John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 50:40

"As when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbor cities thereof, saith Jehovah, so shall no man dwell there, neither shall any son of man sojourn therein." — Jeremiah 50:40 (ASV)

This verse confirms and explains the previous verse. But so that the Prophet's design may be more evident, we must remember what Jude says in his epistle (Jude 1:7): that the destruction of Sodom is like a mirror in which we see God’s vengeance on all the ungodly.

God overthrew Sodom, but he does not act in the same way toward other lands and nations. Yet the same is the lot of all the unbelieving, of the despisers of God, and of reprobates, for they are exposed to his vengeance, which they cannot escape, though it may be suspended for a time.

Therefore, when the Prophet now says that Babylon would be overthrown as Sodom was overthrown, he does not mean that this would happen after seventy years when it was taken by Cyrus and Darius, nor when retaken after its revolt, nor when taken by Alexander. For it remained a long time after this, even until the reign of Augustus Caesar.

Since, then, this was so, it follows that our Prophet does not speak of its first, second, or third assault. Instead, he had in view what I have already stated: that when God summons the wicked to judgment, it is a certain prelude to eternal and final destruction.

His way with the godly is another, for though God may sink them down to the grave, even to the center of the earth, yet hope still remains for them. Therefore, their death is never like the destruction of Sodom. And to the same purpose is what we have already quoted from Isaiah:

“Except a seed had been left us, we should have been as Sodom, and like to Gomorrah.” (Isaiah 1:9)

That exception shows the difference between God’s children and the reprobate, because he often delivers them from ruin.

We now understand the Prophet’s meaning when he says that Babylon would become desolate and solitary, so that no one would dwell there, nor remain; and that from age to age, or from generation to generation.

Moreover, we learn from what is said here that the unbelieving are overwhelmed with despair even under the least punishment, because they see nothing but the vengeance of God. For though God does not immediately slay them, yet the smallest affliction signifies what hangs over them; in fact, he inflicts a deadly wound when he seems only to touch them lightly.

Then there is only one consolation that can sustain us in our miseries, namely, to know that we are separated from the Sodomites solely through the mercy of God, because we have deserved the same destruction, and the Lord has spared us according to his infinite goodness. This, then, is the meaning,