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OCTOBER 25
by Scripture (Gen. 2:24), the teaching of Jesus (Matt. 19:5,6; Mark 10:6–9), and Paul (Eph. 5:31). A
polygamist could not even have been a church member, let alone a church leader. Others see this
requirement as barring those who remarried after the death of their wives. But, as already noted,
the issue is sexual purity, not marital status. Further, the Bible encourages remarriage after widow-
hood (5:14;1 Cor.7:39).Some believe that Paul here excludes divorced men from church leadership.
That again ignores the fact that this qualification does not deal with marital status. Nor does the
Bible prohibit all remarriage after divorce (Matt. 5:31,32; 19:9; 1 Cor. 7:15). Finally, some think that
this requirement excludes single men from church leadership. But if that were Paul’s intent, he
would have disqualified himself (1 Cor. 7:8).
A “one-woman man”is one totally devoted to his wife, maintaining singular devotion, affection,
and sexual purity in both thought and deed.To violate this is to forfeit blamelessness and no longer
be “above reproach”(Titus 1:6,7).

Chaldeans and for fear of the army of the Syr-
OCTOBER 25 ians.’ So we dwell at Jerusalem.”
Then came the word of the LORD to
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Jeremiah, saying, “Thus says the LORD of
hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Go and tell the men
Jeremiah 35:1–36:32 of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
“Will you not receive instruction to obey My
The word which came to Jeremiah from words?” says the LORD. “The words of
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35 the LORD in the days of Jehoiakim the Jonadab the son of Rechab, which he com-
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son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying, “Go to the manded his sons, not to drink wine, are per-
house of the Rechabites, speak to them, and formed; for to this day they drink none, and
bring them into the house of the LORD, into one obey their father’s commandment. But
of the chambers, and give them wine to drink.” although I have spoken to you, rising early and
3 Then I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, speaking, you did not obey Me. I have also
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the son of Habazziniah, his brothers and all his sent to you all My servants the prophets, rising
sons, and the whole house of the Rechabites, up early and sending them, saying, ‘Turn now
and I brought them into the house of the everyone from his evil way, amend your
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LORD, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan doings, and do not go after other gods to serve
the son of Igdaliah, a man of God, which was by them; then you will dwell in the land which I
the chamber of the princes, above the cham- have given you and your fathers.’ But you have
ber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the keep- not inclined your ear, nor obeyed Me. Surely
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er of the door. Then I set before the sons of the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have
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the house of the Rechabites bowls full of wine, performed the commandment of their father,
and cups; and I said to them, “Drink wine.” which he commanded them, but this people
But they said, “We will drink no wine, for has not obeyed Me.” ’
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Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, com- 17 “Therefore thus says the LORD God of
manded us, saying, ‘You shall drink no wine, hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Behold, I will bring on
you nor your sons, forever. You shall not build Judah and on all the inhabitants of Jerusalem
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a house, sow seed, plant a vineyard, nor have all the doom that I have pronounced against
any of these; but all your days you shall dwell them; because I have spoken to them but they
in tents, that you may live many days in the have not heard, and I have called to them but
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land where you are sojourners.’ Thus we have they have not answered.’ ”
obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab, 18 And Jeremiah said to the house of the
our father, in all that he charged us, to drink no Rechabites, “Thus says the LORD of hosts,
wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, or the God of Israel: ‘Because you have obeyed
our daughters, nor to build ourselves houses the commandment of Jonadab your father, and
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to dwell in; nor do we have vineyard, field, or kept all his precepts and done according to all
seed. But we have dwelt in tents, and have that he commanded you, therefore thus says
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obeyed and done according to all that Jonadab the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: “Jonadab
our father commanded us. But it came to pass, the son of Rechab shall not lack a man to stand
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when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came before Me forever.” ’ ”
up into the land, that we said, ‘Come, let us go Now it came to pass in the fourth year
to Jerusalem for fear of the army of the 36 of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of
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