John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 51:48

"Then the heavens and the earth, and all that is therein, shall sing for joy over Babylon; for the destroyers shall come unto her from the north, saith Jehovah." — Jeremiah 51:48 (ASV)

To more fully convince the Jews of the truth of all that he has until now said about the destruction of Babylon, he declares that God would bring it about, and that it would be applauded by all the elements. Shout, he says, shall heaven and earth; this is a kind of personification—for he ascribes knowledge to heaven and earth.

It might, indeed, be explained in a more refined way that angels and men would shout for joy, but it would be a cold explanation; and the Prophet removes every ambiguity by adding, and all that is in them: he includes, no doubt, the stars, men, trees, fish, birds, fields, stones, and rivers.

And the expression is very emphatic when he says that all created things, though without reason and understanding, would yet be full of joy, so that they would, in a manner, rejoice and sing praise. If such would be the feeling in inanimate creatures when God put forth his hand against Babylon, would it be possible for that city to remain safe, which was so hated by heaven and earth, and which was accursed by birds and wild beasts, by trees, and everything lacking understanding?

We therefore see that the Prophet heaps together all kinds of figures and ways of speaking to confirm weak minds, so that they might confidently look forward to the destruction of Babylon. He at the same time intimates that Babylon was hated by all creatures because it had reached the highest pitch of wickedness.

He then shows the cause by the effect, as if he had said that Babylon was hated by heaven and earth, so that heaven and earth seemed as if they considered themselves, in a manner, polluted by the sight of that city. As long, then, as Babylon stood, heaven and earth sighed; but, on the contrary, when God appeared as an avenger, then heaven and earth, and all things in them, would shout with joy.

Could it then be that God, the judge of the world, would always turn a blind eye to its sins? If heaven and earth could not endure it, and Babylon was so loathsome to all, and joy would arise from its destruction, could God possibly allow that city, filled with so many sins and detested by heaven and earth, to escape his judgment with impunity?

We now, therefore, more fully understand why the Prophet says that triumph and joy would be in heaven and earth, and among all created things.

He says, because; but the particle כי, ki, may be taken as an adverb of time. Then he says, when from the north shall come wasters.

He alludes to the Medes, for the Persians were to the east. But as the Medes were nearer, and also their monarch far wealthier, the Prophet refers especially to the Medes when he says that evil would come from the north. For the Medes were north of Chaldea, as the Persians were to the east.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, that since you not only testify to us that you will be the Redeemer of your Church, into which you have been pleased to introduce us, but have also really manifested yourself to us in your only-begotten Son—O grant that we may patiently bear all the struggles and afflictions by which you now test our faith, and that we may perseveringly fight under the cross, until, having gone through all our trials, we shall at last enjoy eternal glory, when we shall find you to be our complete Redeemer, through the same Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.