Jeremiah 35:5
And I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites pots full of wine, and cups, and I said unto them, Drink ye wine. And I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites pots full of wine, and cups, and I said unto them, Drink ye wine.
In the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, the whole house of the Rechabites — Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah the son of Habaziniah, with his brethren and all his sons — was brought into the house of the Lord, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan the son of Igdaliah, by the chamber of the princes above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum the keeper of the door, where pots full of wine and cups were set before them with the invitation to drink, and this was done at God's command. The setting of the wine before them was directed by God as a test of whether they would keep the command of Jonadab the son of Rechab to abstain from wine. That instruction required them, with their wives and their sons and daughters, to never drink wine, to build no house, sow no seed, and plant or own no vineyard, but to dwell in tents all their days as strangers so that they might live many days in the land.
The test came after God had for years used many means to guard His people against evils that would make it difficult and even impossible to carry on the work given them to do. Their refusal set their obedience in contrast with the disobedience of Judah and the Jews to God's repeated instruction and warning. God commended the obedience of the Rechabites, and by it rebuked those who had received special light and privileges yet disobeyed.
The contrast teaches that obedience to God's authority merits blessing, while rejecting His counsel and reproof brings judgment. Their course proves that living frugally and temperately in all things with simplicity of manner is a far better portion in this life than following worldly ways.