John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 31:21

"Set thee up waymarks, make thee guide-posts; set thy heart toward the highway, even the way by which thou wentest: turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities." — Jeremiah 31:21 (ASV)

He describes what mercy would do: namely, that God would eventually restore the captives and bring them back from exile to their own country. However, his favor was mentioned previously, so that we may know that the people were restored for no other reason than because God had mercy on them. The Prophet, then, having pointed out the fountain of redemption, now moves on to the external effect by which God proved that he was reconciled to his people. Therefore he says, set up for thee titles.

We must first understand why the Prophet speaks this way. When the Jews were led away into Chaldea, they thought that a return was closed off to them. Having then given up every concern for their country, they lived among foreign nations, as though they were dead to the land of Canaan.

They knew that they had forfeited that land, but they did not understand what had been so often said to them by the Prophets: that their punishment was to be temporary. As they had previously disregarded all threats, so when God began to thunder against them, despair overwhelmed their minds, so that they did not wish to hear anything about a return.

Since they thought that they were never to return to their own country, they had forgotten the way. Just as when someone moves to another place where he intends to live all his life, he only seeks to know the way there, but does not observe the landmarks and conveniences on the road in order to use them again, nor does he pay attention to which way he goes, whether he turns here to the right or there to the left; it is enough for him to reach his destination. So it was also with the Jews: they had made up their minds to remain in perpetual exile and were therefore not concerned about the road, so as to remember their journey.

Therefore the Prophet now says, Set up for thee titles, or inscriptions. For those who travel anywhere, if they intend to return, note that a particular inn was convenient, and also that there was a certain distance between this town or city and that village, and similarly, that the road was straight or turned more to one side than another. Therefore, when they think of returning, they pay attention to such things.

It is for this purpose that the Prophet says, Set up for thee titles, that is, so that you may assist your memory, as travelers usually do who intend to return by the same way. Set up then for thee titles, and raise up for thee heaps, or stones, which we call in our language monioyes; as though he had said, “You indeed have until now thought that the way has been closed off to you, so that you are to return no more; but God will stretch forth his hand and restore you to your former state.” Thus we see that the analogy is taken from the common practice of men but used for this purpose: that the Jews might not despair of their restoration as they had previously done.

He then says, Apply thy heart—he now explains himself—apply thy heart to the footpath, to the way through which thou hast passed. We therefore see that the Prophet becomes the interpreter of his own words: namely, that the people would return along the same road, though they expected no such thing.

And he again confirms the same declaration in other words, Return, thou daughter of Israel, return to thine own cities; as though he had said, “Though the land has been deserted for a time, and reduced to solitude, yet the cities remain, which shall again receive their inhabitants; and through the wonderful favor of God the land still waits for its people.” Though it cast them out for a time, yet the exile was not to be perpetual, for the cities which remained were still by right the property of the people, not because they were worthy of them, but because God had fixed, as has appeared elsewhere, a set time for their exile and punishment.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, that as stubbornness is inbred in us, so that we always struggle against you, and are never tractable until we are renewed by your Spirit—O grant, that your chastisements by which you would restore us to a sound mind, may not prove ruinous to us, but so influence us by your Spirit within, that we, being really humbled, may acknowledge you as our Judge and Father—our Judge, in order that we may be displeased with ourselves, and being touched by your judgment, we may condemn ourselves—and our Father, in order that we may, notwithstanding, flee to that mercy which is daily offered to us in the Gospel, through Christ Jesus our Lord. — Amen.