John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 33:1-6

"Moreover the word of Jehovah came unto Jeremiah the second time, while he was yet shut up in the court of the guard, saying, Thus saith Jehovah that doeth it, Jehovah that formeth it to establish it; Jehovah is his name: Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and will show thee great things, and difficult, which thou knowest not. For thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, which are broken down [to make a defence] against the mounds and against the sword; while [men] come to fight with the Chaldeans, and to fill them with the dead bodies of men, whom I have slain in mine anger and in my wrath, and for all whose wickedness I have hid my face from this city: Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them; and I will reveal unto them abundance of peace and truth." — Jeremiah 33:1-6 (ASV)

This prophecy refers to the same subject; and it was not to be wondered at that God spoke so much of the same thing, for it was necessary to make the Jews inexcusable, as they always pretended ignorance unless God made frequent repetitions. This was also the reason why Paul said that by the mouth of two or three witnesses everything should be established, when he said that he would come the second and the third time to Corinth (2 Corinthians 13:1). He intimated that his coming would not be useless, for unless they repented, they could not have escaped by pretending ignorance, as hypocrites are accustomed to do.

It was, then, God’s purpose to confirm by many prophecies what he had once testified concerning the restoration of the people. But he had a special care for the faithful, that they might not grow faint and succumb under those many trials which remained for so long a time. For as some died in exile, they might have forgotten the covenant of God, and thus the soul might have perished with the body.

And those who were to return to their own country needed significant support, so that they might continue firm for seventy years and rely with confidence on God’s mercy. So now we understand why God repeated the teaching about the return of the people.

It is said that the word of Jehovah came to Jeremiah while he was still in prison. Then the Prophet was commanded to seek the benefit of his enemies and to promote their welfare, however unworthy they were because of their ingratitude. For though they had not all demanded his death, yet the greater part of them had loudly condemned him, and he had been delivered with difficulty, and was now confined in prison.

It was a great cruelty that the people, while he was faithfully discharging his prophetic office, should thus furiously rage against him. He is, however, commanded still to proceed in the duties of his office, to comfort them, to ease their grief, and to afford them some alleviation in their troubles and miseries.

There is also no doubt that it was profitable to Jeremiah himself; for it was a most unjust reward that he should, while serving God faithfully and conscientiously, be shamefully cast into prison and be kept captive there for so long. It was, then, some lessening of his grief that God appeared to him in that very prison; it was evidence that God valued him more highly than all the Jews.

God did not then speak in the Temple, nor throughout the whole city. The prison then was God’s sanctuary, and there he gave responses to his Prophet, though he was accustomed to do this before from the mercy seat, from the ark of the covenant. Thus we see how great was the honor that God was pleased at that time to bestow, in a way, on a prison, when he had forsaken his own Temple.

Now follows the prophecy, the substance of which is that though the city was to be given up into the hand of the king of Babylon, yet that calamity was not to be perpetual, for God eventually, after the completion of seventy years, would restore it.

But why this promise was given has been stated already: it was given so that the faithful might submit patiently to God, and allow themselves with calm minds to be chastised, and also rest on the hope the promise gave them, and thus feel assured that as they were struck by God’s hand, their punishment would prove to be their medicine and an aid to their salvation. So now we perceive what this prophecy is, and also for what purpose it was delivered.

But before God promised anything concerning the return of the people, he strengthened the mind of the Prophet by a preface, and also encouraged and inspired the godly to cherish good hope. The preface is that God created and formed Jerusalem. There was, then, no doubt that he would eventually rescue it from the hands of enemies; indeed, that he would raise it up even from hell itself.

To prove this, he says that he is Jehovah. Thus we see why the Prophet, before he recited the promise, honored God with magnificent titles. But it is doubtful whether the past or the present time is to be understood when it is said, Jehovah the maker of it, Jehovah the former of it; for either would be suitable—that is, that God at the beginning built Jerusalem and was its founder, or that he had intended to create and form it anew.

If the past tense is taken, then the meaning is that the city, which had been built by God, could not possibly perish, because his will was that it should remain perpetually. And the same sentiment often occurs in the Prophets, and also in the Psalms.

For it was God’s design to be regarded as the founder of Jerusalem, so that he might distinguish it from all other cities of the world. We know that there is nothing under the sun perpetual, for the whole world is subject to various changes; indeed,

“the fashion of this world,” as Paul says, “passeth away” (1 Corinthians 7:31).

As, then, such various changes take place in all cities, God, by a unique privilege, exempted Jerusalem from this common lot; and therefore the Prophet truly and wisely concludes that the ruin of the city would not be perpetual, because God had formed it. And therefore its future restoration is sufficiently proved.

But if anyone prefers the present time, then the meaning would be that he who had resolved to create and form Jerusalem is Jehovah, the God of hosts: no one then can hinder his work. As this sense is not unsuitable, I do not reject it, though I follow the former.

We must, at the same time, bear in mind this principle—that restoration is promised to the Jews because Jerusalem had been, as it were, chosen by God, so that he took it under his care and protection, so as to preserve it perpetually. Whether then we take the words to be in the past or present time, that God is the creator and former of Jerusalem, we see that the promise of deliverance is founded on the mercy of God, even because he had chosen Jerusalem for his own habitation, according to what is in the Psalms,

“His foundations are on the holy mountains” (Psalms 87:1).

And there, also, the pronoun is used instead of God’s name, as here instead of the city’s name, Thus saith Jehovah, who has created it, who has formed it, that he might establish it. Here Jerusalem is not named; but the narrative is much more emphatic than if it was expressed, as also in the place we have just quoted, the word God is not given, nor the word Church, if I mistake not, in the 37th chapter of Isaiah (Isaiah 37). When the Prophet says,

“His foundations are on the holy mountains,”

there is no doubt that the word God is to be understood, though not expressed. So here, when speaking of the city, he says that Jehovah formed it, or will form it.

He adds, Jehovah is his name. Here he exalts the power of God, so that the Jews might not set up against him what otherwise might have terrified them and, as it were, reduced them to a lifeless state, and caused them to faint away completely.

He, therefore, sets before their eyes the power of God, as though he had said that there would be no obstacle which could delay God’s work, for he had resolved to form and create anew his own city after its demolition. It is, in a word, the same as though he had commanded the people to turn their eyes and all their thoughts to God, to consider his immeasurable power, and so to cherish hope, and thus to look down, as it were, from on high on all the impediments which might have otherwise completely weakened their confidence.

He afterwards adds, Cry to me, and I will answer you, and I will announce to you things magnificent and hidden, which you have not known. It was not so much for the sake of the Prophet as of others that this was said. For the Prophet, no doubt, had earnestly prayed, and his prison must have inflamed his ardor, so as to intercede constantly with God. God then does not here reprove his lethargy or his sloth by saying, Cry to me; but as I have said, the word is so directed to the Prophet that God excites all the godly to pray.

There is indeed here an implied reproof, as though he had said that it was their fault that God did not cheer their minds with a joyful and happy message, for they had closed the door against themselves, so as to prevent God from offering them that comfort which they yet especially wished. But men, while they expect God to be propitious to them, do not yet give entrance to his grace, because they bolt up, as it were, their hearts with unbelief. Thus we see why it was said, Cry to me, and I will answer you.

But this passage should especially be noticed; for we may therefore conclude that whenever we pine away in sorrow, or are worn out by affliction, it is our own fault, because we are slow and reluctant to pray. For everyone who cries acknowledges that God is always near, as he promises in the Psalms, to those who truly call on him. That we are then sometimes worn out with long grief, and no comfort given to us, this happens, let us know, through our neglect and sloth, because we do not cry to God, who is always ready to answer us, as he here promises.

And he says, I will declare to you great things, and of hidden things you do not know. So are the words literally; but they cannot be thus suitably rendered: then we may read, “and things hidden which you do not know,” or, “I will make you acquainted with hidden things which are unknown to you.” It may, however, be asked why God called those things hidden, of which Jeremiah had already prophesied?

The answer is obvious—that they had, as it were, made void all the promises of God, and the holy man might have been even confounded when he saw that God’s favor was thus rejected. For it was reasonable to conclude that as the people obstinately rejected the hope of deliverance, it was all over with them, and that their condition was, as it were, hopeless.

Thus we see that those things are often hidden to us which God has again and again made known to us; for either they do not immediately penetrate into our minds, or the memory of them is extinguished, or faith is not so vigorous in us as it ought to be, or we are disturbed and confounded by obstacles thrown in our way.

He now expresses what these hidden things were: As to the houses, he says (so it is literally), thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, as to the houses of this city, and as to the houses of the kings of Judah. The preposition על, meaning upon, often means with regard to, concerning.

He names the houses of the kings, for the kings of Judah were not satisfied, as is well known, with one palace, but had many houses outside the city.

As to the houses, he says, which had been thrown down. This is variously explained; the houses, say some, had been pulled down for the war engines, that is, so that these engines might be made from the materials, and for the sword.

The sense, however, would appear more obvious if we were to take this view: that the houses had been thrown down by the war engines, and also by the sword, that is, by the violence of the enemies.

The word סללת (sallut), as has already been stated, is rendered by some as fortifications; but when the storming of cities is spoken of, it no doubt means war machines, such as engines to throw darts, or battering-rams. But we do not know in what form they were made by the Jews and the Chaldeans.

There are two parts to this prophecy—that the Jews were about to perish through their own fault, and that they were to be restored through the favor and goodness of God alone. Here, then, in the first place, the Prophet condemns the false confidence of the people, who stoutly resisted the Chaldeans.

They came, he says, to fight with the Chaldeans; but what would be the issue of the battle? Even to fill, he says, with the carcasses of men their very houses. When he says that the Jews were come, he speaks of what had already, as it were, taken place.

It is indeed a participle in the present tense, coming; but the Prophet here sets before their eyes what was to be, as though he had said, “The Jews will boldly rush forth, and will think themselves equal, and even superior to the Chaldeans; thus they will arm themselves with courage for the battle.” Then he says this in order to ridicule the audacity of the people.

The sad issue of the fight follows: the filling of their own houses with the carcasses of men. The copulative is redundant, or it must be taken as explanatory, and rendered, even. They shall come then to fight, even that they may fill their own houses with carcasses, and thus inflame the fury of their enemies.

For it therefore happened that the Chaldeans shed more blood and did not spare the mass of the people; because we know that when a city is won by force, more cruelty is exercised, and the slaughters become much greater. Had the Jews willingly surrendered, they would have received more humane treatment at the hand of their conquerors; but the Chaldeans became implacable because their fury had been kindled by the stubbornness of the people fighting against them.

God, at the same time, shows that the Chaldeans would not be victorious through their own valor, but because he himself would smite or slay the Jews. Then he ascribes to his own vengeance the calamity which might have seemed to proceed from the Chaldeans; for Jeremiah could not have exhorted the people to repentance unless he showed that it happened through a righteous judgment that the Chaldeans so cruelly raged against them. But we must defer the rest until tomorrow.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, that we may so learn to humble ourselves under your mighty hand, whenever you chastise us, that we may not faint in our miseries, but flee to your mercy with more confidence, and by acknowledging our sins, may become so displeased with ourselves that we may never lose the taste of your mercy but strengthen ourselves to cherish good hope, and call upon you, until we shall finally find by success that our prayers are not in vain. And may we ever thus find comfort in our troubles, so that we may finally enjoy that perfect bliss which you have prepared for us in heaven, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

[Exposition continues from previous day's lecture]

I was compelled yesterday to stop at the second clause of the fifth verse, where God declares that the Jews were slain by him while they were exerting all their strength to resist. He then says that slaughter happened to the city and to the people because they had sinned against him. But he says, first, I have slain them, and then, I have hid my face from this city, and he also adds the reason, on account of all their wickedness.

Then he declares that he was the author of that slaughter, and he also shows that in just judgment he punished the wickedness of the people. For as they had never ceased for a long time to provoke his vengeance, he here shows that they deserved that reward—even of having their city forcibly taken by the Chaldeans, and also of being everywhere slain, and of having their houses filled with dead bodies.

He afterwards says, Behold, I will bring a renewal and a healing, and I will heal them. This is the main point, as they say, in the passage. He had until now been showing that the Jews had deserved so heavy a punishment because by their obstinacy they had not ceased to provoke God against themselves.

But he promises here to be gracious to them after having moderately corrected them. For we have said that the design of this prophecy was to sustain the Jews, so that they might not despond, but rely on the promise of favor, however bitter exile might be. Then he says, I will bring a renewal, or restoration, and a healing.

And it is added, I will open to them abundance of peace and of truth. Some render the last word, אמת (amet), as prayer; for the verb אמן (amen) sometimes means to pray and also to multiply.

There may then be a twofold meaning; the first, that God would open to them an access to prayer, for things were so hopeless among the people that no one dared to utter a word.

Even Jeremiah himself was forbidden to pray (Jeremiah 11:14) because God had resolved to destroy those miserable men for whom there was no hope of repentance. Some therefore understand that an access to prayer is here promised, so that the faithful and the servants of God might pray for the prosperity of the city.

But this explanation seems to me to be too far-fetched. I take, therefore, a simpler interpretation—that God would give them abundance of peace, or rather the prolonging or continuance of peace. By peace is meant, as is well known, a happy state.

Then to Jerusalem, reduced to extreme miseries, God promises joyful things, so that she should afterwards live prosperously. And he adds the word truth, which is to be taken here for stability, as, indeed, everywhere in Scripture, as though he had said that the prosperous state of the city would not be for a month, or a short time, but continual and even perpetual, as he declares in the next verse.