John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 49:6

"But afterward I will bring back the captivity of the children of Ammon, saith Jehovah." — Jeremiah 49:6 (ASV)

He now says the same thing of the children of Ammon, as he said before of the Moabites, that some hope still remained for them, for God would eventually show mercy to that nation. But, as we have said, these promises were merely secondary, because God had chosen only one people to be a Father to them; and the children of Abraham must be viewed as distinct from all other nations.

But though God built, as it were, a wall to separate his people from foreigners, it was still his will to give some preludes of his favor, and of the calling of the Gentiles. The Prophet, then, had in view here the kingdom of Christ. The promise, no doubt, extended to his coming, for he speaks of the calling of the Gentiles, which God deferred until he manifested his own Son to the world.

It is then as if the Prophet had said that God's mercy would eventually be shown to the Ammonites in common with others; that is, when God would gather his Church from the whole world and unite, in one body, those who were previously scattered. Nor is there any doubt that the Prophet, speaking of the children of Ammon, intended to show what was to be manifested throughout all parts of the world.

And so it is that our salvation is founded on our calling, for we see that the gospel has not been proclaimed to the world without purpose; but as God had determined and settled this from the beginning, so we see that Jeremiah was a herald of our adoption. This, then, is the meaning of what is said.

He afterwards passes over to the children of Edom. But I cannot now proceed further.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, that as You formerly gave so many proofs of how great and singular Your love was towards the children of Abraham, whom it had pleased You to choose as Your people — O grant that we today may also enjoy the same favor, since we have been admitted into a participation of the same union, and that we may be so chastised as never to lose the hope of Your mercy, but that we may so taste it as to meditate on that celestial kingdom, which has been obtained for us by the blood of Your only-begotten Son. — Amen.