“Because of this, thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Jonadab the son of Rechab shall never lack a man to stand before me.” Jeremiah 35:19

Let’s read together Jeremiah 35:6-10; 18-19 – Matthew 10:16

We were on the bus departing for Daloa (a city in the central-western region of Ivory Coast); it was 1 PM when the driver parked the bus. Some passengers and he got off to perform the Muslim prayer at 1 PM. Being from a Muslim family myself, I was raised to stop whatever I was doing to pray at the required hours. Even on a plane, at prayer time, a Muslim will pray in their seat.

Although this type of bus stop is common in Ivory Coast, that particular day, the Spirit drew my attention and spoke to me: “Even if these believers do not walk with Christ, the simple fact that they respect their principles gives them influence and contributes to the great growth of Islam.”

And the Spirit reminded me of the story of the Rechabites. The prophet Jeremiah presents a tribe within Israel that stood out from the others by never drinking the fruit of the vine. Regardless of the circumstances, the members of this family never drank wine. And God decreed that for this simple fact, He would always honor and elevate someone in this tribe (Jeremiah 35:19).

The Israelites have several unmovable principles such as the Sabbath, circumcision, etc. You will notice that this people is very influential and lends to nations. If you take the time to observe, you will realize that families or peoples who have set firm rituals or rules become influential. This is the attitude of the Rechabites (Jeremiah 35).

There are many sons of light who have no firm principles or rituals. Daniel prayed three (3) times a day and remained steadfast despite threats. Nowadays, we are ready to exchange our Sunday worship, a day dedicated to the Lord, for a trip to the beach, a family appointment, or a gathering with friends. What do you do for God that is unmovable?

No company director will demand that a Muslim not go to Friday prayer. But because we have disregarded the things of God, because Christians are very weak in their values, the day dedicated to the Lord has become trivial. This lack of character is the first enemy of the influence you are supposed to have. Your bosses and friends should be able to say this about you: “If you schedule your birthday or any activity on Sunday morning, he/she will not come, he/she always attends their worship to God.” You should be able to pray even on the plane when your prayer or worship time has come (without disturbing your neighbors please!).

A person who adopts the attitude of the Rechabites will be honored by God. Our current world has become deeply hostile to the Gospel and the values of the Kingdom of God, but the darker the night, the brighter the stars shine. The star will not say, “Since everything is dark, I will also darken.” NO! You are a star. You must shine even brighter.

How could Joseph develop such qualities in the midst of his brothers who acted otherwise? How could Daniel and his friends develop such characters among a corrupt people? Jesus teaches us wisdom to grow, shine, and thrive in a hostile environment: the wisdom of the serpent. “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” Matthew 10:16.

The Greek word translated as prudence (phronimos) is used everywhere else as wisdom as translated by the English version. Clearly, Jesus tells us:

“You will evolve in a hostile environment, in environments where you will be prey, but be wise as serpents, use this wisdom and you will succeed in shining.“

Through a few points taken from the book by Bishop Dag, I will soon show you how to develop the character of the sons of God, those who shine despite obstacles. Let’s pray together: Father, help me to establish rules and guidelines and above all to respect them. Amen 1.

I’m reading my Bible in 1 year: 1 Kings 22 – Daniel 4 – 1 Thessalonians 5

This text is an excerpt from the book “Blessed to Bless 1 – Developing the Conquest Mentality ” written by Apostle Mohammed SANOGO.

We invite you to read the following article “Bronze Serpent / Serpent of Air: Be Faithful to Your Divine Nature“.

THE RECHABITES