John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 9:13

"Yet the people have not turned unto him that smote them, neither have they sought Jehovah of hosts." — Isaiah 9:13 (ASV)

But the people have not turned. The conjunction ו (vau) is translated by some interpreters as for, as if the Prophet were giving a reason why the Lord does not stop using His scourges in the continual infliction of chastisements; that is, because the people are so hardened and obstinate that they will not repent. When there is no repentance, it is unreasonable to expect that God will yield to obstinate people, as if He were defeated; and the consequence is that He prepares Himself for inflicting more severe punishment. Therefore, since no chastisements had produced any improvement in Israel, they must perish, for when they had been so frequently struck and punished and did not repent at all, this was a proof of the most desperate wickedness.

This is a very severe rebuke: although the Lord not only admonishes us with words, but actually pushes us forward and compels us with various chastisements, still we grow hardened and do not allow ourselves to be drawn away from our crimes and our lusts. Desperate wickedness is thus shown, and nothing more heinous could be spoken or conceived.

It is a heinous offense when people do not receive instruction as soon as it is given to them. It is more heinous when they are not affected by rebukes. It is the most heinous of all when, in spite of chastisements, they grow hardened and even kick, or by their headstrong behavior further inflame the indignation of the Judge, and do not consider why they were punished or what the Lord is calling them to. Accordingly, when no remedies produce any good effect, what must we think except that the disease is incurable and utterly desperate?

This rebuke applies not only to the Israelites but to us also. Already the Lord has chastised the whole world with various afflictions, so that hardly any part could be exempt from distresses and calamities. And yet all appear to have obstinately conspired against God, so that, whatever He does, they do not cease to retain their former character and to carry on their wicked ways.

Justly, therefore, the Lord might address the same remonstrance to us, and assuredly He addresses us by the mouth of Isaiah. We ought not to look for another Prophet to threaten new chastisements, since our case is not different from that of the Israelites, and we share the same blame as them.

Nor have they sought the Lord of hosts. This is immediately added as an explanation, because the reason God inflicts punishment is to bring the wanderers back to Himself. By this method, indeed, He appears to drive people to a greater distance from Him; but as it belongs to Him to bring out of the grave those whom He appeared to have wounded and slain, by terrifying sinners He only humbles them, so that they may return to Him.

And indeed, the beginning of conversion is to seek God—or rather, it is the only rule of living well; if we turn aside from it, we have no rest for the sole of our foot. But we must now inquire what it is to seek God, or in what manner we ought to seek Him.

For hypocrites will always be ready to plead that by prayers and fastings, and tears, and a sorrowful countenance, they earnestly entreat God and implore forgiveness. But God chooses to be sought in another manner: that is, when the sinner, truly subdued, willingly takes the yoke which he had shaken off and yields obedience to Him whom he had despised.