Neville Goddard on Jeremiah 35:6-19 - Mystical Bible Interpretation

Read Jeremiah 35 in context

Scripture Focus

6But they said, We will drink no wine: for Jonadab the son of Rechab our father commanded us, saying, Ye shall drink no wine, neither ye, nor your sons for ever:

7Neither shall ye build house, nor sow seed, nor plant vineyard, nor have any: but all your days ye shall dwell in tents; that ye may live many days in the land where ye be strangers.

8Thus have we obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab our father in all that he hath charged us, to drink no wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, nor our daughters;

9Nor to build houses for us to dwell in: neither have we vineyard, nor field, nor seed:

10But we have dwelt in tents, and have obeyed, and done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us.

11But it came to pass, when Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came up into the land, that we said, Come, and let us go to Jerusalem for fear of the army of the Chaldeans, and for fear of the army of the Syrians: so we dwell at Jerusalem.

12Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying,

13Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to my words? saith the LORD.

14The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are performed; for unto this day they drink none, but obey their father's commandment: notwithstanding I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye hearkened not unto me.

15I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Return ye now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve them, and ye shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers: but ye have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened unto me.

16Because the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have performed the commandment of their father, which he commanded them; but this people hath not hearkened unto me:

17Therefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon Judah and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced against them: because I have spoken unto them, but they have not heard; and I have called unto them, but they have not answered.

18And Jeremiah said unto the house of the Rechabites, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according unto all that he hath commanded you:

19Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me for ever.

Jeremiah 35:6-19

Biblical Context

Jonadab's descendants faithfully keep his command not to drink wine and to live in tents, while Judah fails to heed God's word, inviting judgment.

Neville's Inner Vision

Notice the Rechabites embody a single, fixed state of consciousness: a vow spoken by Jonadab that governs every outward act—no wine, no homes, only tents. They keep this inner instruction in every season, even when the wider culture shifts to fear and spectacle in Jerusalem. Judah, however, hears prophets rising early but does not grant their word the authority of an inner conviction; their inner weather remains unsettled. The Lord points to the contrast: the house of Rechab acts from obedience to a chosen father; My own words go unheard when they do not become a living state of mind. The lesson for you is practical: to change your outward life, you must first fix a new inner law and feel it as true now. When a vow is kept in imagination, your outer life bends to fit that inner decree. The Rechabites’ fidelity demonstrates the power of a steadfast inner state, and your task is to align your consciousness with a deliberate, felt truth until it becomes your reality.

Practice This Now

Choose one inner vow you will honor today—for example, 'I stand in truth.' State it mentally and feel it real in this moment; carry that felt truth into your actions. Live today from that vow and observe how your surroundings respond to the inner command.