What hath the LORD answered? and, What hath the LORD spoken?
JOHN CALVIN
It hence appears how much he abominated this blasphemy; and hence also we see how precious to God is the honor of his word; for it is not of every kind of sin that God speaks when he extends his vengeance to posterity. It is the same thing as though Jeremiah had said, ``It is altogether intolerable, when men became irritated and exasperated against God's word.'' And yet this evil is not an evil of one age only.
We see that the Israelites ever complained of God's rigor; hence that saying, ``The ways of the Lord are not tortuous, but rather your ways, O house of Israel.''
(Ezekiel 18:25.)
And here we must notice the wickedness of the human mind; for God, as it has been before stated, has nothing else in view by calling us to himself, but to make us partakers of eternal life and salvation. It is then God's design to receive us for the purpose or saving us; this is the end intended by, all the prophets; and hence the Prophet called before the word of God wheat; but what is done by men? They despise this favor; and not only so, but turn food into poison and cease not to provoke God's wrath. He was, therefore, constrained to threaten them. When he finds us teachable, he allures us to himself even with paternal kindness. But when we provoke him to wrath, we in a manner force him to put on another character, according to what he says, that he will be refractory towards the refractory. (Psalm 18:26.) Yet we complain when God deals rigidly with us. We cease not to carry on war with him; but when he restrains and checks our insolence, we immediately expostulate with him, as though he were too severe and his word offended us. Whence is this offense? even from our obstinate wickedness. Were men to put an end to their sinful course, the Lord would change his manner of dealing with them, and gently treat them and foster them as chickens under his wings; but this they suffer not; nay, they reject such a treatment as much as they can. Hence it is, that they abhor the name of God and his word. What then is the excuse for the complaint, when they say that God is too rigorous, as though his word were a burden? There is none; for they are themselves refractory against God, and thus his word becomes a hammer to break their heads, to shatter and destroy them. We now see the reason why God not only declares that he was angry with these ungodly despisers of his word, but also denounces the same vengeance on their posterity. 117
Jeremiah 23:35
35. Thus shall ye say every one to his neighbour, and every one to his brother, What hath the LORD answered? and, What hath the LORD spoken?
35. Sic dicetis quisque ad socium suum, et quisque ad fratrem suum, Quid respondit Jehova? Et quid loquutus est Jehova?
Here the Prophet explains himself more clearly; he shews why God would not have his word to be called a burden. Why so? because they in a manner closed the way, so that they derived no benefit from God's word, while they regarded it
117The beginning of this verse will read better in connection with the last, in apposition with "you" whom the Lord threatened to cast off, — Then say to them, "Ye are the burden;" And I will cast you off, saith Jehovah — 34. Even the prophet and the priest and the people: Who will say, "The burden of Jehovah," Yea, I will punish that man and his house. Notice here the change of order in the words; in the preceding verse we find "the people and the prophet and the priest;" but here, "the prophet and the priest and the people." Whoever he might be, whether a prophet or a priest or one of the people," that man was to be punished. — Ed.