really are in His care.
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