John Calvin Commentary Ezekiel 6:4

"And your altars shall become desolate, and your sun-images shall be broken; and I will cast down your slain men before your idols." — Ezekiel 6:4 (ASV)

Therefore, it appears how greatly obedience pleases God, and how true it is that obedience is better than sacrifices (1 Samuel 15:22; 1 Kings 12). For it is certain that the Israelites extravagantly praised their own inventions, as if they were worshipping God correctly. Indeed, in the beginning, Jeroboam cunningly devised those new rites so that he might alienate the ten tribes from the family of David. Eventually, the error spread, so that they thought God approved that impious worship.

But we see that God abominates them. We should always hold to this principle: although people may think they are obeying God when they introduce their own inventions, they achieve nothing other than provoking God's wrath against themselves. Therefore, this vengeance would not have been taken against the altars unless God had been greatly offended by the impious mixture.

Your altars, therefore, shall come to ruin and destruction, and then your idols shall be destroyed. Here, some understand these as idols of the sun, as the noun is derived from 'heat' (which is repeated later). However, this interpretation seems too narrow. Therefore, I do not doubt that the idols are so called because of the mad love with which the worshippers were seized. For throughout the Prophets, idolaters are said to be like adulterers, and our Prophet also uses the same language.

Therefore, idols may very properly derive their name from 'heat,' because their superstitious worshippers inflame themselves with this love and, like adulterers, run after harlots, as we shall see again. He later uses another word when he says, I will lay your slain prostrate before your idols. For they call idols גלולים (gelolim), on account of their foulness, indeed, even their filth.

We see, then, in the first place, that the Prophet condemns the fury with which the Israelites were inflamed, since they perverted the pure and lawful worship of God. Then, he reproves their enormity because they willingly remained in filth and defilement.

But here we are also taught how intensely God is angered by all superstitions. He not only summons humanity to His tribunal because they profane true piety, but He is also angry with the external instruments—such as stones and wood—and, as it were, implicates these instruments of idolatry along with their authors.