The Rechabites and a king who burned the Bible

Chapter 35:
God told Jeremiah to make an object lesson. He was to use the Rechabites, a small nomadic tribe of people for the object lesson. He called them into the temple and set wine before them and told them to drink. But, they would not. They told Jeremiah that Jonadab, their forefather had instructed them not to drink wine, build house or to plant crops. He felt that the nomadic lifestyle would help them serve God more effectively, and it seems that he was correct. These people, it appears, were serving God and obeying their father in time when nearly everyone else was disobeying God.
Jeremiah then told this story to the people of Jerusalem. He told them how the Rechabites were still obeying the instructions of an old, dead man. However, the people of Judah were not even obeying the instructions of a living, powerful God, that was about to destroy them and their city. God was merciful. He had sent many prophets and warnings to these people, but they still would not obey.
How are we doing today. Are we obeying all God's commandments? He has given us many chances. He has given us the Bible to read. He has sent Jesus to offer salvation to the whole world. What are we doing with it?

Chapter 36:
Jeremiah was still in prison. So, he could not preach in the city, but he would not rest. He called his scribe and dictated a message to be read in the temple when all the people came for a fast. It seems that the Jews still maintained an outward form of godliness (many people were at the temple for the fast), but they had forgotten the true meaning of worship. So, while these people were at the temple, Baruch the scribe read all the judgments that God had pronounced on them because of their sins. When the princes heard about this, they called Baruch to read to them. After they heard it they told it to the king and then they read him the scroll. However, he was not so afraid by all the judgments in the scroll. He did not even believe them. As soon as several pages were read, he cut them out of the scroll and threw them into the fire until the whole scroll was gone. The princes tried to convince him not to burn the roll , but he would not listen. Somehow, he thought that destroying the message would make it untrue. But, God had a different plan. He told Jeremiah to have everything written down again, and he told Jeremiah to right many more similar words.
We may think that if we don't read or obey the Bible, the consequences for sin will not mean anything, but God's Word stands forever. It does not change. It is always true. There have been many attempts to destroy the Bible, and these attempts still go on today. In China many Bibles are smuggled into the country and people are still Christians. In the USA and other countries, Satan tries another tactic. We have so many Bibles we often don't appreciate them. There are also many "politically correct" versions of the Bible that are really not the true Bible. The Bible is not here in order not to offend anyone. It is hereto make people think and to change their life. Let's allow it to do that for our lives.