John Calvin Commentary Exodus 33:4

"And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his ornaments." — Exodus 33:4 (ASV)

And when the people heard these evil tidings—from this it more clearly appears that, as I have said, it was like a thunderbolt to them when God withdrew Himself from the people, for this divorce is more fatal than innumerable deaths. It might indeed at first sight seem delightful to be the masters of a rich and fertile land; but dull as the people generally were, God struck them suddenly, so that all its delights became insipid, and its fruitfulness like famine itself, when they perceived that they would be but fattened for the day of slaughter.

A useful piece of instruction is to be gained from this: namely, that if we neglect God’s favor and are captivated by the sweetness of His blessings, we are ensnared like fish on a hook. God promised the Israelites what might attract them for a short time; He denied them what they should have desired alone—that He would be their God. The evil tidings affected them with sorrow, for they felt that people cannot be happy unless God is favorable; indeed, that nothing can be more wretched than to be alienated from Him.

It is good for me to draw near to God, says David (Psalms 73:28); and elsewhere, Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, (Psalms 33:12 and Psalm 144:15); again, the Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, my lot is fallen in pleasant places. (Psalms 16:5–6). This, therefore, is the climax of all miseries: to have God against us while we are fed by His bounty. Consequently, the Israelites began to show some wisdom when, awaking from their lethargy, they counted all other things as nothing unless God should pursue them with His paternal favor.

We infer from their profound stupidity that it was brought about by a special gift of God that they were affected with such sorrow as to lead them to a solemn mourning. First, Moses says that they did not put on their ornaments, and then that they were commanded by God to put them off. This will be perfectly consistent if we take the latter as explanatory, as if he had said that they did not wear their ornaments because God had forbidden it by commanding them to mourn.

God here assumes the character of an angry judge, preparing to inflict vengeance in His wrath, in the words, I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee; in order that their alarm may humble them more and stir them up to earnest prayer. It was a visible sign of mourning to lie in squalidness and uncleanness, so that their penitence might be openly testified. For there was no efficacy in the rite and ceremony to propitiate God, except insofar as the inward affection of the mind manifested itself through a true and genuine confession.

For we must bear in mind what God requires by Joel: rend our heart, and not our garments; (Joel 2:13). Nevertheless, while He does not care for the outward appearance, indeed, while He abominates hypocrisy, still, if the sinner has truly repented, it must be that, humbly acknowledging his guilt, he will add the outward profession of it.

For if Paul, who was guiltless of any offense, deemed that the Corinthians were to be mourned for by him when they had not repented of their uncleanness, and fornication, and lasciviousness, because God humbled him in their sin (2 Corinthians 12:21), how should not those mourn publicly who are conscious of their own guilt, especially when, being convicted by the judgment of men, they are summoned to the tribunal of God? Therefore, it is not without reason that he elsewhere teaches that the sorrow which works repentance should also bring forth these other fruits: namely, carefulness, clearing of themselves, indignation, fear, vehement desire, zeal, revenge (2 Corinthians 7:10–11).

For the sake of example also, sinners should not only grieve in silence before God, but willingly undergo the penalty of ignominy before men, so that by self-condemnation they confess that God is a just Judge, inspire others to imitate them, and by this warning of human frailty, prevent them from a similar fall.

However, after God has inspired them with fear, He allays His anger, as it were, and declares that He will consider what He will do with them, in order that they may gather courage to ask for pardon. For, although He does not actually pardon them, He sufficiently arouses them to hope by giving them some taste of His mercy. For, by seeming to leave them in suspense, it is not with the intention that they should approach Him hesitatingly to ask forgiveness, but that their anxiety may urge them more and more to earnest prayer, and keep them in a state of humility.