The Rechahites

by Doodson, A. T. | Category: Strangers To The Covenants | May 1958

The difference in the actions of Moses with regard to Jethro and Hobab (Exodus 18; Numbers 10) is also explained by the meaning of Hobab, "beloved," and such as are beloved of God are desired by Him to be among His people. It should be noted also that Hobab is called the son of Reuel, and the reversion to the use of the earlier name of Jethro is emphasized by describing Reuel as the father-in-law of Moses, so that he should not be thought of as the son of Jethro. But some may ask, Are not Jethro and Reuel one and the same person? They are, but the changes in the usages of names should always be carefully noted. When God speaks of Jacob He refers to the same man as is also called Israel, but in different senses. Thus the tribe of Levi were to teach Jacob the judgements of God, and Israel the law of God. The former refers to Jacob and his descendants as men with all their natural weaknesses, while the latter name refers to the same people in covenant relation with God.

Thus Hobab is not called the son of Jethro but the son of Reuel. As the son bears something of the character of the father we therefore judge that in Hobab there was nothing of the love of pre-eminence which afflicted Jethro, but there was an appreciation of the friendship of God which had been the former glory of Reuel when Moses had been content to dwell with him. It is to such beloved ones that the call of God comes that they might be joined with the people of God. The call is clear and firm:

" We are journeying to the place."

If we are to pass on the call to others we must be as sure as Moses that the place is known and that the declarations of God are for good unto His people.

"Come thou with us and we will do thee good."

Such is what comes to the ears of Hobab, and his response is interesting. Hobab is standing at the parting of the ways, and cannot realize that the consummation of that promise is to be found long centuries after in the days of the Rechabites. Hobab hesitates:

"I will not go: but I will depart to mine own land, and to my kindred."

I do not think that God judges a man for hesitating when the call of God comes to him. Far better to weigh up the cost, and the decision made to abide by it, lest displeasure be caused to God by the man who turns back. Untold results hung upon that decision of Hobab, though he knew it not. Humanly speaking, well might he hesitate. His own land, that of the Kenites, is described for us by Balaam: "Strong is thy dwelling-place,

And thy nest is set in the rock" (Numbers 24.21).

His own land and kindred! The human heart is stirred at the thought, and to many it is a hard saying of the Lord Jesus concerning them that follow Him. In a day when the wilderness was a place where every man's hand was against his fellow's, it was an incomparable blessing to have a strong dwelling place, set in the rock. What is offered against all this? Association with a people lately out of bondage in Egypt, weak and despised of the tribes around them, unused to the desert warfare and the desert life, the prey of the warring nations across their path to Canaan. Such is the one side. On the other there is the internal weakness which has been amply apparent, dissension and murmuring are rife among them, and their position as the chosen people is unmatched by the condition which should prevail among them.

Their choice is not unlike that of Moses himself, and we could imagine Hobab recalling the history of the man who so confidently spoke to him. He hesitates, and the call of God comes again to him:

"Leave us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou shalt be to us instead of eyes. And it shall be, if thou go with us, yea, it shall be, that what good soever the Lord shall do unto us, the same will we do unto thee" (Numbers 1O. 81, 82).

A purpose in the call is made apparent. It can be truly said that God has a purpose in every man and woman receiving the call, and it behoves us all to ascertain in due course, so far as we may, the work for which we have been called. The man was beloved, but in addition there was a need for him.

"And they set forward from the mount of the LORD." These are the words which follow the call. History shows that Hobab responded to the call, and that he and his after him were always esteemed by the Israelites, as Saul's words show. But what of the esteem by God? We cannot doubt that Hobab in his lifetime received some of the good which had been promised to him, though he never arrived at that place which had been so confidently spoken of by Moses. The man who was the son of "Reuel" could always derive some comfort from the thought of God in the midst, but his true reward will be found in eternity.

Long centuries have passed to bring one of Hobab's descendants next to the king in Israel. Is this the consummation? No, for we see from 2 Kings 10 that Jehonadab does not stay the course, as men judge it. Though he does the work of judgement with Jehu, there is no mention of any reward for his services. Jehu gets his wages, which is a different matter; earthly position is assured to Jehu and his children after him for four generations, and who knows what might have been added had his response to the blessing of God been different? "But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD."

There can be no doubt that the man Jehonadab whom we judged to have been in the counsels of Elisha would have had no pleasure in association with a king who displaced an Ahab only to walk in the ways of Jeroboam. Please read Jeremiah 35 again and consider the commands which Jehonadab gave to his people after his excursion into public affairs. The name of the man means "God is liberal," and yet he did not take advantage of the liberty he had. It would have been easy to take a "broadminded" or "liberal" view of things, and to do good by using his position in Israel. But this man, instructed in the things of God, assesses at their proper value the things he has witnessed in Israel and the things to be seen in Jehu. For him it was needful to remember the old paths, and the first ways of God. His forefather Hobab had taken the choice and had thrown in his lot with a pilgrim people. Better far to have neither lands nor houses than to forget God and to dishonour His Name.

"All your days ye shall dwell in tents." It meant sacrifice to maintain this separated character, this pilgrim garb, but the men of old had been strangers in the world, the heirs of the promises had dwelt in tents and had made it manifest that they were seeking after a country and a city not of this world. Such a narrow-minded and unprogressive people, as some would regard them, could never have been called "Jehonadabites," but it was highly appropriate that they should be called after Rechab, for that name comes from a root used to describe a horse and its rider, two beings moving in unity, and such were the Rechabites.

Much has been made of the injunction not to drink wine, and there are many so-called Rechabites of this world who have taken heed to the commandment relative to the wine, but yet have drunk deeply of the spirit of the age, such as is spoken of in 2 Timothy 3.2. Disobedience is a characteristic of the last days, but above all else the true Rechabite must be such that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, he will live soberly and righteously and godly in this present age, looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave Himself for us,

that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a people for His own possession, zealous of good works (Titus 2.12-14). These, I repeat, are the true Rechabites.

In a day of gross disobedience it is the simple obedience of the Rechabites which is commended by God. The reward is very striking:

"Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not "ant a man to stand before' Me for eve"."

There is hardly a promise made to men which can stand above this. Only the highest and noblest of the servants of God and of the heavenly host are said to stand before God. Thus Gabriel could say:

I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God." So Jehonadab got his reward though Jehu got wages. We can be in no doubt as to which is the greater man, and we may be sure that the will of God is to reward all that will value obedience, separation, unity, and soberness, as manifested by the Rechabites of a past day, and enjoined upon the true Rechabites of this day.

Doodson, A. T. | May 1958
Strangers To The Covenants