Welcome to the assembly of the Vegas Drive Church of Christ Please silence electronic devices

AHAZ AND THE RECHABITES THINGS WRITTEN FOR OUR INSTRUCTION Romans 15:4

Things Written For Our Instruction  Romans 15:4 tells us that events recorded in the Old Testament were written for our instruction, so there are valuable lessons to learn from O.T. characters  This is a lesson in contrasts: a king who resisted God contrasted against a tribe that obeyed commands  Purpose: to show the folly of manmade worship innovations and the wisdom of holding fast to Bible commands  You’ve heard this sermon before, but you’ve heard the version that used Nadab and Abihu as the fools who deviated from God’s pattern and Noah as the righteous man who followed the divine pattern

Ahaz and the Rechabites  Who was Ahaz, what did he do, and what about him is written for our instruction?  Who were the Rechabites, what did they do, and what about them is written for our instruction?  Ahaz was a king of Judah before the Assyrians invaded Israel  The Rechabites in today’s lesson were tested 250 years later when Jeremiah prophesied in Jerusalem of the Babylonian invasion of Judah  Let’s take a closer look…

Ahaz’s Errors  2 Kings 16:1-6 – Ahaz was wicked  Isaiah 7:1-9 – Israel and Aram war against Jerusalem, but God tells Ahaz not to fear  2 Kings 16:7-9 – Ahaz rejected God’s offer and instead hired the Assyrians for defense  2 Kings 16:10-11 – Ahaz wants an altar like the one in Damascus to worship their gods (2 Chronicles 28:23)  2 Kings 16:12-16 – Ahaz and Urijah the priest use the duplicate altar for worship  Result: he provoked God to anger

The Rechabites’ Righteousness  Who were the Rechabites?  Hobab(Jethro) the Kenite (priest of Midian) was Moses’ father-in-law (Judges 1:16); Moses invited his family to join them in the Promised Land (Numbers 10:29-32). Occupied the wilderness of Judah.  Midianites opposed Baal-worship and believed in One God, but they were not subject to the Law of Moses  Rechab was a Kenite and his family members were scribes (1 Chron. 2:55). His descendants were Rechabites.  Rechab’s son, Jehonadab, joined Jehu in defeating wicked Ahab and Baal-worshippers (2 Kings 10:15-17)

The Rechabites’ Righteousness  Jehonadab (Jonadab), as head of the Rechabite tribe, commanded a nomadic lifestyle of his people: they became tent- dwellers, did not farm, did not drink wine  250 years later, when the Babylonians invaded, the Rechabites fled to Jerusalem  God then used the Rechabites as an example to the Judeans as people who obeyed  Read Jeremiah 35  They set a fine example of unquestioning, uncompromising adherence to a command

Written For Our Instruction  Ahaz shows us wicked qualities  Lack of faith in God’s offer to deliver  Coveting the religious items of idolaters  Substituting a manmade innovation in place of something designed by God  The Rechabites show us Godly qualities  They were committed to the command, even when circumstances changed  They were unashamed of obeying the command, even though their unique lifestyle made them stand out  They were meticulous in strictly observing the command, carefully keeping all aspects of it

Written For Our Instruction  Phil. 3:7 “Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.”  2 Tim. 1:13 “Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me”  1 Thess. 2:14 “For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea”  1 Cor. 4:6 “…learn not to exceed what is written”  1 Cor. 4:17 “…remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church.”  1 Cor. 10:21 “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.”

Written For Our Instruction  Let us remember the folly of desiring to change how we worship God using man-made ideas (such as instrumental music)  Let us remember that we cannot mix our adherence to God’s commands with idolatry and man-made worship  Let us remember that God has given a pattern in the New Testament for how the local church is to be organized, how it functions, and what it teaches.  Let us remember that God has given a pattern in the New Testament for how individuals are supposed to live in a way that pleases God  Let us remember the lessons of Bible characters…these things were written for our instruction.