(Calvin, Commentary on Joel, Part 5)
Lecture Forty-second.
Joel 2:12,13
Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye [even] to me with all
your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:
And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD
your God: for he [is] gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of
great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
The Prophet, having proclaimed the dreadful judgment which we
have noticed, now shows that he did not intend to terrify the people
without reason, but, on the contrary, to encourage them to
repentance; which he could not do without offering to them the hope
of pardon; for as we have said before, and as it may be collected
from the whole of Scripture, men cannot be restored to the right
ways except they entertain a hope of God's mercy inasmuch as he who
has been ungodly, when he despairs, wholly disregards himself,
observing no restraint. Hence the Prophet now represents God as
propitious and merciful, that he might thus kindly allure the people
to repentance.
He says first, "And even now the Lord says, Turn ye to me." The
Prophet exhorts the people, not in his own name, but speaks in the
person of God himself. He might indeed have borne witness to the
favor which he proclaimed; but the discourse becomes more striking
by introducing God as the speaker. And there is a great importance
in the words, even now; for when one considers what we have noticed
in the beginning of the chapter, a prospect of relief could hardly
have been deemed possible. God had, indeed, in various ways, tried
to restore the people to the right way; but, as we have seen, the
greater part had become so void of feeling, that the scourges of God
were wholly ineffectual; there remained, then, nothing but the utter
destruction which the Prophet threatened them with at the beginning
of the second chapter. Yet, in this state of despair, he still sets
forth some hope of mercy, provided they turned to him; even now, he
says. The particles "wegam" are full of emphasis, "even now" that
is, "Though ye have too long abused God's forbearance, and with
regard to you, the opportunity is past, for ye have closed the door
against yourselves; yet even now, - which no one could have
expected, and indeed what ought to be thought incredible by
yourselves, - even now God waits for you, and invites you to
entertain hope of salvation." But it was necessary that these two
particles, even now, should be added; for it is not in the power of
men to fix for themselves, as they please, the season for mercy. God
here shows the acceptable time, as Isaiah says (Isa. 49: 8) to be,
when he has not yet rejected men, but when he offers to be
propitious. We must then remember that the Prophet gives not here
liberty to men to delay the time, as the profane and scorners are
wont to do, who trifle with God from day to day; but the Prophet
here shows that we must obey the voice of God, when he invites us,
as also Isaiah says, 'Behold now the time accepted, behold the day
of salvation: seek God now, for he is near; call on him while he may
be found.' So then, as I have reminded you, these two particles,
even now, are added, that men may be made attentive to the voice of
God when he invites them, that they may not delay till tomorrow, for
the Lord may then close the door, and repentance may be too late. We
at the same time see how indulgently God bears with men, since he
left a hope of pardon to a people so obstinate and almost past
recovery.
"Even now, he says, turn ye to me with your whole heart". The
Prophet here reminds us that we must not act feignedly with God; for
men are ever disposed to trifle with him. We indeed see what almost
the whole world is wont to do. God graciously meets us and is ready
to receive us unto favor, though we have a hundred times alienated
ourselves from him; but we bring nothing but hypocrisy and disguise:
hence the Prophet declares here distinctly, that this dissimulation
does not please God, and that they can hide nothing, who only
pretend some sort of repentance by external signs, and that what is
required is the serious and sincere feeling of the heart. This is
what he means by the whole heart; not that perfect repentance can be
formed in men, but the whole or complete heart is opposed to a
divided heart: for men well understand that God is not ignorant; yet
they divide their heart, and when they bestow some portion on God,
they think that he is satisfied; and in the meantime there remains
an interior and some hidden perverseness, which separates them far
from God. This vice the Prophet now condemns, when he says, Turn
with the whole heart. He then shows that it is an hypocrisy
abominable to God, when men keep the greater part of their heart, as
it were, closed up, and think it enough, if only they bring, so to
speak, some volatile feeling.
He afterwards adds, "fasting, and weeping, and mourning"; and
by these words he shows how grievously they had sinned; as though he
said, that they deserved not only one kind of destruction, but were
worthy of hundred deaths; that God therefore would not now be
content with any common repentance, and except they came suppliantly
and deeply felt their own guilt. It is indeed true, that we ought
daily and even constantly to sigh, because we continue almost every
hour to provoke God's wrath against us; but the Prophet here speaks
of solemn fasting, because the people had so grievously offended God
that there was required some extraordinary confession, such as he
here describes. "Come then to me with fasting, and weeping, and
wailing": that is "Show at length that you are guilty and
submissively deprecate the vengeance which ye have through your
wickedness deserved." He speaks like a judge, when he tells the
criminal, not to act dissemblingly, but simply to confess his fault.
The guilty are indeed wont to weave many excuses to avoid
punishment; but when the judge deems a man guilty, and he is
abundantly proved to be so, he says, "What good can you do? for
these your shuffling and subterfuges make your case worse: for now I
hold you bound, and you cannot escape by these shifts, and will only
the more provoke my displeasure. If then you wish me to show you
favor, own how grievously you have offended, and without any
coloring; confess now that you are worthy of death, and that nothing
else remains for you, except I mercifully pardon you: for if you try
to extenuate your crime, if you attempt by some excuse to seek
reprief, you will gain nothing." So now does the Lord deal with this
people: Turn to me, he says; first, sincerely; then with fasting,
with weeping, and with wailing; that is, "Let it appear that you
suppliantly deprecate the destruction which ye have deserved, for
moderate repentance will not do, inasmuch as ye are guilty before me
of so many crimes." We now apprehend the Prophet's meaning.
He then subjoins, "Rend your heart, and not your garments, and
turn to Jehovah your God". The Prophet again repeats that we ought
to deal sincerely with God; for all those ceremonies, by which men
imagine that they discharge their duties, are mere mockeries, when
they are not preceded by a pure and sincere heart. But as they were
wont under mournful circumstances to rend their garments, he
therefore says, "God has become now insensible to these customs; for
with regard to men, ye are ceremonious enough, and more than enough:
ye indeed rend your garments, and thus draw pity from men, and yet
your heart remains whole, there is no rending, no opening; Rend then
your heart," that is, "Leave off thus to mock God, as ye have been
wont to do, and begin with your heart." It is indeed certain that
the orientals were given to many ceremonies; but the vice the
Prophet here condemns in the Jews is natural as it were to all men;
so that every one of us is inclined to hypocrisy, and has need of
having his attention drawn to the sincerity of the heart. We must
then remember that this truth is to be set forth at all times and to
all nations. Let any one search himself and he will find that he
labors under this evil, - that he would rather reed his garment than
his heart. And since the Jews usually observed this custom, the
Prophet does not without reason deride it, and say, that it was of
no account with God except they rent their hearts. But when he bids
them to rend their hearts and not their garments, though he seems to
repudiate that external practice, he does not yet distinctly condemn
it, but intimates that it was a lawful thing, provided the heart was
rent. Now this expression, Rend the heart, ought not to be deemed
harsh, for it is to be referred to the external practice: when they
rent the garments, they made themselves naked before God and put off
all ornaments; but he wished them to be displeased with themselves,
and rather to make bare the heart itself. The heart of hypocrites,
we know, is wrapped up, and they ever have recourse to hiding
places, that they may avoid the presence of God. Then the similitude
is most suitable, when the Prophet bids them to rend the heart.
Besides, the passage is clear enough, and needs not many remarks; it
means, that God regards the real feeling of the heart, as it is said
in Jer. 5; he is not content with ocular obedience, such as men
exhibit, but he would have us to deal with him in sincerity and
truth.
Hence he repeats again, "Turn to Jehovah your God". Here the
Prophet shows, from what God is, that men foolishly and grossly
deceive themselves when they would please God with their ceremonies:
"What!", he says, "have you to do with a child?" For the import of
the words is this, - "When an offense against man is to be removed,
ye anxiously come to him: now when ye perceive that God is angry
with you, ye think that he will be propitious to you, if ye only
trifle with him; can God bear such a reproach?" We hence see what
the Prophet means when he says, Turn to Jehovah your God; that is,
"Remember that you have not to do with a block of wood or with a
stone, but with your God, who searches hearts, and whom mortals can
by no crafts deceive." The same is said by Jeremiah, 'Israel, if
thou turnest, turn to me,' (Jer. 4: 1;) that is, "Pretend not to
turn by circuitous courses and windings, but come in a direct way,
and with a real feeling of heart, for I am he who calls thee." So
also now the Prophet says, Turn to Jehovah your God.
Then follows the promise of pardon, "For he is propitious and
merciful". We have already said that repentance is preached in vain,
except men entertain a hope of salvation; for they can never be
brought to fear God truly, unless they trust in him as their Father,
as it is stated in Ps. 130: 4, 'With thee is propitiation that thou
mayest be feared.' Hence, whenever the Prophets were anxious to
effect anything by their doctrine, while exhorting the people to
repentance, they joined to the invitation "Come," the second part,
"Ye shall not come in vain." This "Come," comprehends all
exhortations to repentance; "Ye shall not come in vain," includes
this testimony respecting God's grace, that He will never reject
miserable sinners, provided they return to him with the heart. The
Prophet then now engaged on this second head; God, he says, is
propitious and merciful. And this connection is to be observed by
us; for as Satan fills us with insensibility when God invites us, so
also he draws us away into despair when God denounces judgment, when
he shows that it is not time for sleep. "What good will you gain?"
Thus Satan by his craft disheartens us, that we may labour in vain,
when we seek to be reconciled to God. Hence, whenever Scripture
exhorts us to repentance, let us learn to join this second part,
"God invites us not in vain." If then we return to him, he will be
instantly inclined to grant forgiveness; for he wills not that
miserable men should labour in vain or be tormented. This is the
benefit of which the Prophet speaks when he says that God is
propitious and merciful.
He afterwards adds, that "he is slow to wraths and abundant in
goodness". These testimonies respecting God occur often in other
places; and all the Prophets, as well as David, have borrowed these
declarations from Exod. 34; where the nature of God is described;
and He is said there to be propitious and merciful, slow to wrath,
and abundant in goodness. Though there is no need of dwelling longer
on these words, as we perceive the Prophet's design; yet more
extended remarks will not be superfluous since the Prophet so much
at large recommends the mercy of God. Though men too much indulge
themselves in security, yet when God calls them to himself, they are
not able to receive his favor; though he may testify twice or thrice
that he will be propitious to them, yet he cannot persuade them but
with great difficulty. This is the reason why the Prophet, after
having said that God is propitious and merciful, adds, that he is
slow to wrath, and abundant in goodness; it was, that the Jews might
overcome their distrust, and that however much despair might keep
them back, they might not yet hesitate to come to God, seeing that
he declares himself to be so merciful.
He at last adds, "He will repent of the evil". The Prophet here
not only describes the nature of God, but goes further and says,
that God, who is by nature placable, will not remain fixed in his
purpose, when he sees people returning to him in sincerity; but that
he suffers himself to be turned to show favor, so as to remit the
punishment which he had previously denounced. And it is a mode of
speaking which often occurs in Scripture, that God repents of evil;
not that he really changes his purpose, but this is said according
to the apprehensions of men: for God is in himself immutable, and is
said to turn from his, purpose, when he remits to man the punishment
he has previously threatened. Whatever proceeds from God's mouth
ought to be regarded as an inviolable decree; and yet God often
threatens us conditionally, and though the condition be not
expressed it is nevertheless to be understood: but when he is
pacified to us and relaxes the punishment, which was in a manner
already decreed according to the external word, he is then said to
repent. And we know, that as we do not apprehend God such as he is,
he is therefore described to us in such a way as we can comprehend,
according to the measure of our infirmity. Hence God often puts on
the character of men, as though he were like them; and as this mode
of speaking is common, and we have spoken of it elsewhere, I now
pass it by more briefly. It follows -
Joel 2:14
Who knoweth [if] he will return and repent, and leave a blessing
behind him; [even] a meat offering and a drink offering unto the
LORD your God?
The Prophet seems at first sight to leave men here perplexed
and doubtful; and yet in the last verse, as we have seen, he had
Offered a hope of favor, provided they sincerely repented. Hence the
Prophet seems not to pursue the same subject, but rather to vary it:
and we have already said, that all exhortations would be frigid,
nay, useless, by which God stirs us up to repentance, except he were
to testify that he is ready to be reconciled. Seeing then that the
Prophet here leaves the minds of men in suspense, he seems to
rescind what he has before alleged respecting God's mercy. But we
must understand that this is a mode of speaking which often occurs
in Scripture. For wherever God is set forth to us as one hardly
willing to pardon, it is done to rouse our slothfulness, and also to
shake off our negligence. We are at first torpid when God invites
us, except he applies his many goads; and then we act formally in
coming to him: it is hence needful that both these vices should be
corrected in us, - our torpor must be roused, - and those
self-complacences, in which we too much indulge ourselves, must be
shaken off. And this is the object of the Prophet; for he addresses,
as we have seen, men almost past recovery. If he had only said, God
is ready to pardon, if he had used this way of speaking, they would
have come negligently, and would not have been sufficiently touched
by the fear of God: hence the Prophet here, as it were, debates the
matter with them, "Even though we ought justly to despair of pardon,
(for we are unworthy of being received by God,) yet there is no
reason why we should despair; for who knows" which means "God is
placable and we must not despair."
The Prophet then sets forth here the difficulty of obtaining
pardon, not to leave men in suspense, for this would be contrary to
his former doctrine; but to create in them a desire for the grace of
God, that they might by degrees gather courage, and yet not
immediately rise to confidence, but that they might come anxiously
to God, and with much deliberation, duly considering their offenses.
We now understand the purpose of the Prophet.
But this will be easier understood by supposing two gradations
in repentance. Then the first step is, when men feel how grievously
they have offended. Here sorrow is not to be immediately removed
after the manner of impostors, who cajole the consciences of men, so
that they indulge themselves, and deceive themselves, with empty
self-flatteries. For the physician does not immediately ease pain,
but considers what is more necessary: it may be he will increase it,
for a thorough clearing may be needful. So also do the Prophets of
God, when they observe trembling consciences, they do not
immediately apply soothing consolations, but on the contrary show
that they ought not, as we have already said, to trifle with God,
and exhort them while willingly running to God, to set before them
his terrible judgment, that they may be more and more humbled. The
second step is, when the Prophets cheer the minds of men, and show
that God now willingly meets them, and desires nothing more than to
see men willing to be reconciled to him.
The Prophet is now urging them to take the first step, when he
says, "Who knows whether the Lord will turn?" But some may object
and say, "Then the Prophet has spoken inconsistently; for first he
has described God as merciful, and has spoken of his goodness
without any reserve; and then he throws in a doubt: he seems here to
observe no consistency." I answer, that the Prophets of God do not
always very anxiously hold to what seems consistent in their
discourses; and farther, that the Prophet has not spoken here in
vain or inconsiderately; for he, in the first place, generally sets
forth God as merciful, and afterwards addresses particularly a
people who were almost past recovery, and says, "Though ye think
that it is all over with you as to your salvation, and ye deserve to
be rejected by God, yet ye ought not to continue in this state;
rather entertain a hope of pardon." This is what the Prophet had in
view; he throws in no doubt, so as to make the sinner uncertain,
whether or not he could obtain pardons; but as I have said, he
wished only to rouse torpidity, and also to shake off vain
self-flatteries.
He then adds, "And leave after him a blessing". We here see
more clearly what I have already said, that the Prophet, considering
the state of those whom he addressed, states a difficulty; for the
Jews were not to escape temporary punishment, and the Prophet did
not intend to dismiss them in a secure state, as though God would
inflict on them no punishment; nay, he wished to bend their necks
that they might receive the strokes of God, and calmly submit to his
correction. But all hope might have been lost, when the Jews saw,
that though the Prophet had declared that God would be propitious,
they were yet not spared, but suffered severe punishment for their
sins, - "What does this mean? Has God then disappointed us? We hoped
that he would be propitious, and yet he ceases not to be angry with
us." Hence the Prophet now subjoins, "Who knows whether he will
leave behind him a blessing?"
What is this - "behind him"? What does it mean? Even this, that
as God was to be a severe judge to punish the people's wickedness,
the Prophet now says, "Though God beats you with his rods, he can
yet relieve you by administering comfort. Ye indeed think that you
are beaten almost to death; but the Lord will temperate his wrath,
so that a blessing will follow these most grievous punishments." We
now, then, understand the purpose of the Prophet: for he does not
simply promise pardon to the Jews, but mitigates the dread of
punishment, that is, that though God would chastise them, he would
yet give place to mercy. Then God will leave behind him a blessing;
that is "These strokes shall not be incurable." And this admonition
is very necessary, whenever God deals severely with us; for when we
feel his wrath, we then think that there is no grace remaining. It
is then not without reason that the Prophet says, that God leaves
behind him a blessing; which means, that when he shall pass by us
with his rod, he will yet restrain his severity, so that some
blessing will remain.
He afterwards adds, "minchah wasesech laYehovah Elohim", "an
offering and a libation, he says, to Jehovah your God". This has
been designedly added, that the Jews might entertain more hope. For
with regard to them, they had deserved to be wholly exterminated a
hundred times; yea, they deserved to pine away utterly through
famine: but the Prophet intimates here, that God would have a regard
for his own glory and his worship. "Though," he says, "we have
deserved to perish by famine, yet God will be moved by another
consideration, even this, - that there may be some offering, that
there may be some libation in the temple: since then God has chosen
us a people to himself, and has required the first-fruits to be
offered to him, and has consecrated for himself all our provision
and all our produce in the first-fruits, and also in the daily
offerings, though he has now resolved to consume us with famine and
want, yet that his worship may continue, he will make the land
fruitful to us, corn and wine will yet be produced for us," But the
Prophet does not mean that there would only be so much corn as would
be enough for offerings, or only so much wine as would be sufficient
for libations; but he means, as I have already said, that though God
would not provide for the safety of the people, he would yet have a
regard for his own glory. God required the corn and the wine to be
offered to him, not that he needed them, but because he consecrated
to himself our provision. As then he would have the food and
provisions, on which we live, to be sacred to him, he will not allow
them wholly to fail. "God will yet surely pity us, and he will pity
us, because he has deigned to choose us a people to himself, and so
to join us with himself, that he wishes to eat, as it were, with
us." For God seemed then to partake, as it were, of the same table
with his people; for the law required bread or the ears of corn, and
also wine, to be offered to God: not that he, as I have said, needed
such supports; but that he might show that he had all things in
common with his people. This communion then, or fellow-participation
of God with his chosen people, gave them more hope; and this is what
the Prophet had in view.
Prayer.
Grant, Almighty God, that as thou seest us so foolish in nourishing
our vices, and also so ensnared by the gratifications of the flesh,
that without being constrained we hardly return to thee, - O grant,
that we may feel the weight of thy wrath, and be so touched with the
dread of it, as to return gladly to thee, laying aside every
dissimulation, and devote ourselves so entirely to thy service, that
it may appear that we have from the heart repented, and that We have
not trifled with thee by an empty pretence, but have offered to thee
our hearts as a sacrifice, so that we and all our works might be
sacred offerings to thee through our whole life, that thy name may
be glorified in us through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Calvin, Commentary on Joel
(Continued in part 6...)
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