John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 3:12

"Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith Jehovah; I will not look in anger upon you; for I am merciful, saith Jehovah, I will not keep [anger] for ever." — Jeremiah 3:12 (ASV)

The Prophet, after having shown that the tribe of Judah deserved a heavier punishment than the ten tribes, and having mentioned the cause: that they had seen their brethren severely chastised and were not moved, now turns his discourse to the Israelites themselves, or the ten tribes, and promises that God would be propitious to them.

The kingdom of Israel had now been overthrown, and the people had been banished into Assyria, Persia, and Media.

They had been scattered, and the name of the kingdom had been obliterated. The land had been often laid waste, and the kingdom partly existed, as only four tribes were first driven into exile.

But at length, the very name of a kingdom ceased to exist, and they were all, as I have said, led away into captivity.

Therefore, the Prophet is instructed to address his words towards the north.

For although the greater part of the people then dwelt in the east, yet because they had been banished by the Assyrians, God considered the capital of the monarchy when instructing the Prophet to address those whom the enemies had led away to the north.

Cry, then, not so much on account of the distance of the place, but so that the Jews, who were deaf, might hear him crying.

For the Prophet was instructed to speak not only for the sake of the Israelites, but also that through them he might present God's mercy to the Jews, if only they returned to a sound mind.

Now, the meaning of the whole is this: although the Israelites had been rebellious and had turned away from God, pardon was nevertheless ready for them if they returned.

What the Prophet means by the word return, we have already partly explained, and we will need to speak on the subject more fully elsewhere.

He therefore requires repentance and promises that God would be propitious to them if they returned to him.

He afterwards adds, I will not make my face, or rather, my wrath, to fall upon you; for this latter meaning is the most appropriate. God had already severely punished their sins; for what can happen to a people more grievous than to be banished from their own country and then to be oppressed by cruel tyranny?

They yet suffered a heavier punishment; for the worship according to the Law had been taken away from them; they had been repudiated by God; they had lost that glory by which they thought that they excelled all other nations in having been chosen as God’s peculiar people. All these things had been entirely lost.

In what sense, then, does God declare that he would not be angry with them?

By this way of speaking, the Prophet simply means that God would not be irreconcilable, as though he had said, “My wrath shall not dwell, or shall not lie upon you; but I will mitigate the punishment which I have inflicted.”

Therefore, I do not disapprove of Jerome’s rendering, “I will not make steady” (firmabo); though when he adds “face,” he does not sufficiently convey the Prophet's meaning.

But this may be admitted: “I will not make steady my wrath upon you”; that is, “My wrath shall not lie or dwell on your heads, so as to wholly overwhelm you.”

God’s wrath had already fallen upon them, but in such a way that there was still some hope of deliverance.

God then denies that the calamities by which he had chastised their sins would be fatal, for he would withdraw his hand and not pursue them to the last extremity.

The meaning, then, is this: if the people returned to God, they would obtain pardon, because God of his own free will invited them and promised that the punishment he had inflicted on account of their sins would be only for a time.

God further confirms this truth by mentioning what his nature is: for merciful am I, and I will not retain wrath for ever.

The promise was special in case the people returned. God now adds a general truth by way of confirmation: that he was disposed to show mercy and that he would readily forgive for his mercy’s sake.

Since God then is such, and cannot deny himself, there is no reason why a sinner should despair and thus close up the way, preventing himself from imploring God’s mercy in his penitence.

We may therefore gather a profitable doctrine from this: whenever unbelief takes hold of our minds, so that we cannot apply God's promises for our benefit, we should always remember this—that God is merciful.

Since God then is so gracious that he does not reserve wrath forever, but only for a time, we ought to entertain hope.

Corresponding with this is what is said in the Psalms:

“A moment is he in his wrath;
and life is in his goodness and mercy” (Psalms 30:5).

It is as though he had said that God’s wrath soon passes away, provided we repent, but that he shows his mercy through all ages; for this is what is meant by the word “life.” He then goes on—