John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 14:22

"Are there any among the vanities of the nations that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? art not thou he, O Jehovah our God? therefore we will wait for thee; for thou hast made all these things." — Jeremiah 14:22 (ASV)

In order to conciliate the favor of God, Jeremiah says here that with Him is the only remedy in extreme difficulties. It is as though by professing despair he wished to turn God to mercy, as if he had said, “What will become of us, unless you show yourself gracious? For if you remain implacable, the Gentiles have their gods from whom they seek safety; but with us, it is a fixed principle to hope for and to seek salvation from you alone.”

Now this argument must have been of great weight; not that God needed to be reminded, but He allows a personal engagement with Himself.

For if we wish to argue stoically, even our prayers are unnecessary. Why do we pray for God to help us? Does He not Himself see what we need? Is He not ready enough to bring us help? But these are irrational ideas, wholly contrary to the true and genuine feeling of piety.

Just as we flee to God whenever necessity compels us, so also we remind Him, like a son who unburdens all his feelings to his father. Thus in prayer, the faithful reason and expostulate with God, bringing forward all those things by which He may be pacified towards them.

In short, they deal with Him in a human way, as though they would persuade Him concerning that which has already been decreed before the creation of the world. But as the eternal counsel of God is hidden from us, we should in this respect act wisely and according to the measure of our faith.

However this may be, the Prophet, according to the common practice of the godly, seeks to conciliate the favor of God with this argument: that unless God dealt mercifully with His people and in His paternal kindness forgave them, it would be all over for them. It is as though he had said, “O Lord, you alone are He from whom we can hope for salvation. If we are now rejected by you, no refuge remains for us. Will you send your people to the idols and the inventions of the heathens? But we have looked for you alone; you then see that no hope of salvation remains for us but from your mercy.”

But the Prophet here testifies in the name of the faithful that when extreme difficulties oppress the miserable, they cannot obtain any help from the idols of the heathens. Can they give rain? he asks. He states here a part for the whole, for he means that the idols of the heathens have no power whatever. Hence, 'to give rain' is to be taken for everything necessary to sustain humankind: either to bring help, to supply the necessities of life, or to bestow an abundance of blessings. Paul also, in speaking of God’s power, refers to rain (Acts 14:17), and Isaiah often uses this kind of expression (Isaiah 5:6).

He then says, Are there any among the vanities of the heathens? He here condemns and reproaches all superstitions, for he does not call them the gods of the heathens (though this word is often used by the prophets), but the vanities of the heathens. Are there any, he asks, who can cause it to rain? And can the heavens give rain? I might offer a freer translation: “Can they from heaven give rain?” for it does not seem as suitable to me to apply this to the heavens.

If, however, the common translation is preferred, let everyone decide for themselves. But if the heavens are spoken of, the argument is from the lesser to the greater: “Not even the heavens give rain; how then can vanities? How then can the devices of men do this, which only proceed from their foolish brains?”

Can they give rain? For surely, is there not some inherent power in the heavens? Yet humanity, were it to devise a thousand gods for itself, still cannot form one drop of rain and cause it to come down from heaven. Since, then, the heavens do not of themselves give rain, but only at the command of God, how can the idols of the heathens and their vain inventions send rain for us from heaven?

The Prophet's object is now sufficiently evident: it was to show that if God rejected the people and resolved to punish their sins with the utmost severity and in an implacable manner, their salvation was hopeless, for it was not their intention to flee to idols.

Are you not Jehovah Himself, or Jehovah alone? he asks. Are you not Jehovah Himself, and our God? He first mentions the name Jehovah, by which is signified the eternal majesty and power of God. Then he adds another statement—that He was their God—to remind Him of His covenant. Then it is added, We have looked to you, for you have made all these things.

Here many, in my judgment, are mistaken, for they apply “these things” to the heavens and the earth, and to all the elements, as though the Prophet declared that God was the creator of the world and that therefore all things are under His control. But I have no doubt that he speaks of those punishments which God had already inflicted on the people and had resolved soon to inflict. For he is not speaking here of God’s power, which shines forth in the creation of the world; rather, he says, “We have looked to you, for you have made all these things.” That is, from you alone salvation will come to us, for you who have inflicted the wound alone can heal, according to what is said in another place:

God kills and brings to life, He leads to the grave and restores.
(1 Samuel 2:6)

It is then the same as though the Prophet had said, “We, O Lord, do now flee to your mercy, for no one but you alone can help us, as you are He who has punished our sins. Since then you have been our Judge, you also alone can deliver us now from our calamities; and no one can resist you, since the highest power is yours alone.”

“Let all the gods of the heathens unite, indeed, all the elements and all creatures, for the purpose of serving us, yet what will all that they can do avail us? As then you have made all these things (that is, as these things have not happened to us by chance but are the effects of your just vengeance)—as you have been judge in inflicting these punishments, be now our Physician and Father. As you have heavily afflicted us, so now bring comfort and heal those evils which we justly suffer, and indeed through your judgment.” We now understand the real meaning of the Prophet.

And from this a useful doctrine may be learned: that there is no reason why punishments, which are signs of God’s wrath, should discourage us so as to prevent us from venturing to seek pardon from Him. On the contrary, a form of prayer is here prescribed for us: for if we are convinced that we have been chastised by God’s hand, we are on this very account encouraged to hope for salvation, for it belongs to Him who wounds to heal, and to Him who kills to restore to life.