John Calvin Commentary Ezekiel 11:21

"But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will bring their way upon their own heads, saith the Lord Jehovah." — Ezekiel 11:21 (ASV)

The phrase that the Prophet uses is indeed harsh: he says, their heart goes after heart. Some interpret this as imitation; namely, because God promises that He will be an avenger if any of the people conduct themselves according to bad examples and unite in alliance with the wicked—as if they glued their hearts and affections together—but that interpretation is harsh.

The repetition is therefore unnecessary, and the Prophet means nothing other than that God will be avenged if the Israelites follow their own heart, so as to walk in their own foulness and abominations. First of all, we must understand the reason why the Prophet uses this expression.

God had liberally poured out the treasures of His mercy. However, since hypocrites have always been mixed with the good—confidently boasting themselves as members of the Church and using God's name with great audacity—the Prophet uses this threat so that they may not think all the promises we hear of belong to them indiscriminately.

For there were always many reprobate among the elect people, because not all who descended from father Abraham were true Israelites (Romans 9:6, 7).

Therefore, since this was so, the Prophet rightly shows here that what he had previously promised was unique to God’s elect and to the true and lawful members of the Church, but not to the false, nor to the degenerate, nor to those who are unregenerated by the true and incorruptible seed.

This is the Prophet’s intention. But so that there might not seem to be too much severity when God, as it were, armed, comes down into their midst to destroy all who do not repent, the Prophet here declares their crime—namely, because their heart walks after their heart. That is, your heart draws itself, and so the word 'heart' is repeated twice.

It is indeed an unnecessary repetition, but an emphatic one, when he says that the heart of those who so stubbornly adhere to their own superstitions is then impelled by itself to new impulses, so that by its continual course it always goes towards superstitions. Therefore, I will be an avenger, says God.

Therefore, as often as God offers us testimonies of His favor, let each one look within himself and examine all his affections. But when anyone recognizes his own vices, let him not take pleasure in them, but rather groan over them and strive to renounce his own affections so that he may follow God. Nor let him harden himself in stubbornness, so that his heart does not proceed and rush continually towards evil, as is here said.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, since we have utterly perished in our father Adam, and there remains in us no single part that is not corrupt, while we carry material for wrath, and cursing, and death, in the soul as well as in the body, that being regenerated by the Spirit, we may more and more withdraw ourselves from our own will and our own spirit, and so submit ourselves to You, that Your Spirit may truly reign within us. And afterwards, grant that we may not be ungrateful, but considering how inestimable this benefit is, may we dedicate our whole life and apply ourselves to glorify Your name, in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.