The Bible Says
Jeremiah 35:12-17 Meaning

In Jeremiah 35:12-17, the heavenly message arrives to the prophet Jeremiah, who ministered to the people of Judah around the late 7th century BC into the early 6th century BC: Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying (v. 12). Jeremiah lived during the final days of the kingdom of Judah, warning them of coming judgment if they refused to turn from their wrongdoing. Here in Jeremiah 35:12, we see the sacred moment where God specifically addresses Jeremiah as He does each time He communicates through Jeremiah, indicating the seriousness of what is about to be revealed.

This introduction underscores that the LORD is speaking directly, emphasizing the authenticity of the pronouncement. The name Jeremiah signals his role as a divinely appointed messenger calling God’s people to repentance. His ministry spanned from the days of King Josiah around 627 BC to sometime after Jerusalem’s fall in 586 BC, showing that the prophet carried the burden of warning Judah over a long and tumultuous era.

Next, Jeremiah 35:13 presents God’s words: "Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, 'Go and say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, "Will you not receive instruction by listening to My words?" declares the LORD'" (v. 13). By calling Himself the LORD of hosts, the Creator affirms His supreme authority over earthly and heavenly armies, revealing the full power behind His command. The men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem (v. 13) lived in the southern kingdom, with Jerusalem as the political and spiritual center.

God’s rhetorical question, "Will you not receive instruction?" (v. 13) exposes the people’s resistant hearts. They were meant to follow God’s covenant and heed His prophets, but their refusal to learn and listen put them on a perilous path. Here, God’s intention is clear: He longs for His people to surrender their stubbornness and turn back to His guidance, yet they harden themselves against the very words meant to save them.

Pointing to the Rechabites as an example, Jeremiah 35:14 continues: "'"The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, which he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are observed. So they do not drink wine to this day, for they have obeyed their father’s command. But I have spoken to you again and again; yet you have not listened to Me'"" (v. 14). Jonadab the son of Rechab led a clan that treasured obedience and self-discipline; they vowed not to drink wine or plant vineyards to preserve their distinct way of life.

The LORD contrasts the Rechabites’ obedience to their earthly father with Judah’s disobedience to their heavenly Father. Even though these men upheld Jonadab’s instructions for generations, the people of Judah repeatedly ignored God’s repeated calls. It highlights the tragedy that a mere human father is heeded, while the divine Father is brushed aside.

God reminds them further: "'"Also I have sent to you all My servants the prophets, sending them again and again, saying: 'Turn now every man from his evil way and amend your deeds, and do not go after other gods to worship them. Then you will dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your forefathers; but you have not inclined your ear or listened to Me'"'" (v. 15). The LORD’s appeal reflects His compassion––He urges them to forsake sin, cease pursuing false gods, and remain in the land He promised to their ancestors, who settled in Judah after centuries of redemption history starting from Abraham (circa 2000 BC) to Moses (around 1400 BC) and beyond.

Despite God’s gracious outreach, the people refused to heed His voice. Prophets were sent tirelessly, yet hearts remained hardened, and idols captured their devotion. This stance denies God’s rightful place as the sole object of worship and robs them of rich blessings He was eager to bestow.

Further contrasting the Rechabites with unfaithful Judah, the text declares: "'"'Indeed, the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have observed the command of their father which he commanded them, but this people has not listened to Me'"'" (v. 16). While the Rechabites practiced steadfast commitment, Judah proved unstable and unresponsive to the One who delivered them from Egypt and sustained them throughout the centuries of their nation’s history.

This comparison calls attention to the power of simple loyalty to a father’s instruction. On a deeper level, it underscores how a faithful response to a father’s words, even in strictly human terms, far exceeds the response that God’s chosen people offered to their heavenly Father. The weight of this spiritual negligence grows heavier as the passage progresses.

The culmination comes in Jeremiah 35:17: "Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel, 'Behold, I am bringing on Judah and on all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the disaster that I have pronounced against them; because I spoke to them but they did not listen, and I have called them but they did not answer'" (v. 17). Here, the LORD clearly warns that judgment will follow disobedience. Judah’s rejection of divine guidance leads to the promised calamity––namely the destruction of Jerusalem, which historically took place in 586 BC when Babylonian forces conquered the city.

The repeated initiatives of God––His speaking, sending prophets, and calling––were all met with disregard. In the face of such continuous rebellion, only judgment remains. Yet this pronouncement also implicitly reaffirms God’s justice: He is patient and long-suffering, but He is a holy ruler who will not allow sin to go forever unpunished. This principle resonates throughout Scripture and later finds fulfillment in the ultimate redemption offered through Jesus (Romans 6:23).

God’s warning to Judah underscores His deep desire that His people obey Him from the heart, which foreshadows Jesus’ teachings calling for inner transformation and heartfelt worship. The failure of human religion without genuine faith is as relevant now as it was in Jeremiah’s time, driving us to consider how we personally and collectively respond to God’s word.