John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 22:4-5

"For if ye do this thing indeed, then shall there enter in by the gates of this house kings sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, he, and his servants, and his people. But if ye will not hear these words, I swear by myself, saith Jehovah, that this house shall become a desolation." — Jeremiah 22:4-5 (ASV)

The Prophet expresses more clearly what I have already stated: if the Jews repented from the heart, there was still a place for mercy. For he promises them that God would be reconciled if they sought to be reconciled to Him; he allures them to repentance with words of kindness.

We may, indeed, read כיאם (kiam) as one word and render it, "But rather." However, I follow others who give this version: For if by doing you will do this word, then you will enter in, and so on. Thus, they turn the copulative into an adverb of time, which is often the case.

Still, the other meaning is not unsuitable when the future verb, תעשו (toshu), is taken in a hortative sense, for we know that the future tense in Hebrew is often to be understood as an imperative. As to the general meaning, there is not much difference.

For what the Prophet designed to show was this: God would be reconciled to the Jews if they were not wholly disobedient. "Only," he says, "obey my word, and your safety shall be secured." This did not mean impunity was to be expected, as I have said before. Rather, they would have found that their reconciliation to God would not have been in vain, for their punishment would have been mitigated.

In that case, their exile would have been made more endurable, for God would have undoubtedly made their adversaries kind to them. In short, mercy would have been shown to them in many ways. Moreover, the Prophet shows that he did not call them to repent in vain, for he presents to them God’s favor in mitigating their punishment.

And he adds, You shall enter through the gates of this house, both your kings and their counselors; but the number is afterwards changed to he, that is, every king.

The Prophet seems, at first view, to have retracted what he had said respecting exile. However, the two things are to be connected: there was some hope remaining if the Jews accepted the favor of God, and also that the punishment, once decreed, was to be borne by them. These two things do not disagree.

For God had resolved to drive the Jews into exile. But all Judea would not undoubtedly have been reduced to solitude—as happened through their irreclaimable obstinacy, according to what we read at the end of this Book—for they might otherwise have still dwelt in their own country.

This is one thing. Then, their condition after their exile would have been better and far happier. But even at that time, the crown was trodden under foot, and all the dignity and power of the family of David were nearly abolished.

When, therefore, the Prophet says, Enter shall kings in chariots and on horses, and also the people and he and his counselors, through the gates of this city; he does not mean that they would escape in such a way that God would not chastise them for their sins, as he had declared.

Rather, he means that there would still be some form of a kingdom, that exile would be short, and also that there would eventually be a restoration, so that the descendants of David would return to their former state, and the city itself would be restored to abound in wealth and all other blessings.

Such is the promise. The Prophet further adds what would otherwise take place: If they will not hear, this place shall become a desolation. But this threatening shall be considered tomorrow.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, that as You have been pleased to erect the throne of Your Son among us, we may allow ourselves to be ruled by Him, and not falsely boast that we are His people, but really prove that we truly and from the heart confess Him as our King. May He also so defend us through the whole course of life against all the assaults of our enemies, that we, ever relying on Your aid, and possessing our souls in patience, may at last be translated into that blessed glory and rest, which He has purchased for us by His own blood. Amen.

[Exposition continues from previous day's lecture]

We explained yesterday the Prophet's declaration: that the kingdom would again be restored by the Lord if the king and his servants and the whole people repented. He now introduces a threat: that if they did not hear, it was all over with the palace and the city.

But the word "house" or "palace" is often repeated. For though the defenses of the city gave courage to the people, what made them especially proud was the confidence they felt that the kingdom had been promised to be forever.

Hence, they thought that the royal dignity could not possibly fall as long as the sun and moon continued in the heavens (Psalms 89:38). This false confidence is what the Prophet now addresses when he says, If you will not hear these words, and so on.

He changes the number: he had said before this word, את הדבר הזה (at edeber eze); but he now says these words, את הדברים (at edeberim). The singular number includes the whole of his doctrine, yet he now uses the plural number because he had exhorted them to change their life.

And that they might not think that they were terrified for no good reason, he declares that God had sworn by himself. We indeed know that when God makes an oath, either when He promises anything or when He denounces punishment on sinners, it is done on account of human sloth and dullness.

For our hearts, through unbelief, hardly receive a simple truth unless God removes the impediments. This is the design of making an oath, when God does not only speak but, in order to make us more certain of our salvation, He confirms His promise by introducing His own name as a pledge. The reason is similar regarding threats; for so great is the false security of sinners that they are deaf until God, as it were, penetrates into their hearts with force. Hence he says that God made an oath by Himself, for it seemed incredible to the Jews that the family which had been set apart by God from the world would ever perish. It now follows: