1. Where idols and false worship are got into a church or state, they are not easily got out again. Their cities must be destroyed, that their altars and idols may be broken and cease.
2. See what it is that ruins cities; altars, idols, false worship, mixtures of man’s inventions with the Lord’s pure ordinances. These are great cannon, that batter cities; these are gunpowder, that blow them up; these bring the Lord of hosts to war against them.
3. Idolatry and false worship do so provoke God, that He will destroy cities, kingdoms, churches, but He will have them out.
4. Men love to have somewhat of their own in worship; they are not content with what the infinitely wise God commends unto them, but will be adding.
5. God is not pleased with anything in worship which is not His own; He must prescribe whet way and wherewith He will be worshipped.
6. Judgments cause idolaters to know the true God from the false. (W. Greenhill, M. A.)
False religion and its doom
Man says he wants sincerity and earnestness. What God asks is truth, the one religion which He has revealed.
I. False religion: there is such a thing; it may be earnest and zealous, yet false.
II. Its uselessness: it profits nobody, either here or hereafter; is not acceptable to God.
III. Its hatefulness: God abhors it; it is outward, untrue, against His revelation; dishonouring, self-exalting.
