Eze 22:19 | KingComments | STEP | Immediately follows a new speaking of the LORD as a continuation of what He has just said ( ). He tells Ezekiel that He compares those “who are of the house of Israel” to the dross of precious metal that comes to the surface when the fire is hotly heated ( ; cf. ; ; ; ). Dross that comes to the surface can be scooped up from the precious metal and cast away. Israel, that is the ungodly mass, will be revealed by the judgment as worthless dross and will be scooped up and cast away. When the Babylonian forces enter Judah, the inhabitants of the land will flee within the walls of Jerusalem ( ). Jerusalem then becomes the melting furnace and God’s judgment becomes the melting process. The people of the land who fled to Jerusalem and all who are already in Jerusalem are compared to five metals ( ). They are gathered in the midst of Jerusalem as in a furnace, in which they will melt. With them, however, no Son of Man enters the furnace, as with the friends of Daniel ( ). He has gathered His people into the furnace. It is also He who kindles the fire, God Himself. He will blow on them with the fire of His wrath and melt them ( ). Again He says that they will be melted in the midst of the city ( ). By this they will know that He has poured out His wrath on them.

‏ Ezekiel 22:19

The Melting Furnace

Immediately follows a new speaking of the LORD as a continuation of what He has just said (Eze 22:17). He tells Ezekiel that He compares those “who are of the house of Israel” to the dross of precious metal that comes to the surface when the fire is hotly heated (Eze 22:18; cf. Psa 119:119; Pro 25:4; Isa 1:22 ; 25; Jer 6:27-30). Dross that comes to the surface can be scooped up from the precious metal and cast away. Israel, that is the ungodly mass, will be revealed by the judgment as worthless dross and will be scooped up and cast away.

When the Babylonian forces enter Judah, the inhabitants of the land will flee within the walls of Jerusalem (Eze 22:19). Jerusalem then becomes the melting furnace and God’s judgment becomes the melting process. The people of the land who fled to Jerusalem and all who are already in Jerusalem are compared to five metals (Eze 22:20). They are gathered in the midst of Jerusalem as in a furnace, in which they will melt. With them, however, no Son of Man enters the furnace, as with the friends of Daniel (Dan 3:25).

He has gathered His people into the furnace. It is also He who kindles the fire, God Himself. He will blow on them with the fire of His wrath and melt them (Eze 22:21). Again He says that they will be melted in the midst of the city (Eze 22:22). By this they will know that He has poured out His wrath on them.