Old Testament reading: Jeremiah 34-35
The faithful sons of Rechab. Though there is previous testimony concerning Jonadab, the son of Rechab (cf 2 Kings 10:15, 23), the holiness and fidelity of this righteous family is revealed in Jeremiah 35. The sons of Rechab had taken to heart the command of their father not to drink any wine, nor anything from the vineyard, neither to plant a vineyard for themselves. At God’s command, Jeremiah encouraged them to drink wine from bowls set before them, but they would not be persuaded nor would they violate the command of their father. In His omniscience, God knew they would not defile themselves. Thus, He held them up as examples of fidelity to the command of their father and contrasted them with the inhabitants of Jerusalem and Judah, who had not heeded the voice of their father. Moreover, Jeremiah pronounced a blessing upon the sons of Rechab, namely, that they and their posterity would not be cut off in the impending destruction of Jerusalem. A lesson for us is seen in how our own commitment to God can bless our families for generations to come.
New Testament reading: Luke 8-9
“She had nowhere else to turn.” As Jesus made his way to Jairus’ house to heal his daughter, a woman with “a flow of blood for twelve years” approached Jesus simply to touch the hem of His garment that she might be healed (Mark 5:28). Luke records that she had spent everything she had on physicians who not only did her no good, but Mark’s account said she “suffered” at their hands. For a list of the rabbinic “cures” she likely endured, see Adam Clarke on Mark 5:26. Being ceremonially unclean (Lev 15:25ff), she approached Jesus under the cloak of the crowd, hoping to receive her blessing in anonymity. Such would not be the result. Perceiving that power had gone out from Him, Jesus called for her to be identified, referring to her with the tender title of “daughter.” In similar fashion, many seek to rid themselves of the guilt of sin, searching high and low, leaving no stone unturned except for one, the Rock of Ages. Jesus is the only source for the healing of sin, and He has set forth the prescription in the preaching of the gospel (Rom 1:16; Mark 16:15-16).
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