Consistency

 The sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have kept the command that their father gave them, but this people has not obeyed me.
Jeremiah 35:16 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/jer.35.16.ESV

Jonadab was a teatotaller, and decreed that his descendants would be also. The Bible itself doesn't decree teatotalism (or condemn it). This family though are commended for their consistency.

I remember hearing about the Methodist Society at my university. Traditionally, Methodists are teatotal, but not these students. They would go out and get drunk. That kind of attitude isn't going to get a commendation from God.

The Kingdom of God isn't a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness and faith. The moral of this story isn't necessarily to ditch alcohol altogether, but to be consistent. Sadly, this wasn't the case among the Jewish people as a whole, and often isn't the case for us.

As impending doom loomed for Judah, and the Babylonian war machine rolled closer, the Jewish people didn't revive their professed faith in God. Instead, they ran off to Egypt, like Ukraine hoping Europe will come through for them in the face of Russian aggression. What is really needed is revival.

'Lord God Almighty, please revive Your work in our hearts, and make us consistently righteous in our lives, for the honour of Your name we pray, amen'

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