John Calvin Commentary Ezekiel 16:42

"So will I cause my wrath toward thee to rest, and my jealousy shall depart from thee, and I will be quiet, and will be no more angry." — Ezekiel 16:42 (ASV)

Although God seems here to promise some lessening of his wrath, there is no doubt that he expresses what we previously saw: namely, that the destruction of the nation would be so complete that there would be no need to return again to punish them.

When, therefore, he says, I will make my indignation rest upon you, it means that he would satisfy himself with vengeance for all their crimes. Consequently, the utter destruction of the people is here called the rest of God’s indignation, as if he had said, When I have utterly reduced you to nothing, then my indignation against you shall rest.

In the same way he afterwards adds, and my indignation shall depart from you. But I cannot finish today.

Grant, Almighty God, since you have until now sustained us, and since we are worthy of being utterly destroyed a hundred times, grant, I say, that we may truly repent and prevent that horrible judgment, an example of which you set before us in your ancient people; and may we so devote ourselves to you in the true chastity of faith that we may experience the course of your goodness until we enjoy the eternal inheritance which your only-begotten Son has acquired for us by his blood. Amen.

We stopped yesterday at the passage where God pronounces that his rivalry should depart from the Jews. Some interpret this as jealousy, and this sense does not displease me, for we know that God has until now spoken in the character of a husband. But when a husband avenges the injury he has suffered, he is inflamed with jealousy.

Hence, he has no moderation in his wrath. But when he begins to despise his wife because she is defiled and to think her unworthy of further notice, then his anger and indignation are allayed. So, therefore, some understand it as, My jealousy shall depart from you, that is, "You shall no longer be esteemed as my wife, but I shall despise you as if you are altogether strange and unknown to me."

But the word jealousy or rivalry may be taken otherwise. As he said yesterday, I will put upon you the blood of indignation and jealousy, that is, I will treat you in no milder way than those do who burn with wrath and breathe out nothing but slaughters, as when anyone is inflamed against his enemies, he slays all he meets.

As, therefore, God put aside, in the last lecture, the blood of jealousy and anger, so in this place the word may be taken to mean simple rivalry; for God's קנאה, kenah, zeal, or ardor in vengeance, shall depart from the Jews, because fuel will be lacking, as we explained yesterday. I shall be at rest, he says, and shall not be angry anymore. By these words he confirms the same thing: that the destruction of Jerusalem would be so complete that God would cease his wrath, as if he were satisfied.

He does not here promise any lessening, as some think, but expresses its formidable nature, since it would consume and abolish the whole people, so that God’s anger ceases, just as a fire is extinguished of its own accord when no fuel is left. This is the full sense.