John Calvin Commentary Deuteronomy 31:17

"Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall come upon them; so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?" — Deuteronomy 31:17 (ASV)

Then my anger shall be kindled against them. By this denunciation of punishment, God undoubtedly desired to put a restraint upon the senselessness of the people. However, since this was done without it benefiting them, there was another advantage in this lesson: namely, that after being seriously chastised according to what they deserved, they should finally repent, even if late. Otherwise, these punishments would have been inflicted in vain, and it would never have occurred to them that they received the just reward for their ingratitude and treachery.

This is indeed the first step of prudence: voluntarily to choose what is right. The second is to take heed when we have listened to admonition and to make a stand against evil. But if our minds are so blinded that reproofs and threats do not benefit us, there is still a third step: that is, those who have been careless in prosperity should finally begin to perceive that they are struck by God’s hand, and thus be driven to acknowledge their guilt.

Although, therefore, the simple admonition, as long as it was not followed by its consequences, was despised by the Israelites, still, when they were further instructed by its result and by experience, it produced its fruit. The same is true for us daily. There is scarcely one in ten of the godly who, as long as God postpones His punishments, anticipates His judgment. Instead, it is those who are aroused from their lethargy who seriously consider the threats they had previously passed over with indifference and, being brought under conviction, condemn themselves.

By the word אפי, ephi, I here understand His face rather than His wrath;²⁴³ for the expression is more appropriate. Then he describes the effect of His wrath: namely, that, being deprived of His aid, they will be overtaken by all sorts of evils until they are consumed and perish.

Moreover, He affirms that they would be brought into such distress as would force them to confess that the miseries they suffered were signs of God’s alienation from them. But He adds that He would not then listen to their prayers.

This teaches us that, as our happiness depends on God’s paternal favor, so there is nothing worse for us than to be forsaken by Him, as if He no longer cared for us. The lesson we are to learn is that there is nothing more desirable for us than that He should honor us with His countenance.

We read concerning all His creatures, in Psalm 104:29, that they are troubled when He hides His face. But here it is more clearly perceived that nothing can be imagined more miserable than we are when, as Isaiah says (Isaiah 59:2), our iniquities have separated between us and our God, and our sins have hid his face from us, that he will not hear.

I have already stated that the greatness of their miseries is expressed when the people will confess that they are so grievously afflicted because God has departed from them. For it was by severe punishments that they would be brought to this state of feeling, especially considering their great hardness of heart and blind obstinacy.

It follows then that severe punishments are indicated, which would compel them, though unwillingly, to reflect on God’s anger, which they had previously disregarded. Still, this confession is not referred to as the fruit or sign of sincere repentance; for if the sinner sincerely flies to God, God will be sure to meet him, since He is inclined to mercy.

But in this place, He declares that He will not be favorable to them but will allow them to pine away in their wretchedness. For God says of Himself in verse 18 that He will hide His face from them, with a deeper meaning than just before, in that He will take no notice of their groans and lamentations. By the very continuation of their punishments, He will show how greatly angry He is with them.

²⁴³ A. V., “Then my “Then my anger shall be kindled.” C., ”Itaque irascetur vultus meus.”shall be kindled.” C., ”Itaque irascetur vultus meus.”