John Calvin Commentary Genesis 8:22

"While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease." — Genesis 8:22 (ASV)

While the earth remaineth, by these words the world is again completely restored. For the confusion and disorder that had spread over the earth were so great that some renewal was necessary. For this reason, Peter speaks of the old world as having perished in the deluge (2 Peter 3:6). Moreover, the deluge had been an interruption of the order of nature.

For the revolutions of the sun and moon had ceased; there was no distinction of winter and summer. Therefore, the Lord here declares His will that all things should recover their vigor and be restored to their functions.

The Jews erroneously divide their year into six parts, whereas Moses, by contrasting summer with winter, thus divides the whole year in a popular manner into two parts. And undoubtedly, by “cold” and “heat” he refers to the periods already mentioned. With the words “seed-time” and “harvest,” he indicates the benefits that come to people from the moderated temperature of the atmosphere.

If it is objected that this balanced state is not perceived every year, the answer is straightforward: the order of the world is indeed disturbed by our sins, so that many of its patterns are irregular. Often the sun does not provide its usual heat, snow or hail replaces dew, and the air is disturbed by various storms. But although the world is not so regulated as to produce constant uniformity of seasons, we still perceive the order of nature prevailing to such an extent that winter and summer annually return, that there is a constant succession of days and nights, and that the earth produces its fruit in summer and autumn.

Moreover, by the expression ‘all the days of the earth,’ He means ‘as long as the earth lasts.’