John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 30:24

"The fierce anger of Jehovah shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall understand it." — Jeremiah 30:24 (ASV)

He confirms the last sentence and compares the wrath or the vengeance of God to a messenger or a minister, who is sent to carry a message or to perform what has been commanded him. Of God’s word, that is, of His threats as well as of His promises, Isaiah speaks as follows:

“My word shall not return to me void.” (Isaiah 55:11)

The meaning is that whatever God promises or threatens is never without its effect. But they wrongly understand the passage who say that the word of God does not return void because it brings forth fruit; for he speaks of the effect of the word, whether for salvation or for perdition. So now also God declares that His vengeance, when it has gone out, shall not return until it fulfills what has been commanded.

He then adds, and until he shall have confirmed, etc.; for so the verb הקימו ekimu properly means: until God then shall have confirmed or established the thoughts of his heart. He calls the thoughts of his heart the decrees or purposes of God. However, this is a way of speaking taken from humans and is therefore metaphorical, as it is not consistent with God's nature either to think or to deliberate.

But, regarding the subject itself, there is nothing ambiguous. The Prophet means that when God sends out His vengeance, all the wicked must perish, because God has so decreed, and His purposes can never be frustrated. Then he shows that God’s vengeance will be accomplished because God has so determined. For God does not deceive when He promises salvation to people, or pronounces on them the punishment they have deserved; rather, He executes the decrees or purposes of His heart.

Then the Prophet here condemns the foolishness of all those who thought that they could escape, though they had often heard that their guilt was so great that they must at last be subjected to judgment. Though they had often heard this, yet they were deaf to all warnings; and it was for this reason that the Prophet spoke of the thoughts of God’s heart.

At last he adds, At the extremity of days you shall understand this. This may be applied to the faithful no less than to the wicked. For though the faithful embraced God’s promises and relied on them, yet, as they had to contend constantly with the most severe trials, it was necessary to encourage and inspire them to patience. It might then be suitably said to them, “You shall understand this in the last days.” This was a kind of exhortation, as though he had said: “You indeed think the wicked happy because God does not immediately punish them, because His vengeance does not instantly break forth in thunders against them. But patiently bear your miseries, and you shall eventually find that their destruction has not been in vain predicted. You shall also receive a reward for your faith and patience, if you continue resigned until the end.”

But the sentence may also be suitably applied to the wicked, because they were accustomed to form their judgment according to the current appearance of things. Hence the Prophet exposes the false opinion by which they deceived themselves and says that too late they would understand what they were then unwilling to perceive.

If then we explain this sentence concerning the children of God, it is an exhortation to patiently bear their hardships until God appeared as their defender. But if we apply it to the unbelieving, it is a mockery of their spiritual dullness, because they regarded all threats as fables. But the Prophet exclaims, “You shall at last become wise, but it will be too late.” Even experience becomes a teacher when there is no more opportunity to repent.