John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 10:11

"Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, these shall perish from the earth, and from under the heavens." — Jeremiah 10:11 (ASV)

Now, the reason why he bids the Israelites to speak in the Chaldean language is because they had been led into exile and were mingled with the Assyrians and Chaldeans. He then required from those despised exiles an open and bold confession, as though he had said, "Even though you are now in the most miserable bondage, and though the Chaldeans disdainfully oppress you, as if you were slaves, yet proclaim the glory of God and do not shrink from an open confession of your religion, and say to them, in contempt of all their idols, perish must your gods from the earth and from under heaven, for they have not made heaven nor the earth." We now understand the meaning of the Prophet. But the rest I will defer until tomorrow.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, that since you have exhibited your glory to be seen by us, not only in the heavens and the earth, but also in the law, in the Prophets, and in the Gospel, and have so plainly made yourself known to us in your only-begotten Son, that ignorance can be no excuse—O grant that we may make progress in this knowledge by which you kindly invite us to yourself, and may so constantly cleave to you, that none of the errors of the world may draw us aside; but may we stand firm in your word, which cannot deceive us, until we finally come to that celestial blessedness, when we will enjoy you face to face in your glory, having been made fully conformable to your image in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

[Exposition continues from previous day's lecture]

We began yesterday to explain the declaration of the Prophet, in which he exhorted the Israelites to constancy, though scattered among the Chaldeans. Their condition was then miserable, because we know that it was that of bondage, and conquerors ruled in a very petulant manner when a people were subdued by war; but they had been led into exile for the very purpose of degrading them. The Prophet therefore animates them here, that they might not be dejected, but continue in the pure worship of God and faithfully profess his name.

What he said to them was, May those gods, who created not the heaven and the earth, perish from the earth and from under heaven. He assumed this principle—that no one ought to be counted God but he who is the creator and maker of heaven and earth; and who could say that gods of wood and stone had created the world? For wood, as well as stone, is a corruptible material. All the statues, which were created gods, had received their form and shape from mortal men. It is therefore manifest that to ascribe divinity to them was not only false, but foolish and monstrous. This, then, is the reason why he says, “May the gods who made not the heaven and earth perish.” The verb is indeed in the future tense; but we know that the future is often to be taken as an optative in Hebrew. If, however, anyone prefers to retain this tense, “Perish shall the gods who made not the heaven and the earth,” I will not contend with him; yet the other view is what I approve, that the Israelites were to imprecate destruction on all idols.

Now that he uses the Chaldean language is what deserves, as we said yesterday, to be observed; they had then to do with the Chaldeans, who insultingly triumphed over the true God, thinking that they were his conquerors; and they triumphed over him, as though he had been overcome by their swords. Then the Prophet bids the Israelites, boldly and courageously, to proclaim the name and the glory of the true God. Doubtless this could not have been done without immediate danger of death; but it was their duty, as God’s true servants, to prefer his glory to their own lives, in opposing the fury of the enemies who then ruled over them and who had led them to remote countries.

We see how much God makes of the confession of faith; and the whole Scripture shows that this sacrifice is especially approved by him. Hence also it appears how foolishly they talk who say that they cherish faith secretly in their hearts, though they may hide from the world their real sentiments.

We see how frigid, indeed, how foolish is this excuse, while they seek by a perfidious silence to save their own life and to remain in peace with the ungodly.

Those who today live under the Papacy think that they justly exempt themselves by such an excuse as this—that they ought not rashly to endanger their lives, as facts prove that such is the rage of the enemies of the gospel, that if any were to confess the truth, they would be immediately led to punishment.

But we may compare the condition of the ancient people with our own; certainly ours is better than that of the ten tribes, who lived in a foreign land and were treated as slaves.

As the Chaldeans then watched them, did they not find the sword daily and constantly ready to be used against them? And yet God bids them to close their eyes to their danger and faithfully to profess what they believed, indeed, to detest the idols, which was still more displeasing to the Chaldeans.

For he bids them to say, “The God whom we worship made himself known to Abraham our father, and we worship him, because we have found him to be a Redeemer and a constant preserver of our safety;” and this is not the only thing that the Prophet bids them to say, but also, “May your gods perish.” This was certainly enough to kindle rage in the Chaldeans, even if they had been men of temperate minds; but as they were elated with pride on account of their victory and hated the Jews, such a declaration must have been intolerable to them.

What, then, can the Nicodemites of this day say, who indulge their own delusions? For they think it enough if they do not deny God in their hearts; and yet being frightened by danger, they either pretend to deny him or openly show that they consent to errors.

In short, we see that there is no true religion in the hearts of men unless a confession is made, for there ought to be a consent between the heart and the tongue. But someone may object and say, “Is it necessary for the faithful to cry through crossways and the streets of the city, ‘There is but one true God?’” I answer that all have not been chosen to the prophetic office in order to preach everywhere; but it is commanded to all without exception to detest idols where they see the glory of God reproachfully traduced by enemies. For the Prophet meant that they were to make this answer to the reproaches of those who then took the occasion insultingly to rise up against the true God. It now follows:—