Jeremiah.

God speaks to the sons of King Josiah:

"Did not your father eat and drink and do justice and righteousness?

Then it was well with him.

He judged the cause of the poor and needy, then it was well with him.

Is this not to know me?  says the Lord.

But your eyes and heart are only for your dishonest gain,

for the shedding of innocent blood, and for practising oppression and violence."  Jeremiah 22:15-17 (NRSV)

This is to displease God and not to know Him.

There are many Christians in this world who do not know God.

They seek dishonest gain, shed innocent blood, and practise oppression and violence.

They do not support the cause of the poor and needy.

God instructs Jeremiah to invite the Rechabites to the Temple and offer them wine.

But they reply that their ancestors commanded them not to drink wine, build houses, or sow seeds and they had obeyed them to this day. (Jeremiah 35)

God holds up the Rechabites as an example of obedience which the people of Judah could not match.

The Rechabites obeyed the commandment of their ancestors but the Israelites had not obeyed God Himself.

And what has God commanded us to do?

"'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.'"  Matthew 22:37 (NRSV)

"'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"  Matthew 22:39 (NRSV)

Then He will say: "Here I am."  Isaiah 58:9 (NRSV)

[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]

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