John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 27:18

"But if they be prophets, and if the word of Jehovah be with them, let them now make intercession to Jehovah of hosts, that the vessels which are left in the house of Jehovah, and in the house of the king of Judah, and at Jerusalem, go not to Babylon." — Jeremiah 27:18 (ASV)

Here the Prophet ridicules the foolish confidence with which the false prophets were puffed up, when they promised all happiness in the future. Therefore, he says that they were not to be believed regarding the prosperity they prophesied; on the contrary, they should have dreaded a most grievous punishment.

He then says, If they are prophets, let them intercede with Jehovah, so that what still remains might not be taken away from Jerusalem. They promised the return of the vessels which had already been carried away to Babylon; yet what still remained in the Temple, in the king's palace, and in the whole city was to be removed to Babylon.

We now perceive the Prophet’s design: he compares the future with the past and shows that these impostors foolishly promised a better state of affairs, even when God’s heavy judgment was impending over them, for the city and the Temple were doomed to complete ruin.

The verb פגע, pego, means to meet, to go to meet, and is used metaphorically to mean interceding. For one who meets another as an intercessor, in a way, restrains the opponent. Scripture uses this word when it speaks of the saints supplicating God; the proper meaning here is interceding.

From this passage we learn that these two things are united—teaching and praying. Therefore, God would have the one whom He has appointed as a teacher in His Church be diligent in prayer. And so the Apostles said, when they spoke of appointing deacons, that they could not attend to tables; for they said that they were sufficiently engaged in teaching, and they also mentioned prayers (Acts 6:2–4).

We also learn the same from this passage, where Jeremiah ascribes the office of interceding to God’s true and faithful servants who conscientiously discharged the office of teaching. If they are prophets, he says, let them intercede with Jehovah, so that the remaining vessels are not taken away. Let us at the same time notice the definition he gives, for by this he also shows who are to be considered true prophets: namely, those who have the word of God, as we have found elsewhere:

The Prophet who has a dream, and who has my true word, let him speak my word (Jeremiah 23:28).

We have said that by these words of the Prophet it can be determined who deserve to be called prophets: namely, those who have the word of God. Jeremiah confirms the same here when he says, If they are prophets, and if the word of Jehovah is with them. These two clauses should be read together, for the latter is exegetical, or explanatory, of the former. But I cannot finish everything now; I must therefore leave the rest until tomorrow.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, that as by our many vices we continually bring new punishment upon ourselves, we may strive to be reconciled to You and thus anticipate Your judgment; and that we may so submit to You in true humility that we may not be untamable by struggling against You, but instead confess our guilt, obtain Your favor, and find reconciliation with You, until, having at last put off all our vices, we will come to that blessed rest which Your only-begotten Son has procured for us by His own blood.—Amen.