John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 2:24

"a wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind in her desire; in her occasion who can turn her away? all they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her." — Jeremiah 2:24 (ASV)

As Jeremiah had called the people a dromedary, so he now calls them a wild ass. He says, "You are both a dromedary and a wild ass." For when a wild ass has caught the wind according to her desire (that is, when she has pantingly sought it and has caught any chance wind—that is, whatever wind may happen to be, for he meant to show by this expression that beasts make no choice, show no judgment, and exercise no moderation)—when, therefore, she has caught the wind, wherever chance may take her, no one can restrain her from her impetuous course; and he who pursues her will in vain weary himself until he finds her in her month.

By these words the Prophet intimates the untamable madness of the people, that they could not by any means be restrained, being like a wild ass, which cannot be tamed nor freed from its wildness, especially when she has caught the wind. For if she were shut in, bolts might have some effect to prevent her headlong course. But when a wild ass is free and allowed to ramble over hill and dale, when she catches the wind according to her desire—that is, when she can wander here and there, and nothing prevents her from rambling in all directions—when wild animals are allowed such liberty to catch any chance wind (that is, any wind that happens to blow), then, as the Prophet seems to intimate, there is no reason in wild beasts, nor do they keep within any due bounds.

When any of us undertakes a journey, he inquires how far he can go in one day, he avoids weariness and provides against it as far as he can, and after having fixed the extent of his journey, he thinks of a resting place; and he also makes inquiries about the right way and the best road.

The case is different with wild animals; for when they begin to run, they do not go to Lyons or to Lausanne, but abandon themselves to a blind impulse. And then when they are fatigued, they do not cease to proceed in their course, for lust hurries them on. We now perceive the Prophet's design.

He then adds, Who can bring her back? As if he had said that the people could not be stopped or brought back to anything like moderation, for a wildness, or rather a complete madness, had taken complete possession of them.

It afterwards follows, There is no reason for anyone to weary himself; he will eventually find her in her month. All interpreters agree that this month is to be taken for the time of foaling. When the wild asses are in foal, and the time of delivery draws near, they are then restrained by their burden and may be easily caught, as they do not retain their previous swiftness, for they carry a burden. The Prophet then says that the people were like wild asses, for they could be restrained by no instruction, and nothing could bridle their excesses; but that the time of delivery must be waited for.

Let us now see how this analogy applies to the people. The verse contains two parts. The first shows, as I have already said, that the people could not be turned by any warnings, nor would they obey any counsel, but were carried away by their insane passions, as it were by any chance wind, or any wind that might blow.

This is the first part. Now, as the obstinacy of the people was so great, God here declares to hypocrites that the time would come when He would put a restraint on them and break down their impetuous infatuation.

How? The time of delivery would come; that is, “When you have committed many iniquities, your burden will stop and restrain you.” And He intimates that it would be the time of His judgment, as if He had said, “You must be dealt with not as sane men, endowed with a sound mind, for you are wild beasts that cannot be tamed.”

What, then, remains to be done? As the wild ass is weighed down with her burden when the time of delivery approaches, so God declares, in effect: “I will eventually cause you to feel the burden of your iniquities, which by its weight will be intolerable. And though your perverseness is untamable, yet My hand will be sufficient to restrain you, for I will break you down, as you will not bend nor obey My instruction.”

We now, then, understand the meaning of the analogy and how applicable it was to the case of the people, whose lesson we also ought to learn in the present day. The rest tomorrow.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, that as it pleased You, when You delivered us from the tyranny of Satan, to lay Your yoke on our necks—O grant that we may be influenced by the spirit of docility, obedience, and meekness, and willingly submit ourselves to You throughout the whole course of our life, so that You may gather from us the fruit of Your redemption. May we so renounce sin that we may devote ourselves to Your service and become the servants of righteousness, until, having finished the course of our warfare, we shall be gathered into that blessed rest, which has been obtained for us by the blood of Your only-begotten Son. Amen.