John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 12:4

"How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of the whole country wither? for the wickedness of them that dwell therein, the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our latter end." — Jeremiah 12:4 (ASV)

Jeremiah confirms the previous sentence and more strongly rebukes the Jews, who still continued obstinately to despise what he had said. "What do you mean?" he says. "For God’s judgment is apparent even concerning brute beasts and birds. And what have birds, sheep, and oxen deserved? You know that there is no fault in these unfortunate animals, and yet the curse of God is set before you through them. You see that God is offended with brute animals, but the fault is undoubtedly in you. And will God spare you, when He has already begun, and long ago begun, to inflict punishment on innocent animals? How can He bear with you to the end, you who are full of so many and such atrocious sins?" This, then, is a confirmation of his former doctrine.

From this we also learn that he did not speak for his own sake, nor express his own private feelings, but that he defended the doctrine which he had announced, so that the Jews might know that God was angry with them, and that they were not to expect that He would always conceal Himself, though He for a time overlooked their sins.

How long, he says, shall the land mourn? Or, how long should the land mourn (for this is how it ought to be translated); and should every herb become dry? "What!" he says. "Is not God’s judgment visible in herbs and flocks, in beasts and birds? Since this is so, and the whole fault is in you, shall you be spared? Will God pour forth His whole wrath on herbs, on sheep, and on cattle? And shall you, at the same time, be exempted from His judgment?"

And he expresses his meaning still more clearly when he says, Because they have said, He shall not see our end. Here the Prophet briefly shows that the wrath of God was seen in herbs as well as in brute animals, because He was despised by the people. Since, then, evil proceeded from them, should it not return on their own heads?

It surely could not be otherwise. But he speaks expressly of the end, for the Jews were so stupefied by their prosperity that they thought God was no longer adverse to them: "Ha! What have we to do with God? We are already beyond the reach of danger." Since they thus perversely rejected God, he rebukes them for the thought that they were to give no account to God.

It is indeed not probable that they openly, or, as the saying goes, "with a full mouth," vomited forth such blasphemy. But we know that Scripture often speaks in this manner: "God shall not see;" "God will not look on Jacob." Though the ungodly did not speak so insolently, they undoubtedly thought that they could erect many hindrances to prevent God’s hand from reaching them.

Therefore, Jeremiah, according to the usual manner of Scripture, justly charges them with this: that they thought they were now, as it were, unknown to God and beyond the reach of His care, so that He would not see their end. In other words, they believed they had no concern with God, because they were so well fortified on all sides that the hand of God could not reach them.

Prayer: Grant, Almighty God, that though the same hardness is innate in us as in Your ancient people, we may not become rooted in it. Instead, rouse us by Your Spirit, so that we may allow ourselves to be gently governed by Your word and be so touched by Your threatenings that we do not delay when You announce Your judgment to us, but strive to be immediately reconciled to You. And as there is no other way of being reconciled except through Your only begotten Son, may we in true faith embrace the favor which You offer to us in Your gospel, and also devote ourselves wholly to You, being truly penitent for our sins. And as we ought to make progress to the end of life, may we strive more and more to put off all the lusts of our flesh, until we are at last made partakers of that glory which Your only begotten Son has prepared for us. Amen.