John Calvin Commentary Ezekiel 6:10

"And they shall know that I am Jehovah: I have not said in vain that I would do this evil unto them." — Ezekiel 6:10 (ASV)

He now mentions the fruit of their repentance, because the Israelites were finally beginning to attribute just honor to his prophecies. For we know that they behaved carelessly while the Prophets were threatening them. Therefore, because they were accustomed to undermining confidence in all God's servants and, as it were, reducing their truth to nothing, the Prophet says that when they repented, they would then perceive that God had not spoken in vain.

While they were despising his threats, they did not perceive that they should therefore be considered despisers of God. For, listening only to men, when they heard Jeremiah or Ezekiel, they thought they were contending only with them and could do so with impunity against mere mortals. Therefore, in opposition to this, God testifies that he was the chief author.

For just as error springs from error, they proudly rejected whatever the Prophets said, treating it as frivolous and vain. God therefore says: They shall then know that I have not spoken in vain, when I bring upon them this evil. This knowledge, which is produced by real dissatisfaction with self, is very useful.

I have said that it is the fruit of repentance, but at the same time it benefits the miserable to humble themselves seriously before God and to recall their own ingratitude: then they perceive what they had never admitted before—that God is trustworthy in his threats as well as in his promises.

Thus, it happens that they reverently embrace his word, which they had formerly despised. He pronounced the same thing previously concerning the reprobate, who, as we have already said, feel God’s hand without bearing fruit. But because he now speaks of those very few whose conversion he had previously praised, he undoubtedly includes the fear of God within their recognition or perception of him.

For if all God’s threats had been buried, the people could not be thought to have returned to the right way, nor could their conversion have any reality before God. We know that contempt is not free from impious sacrilege, which is now being discussed. Therefore, for the sinner to submit himself sincerely to God, this acknowledgment is required: he must weigh within himself how unworthily and wickedly he had formerly either repudiated or neglected the word of God.

In the meantime, the Prophet triumphs over the arrogance of those who had wantonly despised the teaching of all God’s servants when he says, they shall feel (or acknowledge) that I Jehovah have not spoken in vain.

Since, therefore, the Prophet here depicts as in a painting their late repentance, let us learn to tremble before it is too late at God’s threats. Although indeed God does not yet execute his vengeance upon us, yet let us be sure that he does not speak in vain, and let us be alarmed as soon as he shows any sign of his indignation.

God indeed testifies that he would be propitious to the Israelites, although their repentance was tardy; but for our part, let us repent before it is too late, as I have already admonished. As soon as God utters his threats, let it be for us as if their execution were at hand.