In the first part of this chapter, God stated consequences for disobedience, including His refining fire. A refining fire purifies something valuable. It’s interesting that Ezekiel wrote about this concept more than once, which makes this part of God’s Word relevant for us today. God loves us and we are valuable in His sight; we will experience discipline as beloved children and go through His refining fire to become all He created us to be. 
Read Ezekiel 22:1-5.
- Why would the Lord ask Ezekiel if he would judge Jerusalem?
- In verse 2, it sounds as if God asked Ezekiel to partner with Him.
- The Israelites in Jerusalem brought judgment on themselves.
- They shed blood (against the law, for in the blood is life) and defiled the city with idols.
- Thus they were guilty of breaking God’s covenant law.
- God’s judgment included mockery, scorn, and disrespect from other nations.
- Jerusalem would also experience internal turmoil.
*What do you imagine it would be like to partner with God in sharing His Word with people?
*How do we bring consequences upon ourselves today?
Read Ezekiel 22:6-12.
- The leaders used their power to shed blood (imagine that).
- In this passage, God listed specific commands they broke.
√ failing to honor father and mother
√ mistreating orphans and widows
√ despising, holding in contempt, and not respecting God’s holy things that were consecrated for worship
√ profaning and defiling the Lord’s Sabbath
√ slandering, spreading gossip and rumors, which was prohibited by the law
√ accepting bribes and practiced extortion
- These laws are summarized in Deuteronomy 27:15-26.
- God condemned all of Israel, especially the leaders.1
- They did not keep the Sabbath.
- They ate food offered to idols and participated in idol worship and pagan rites.
- They violated family members and treated neighbors unfairly.
- They had forgotten God.
*How do we break God’s commandments today?
*What does it mean to keep the Sabbath?
Read Ezekiel 22:13-16.
- God applauded them in mockery.2
- Would their courage withstand the Lord’s judgment?
- God spoke and He always keeps His Word.
- In the original law recorded by Moses, along with God’s covenant regulations were included curses and consequences for breaking the Law.
- Israel would be scattered among the nations by the Lord’s hand.
- In case they didn’t believe Him, He stated twice, with two different words, that they would be dispersed.
- God would completely end their uncleanness.3
- By this judgment at God’s hand, Israel would then know that I am the Lord.
*When have you experienced God keeping His Word?
*How does God show Himself today so that we may know that I AM [is] the Lord?
Read Ezekiel 22:17-22.
- God’s treasured possession He now considered worthless rubbish.
- God would “gather Israel as [one would collect] metals into a furnace … to pour out [His] burning anger on them.”4
- He “gathered [Israel] together for punishment.”5
- Picture it: grownups gathering unruly children for discipline.
- Last week we read this verse about God’s discipline for His children.
My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in (Proverbs 3:11-12).
- When gold is refined by fire, impure alloys—copper, iron, silver, and other metals—remain.
- In this case, those impurities represent “moral and religious corruption and apostasy.”6
- God would melt them with the fire of His wrath.
- Imagine the word picture: God would blow on the fire as a blacksmith used bellows to heat coals.7
- In these verses, God used words meaning overflowing anger, fury, rage, and wrath.
- The Lord’s “wrath … brings fiery judgment, purging the sin of His people.”8
- By this, they would know that I am the Lord who poured out His wrath on them.
*What does God’s treasured possession refer to in this section?
*How does God use His refining fire to purify His people today?
*What is your response to the statement they would know that I am the Lord by the wrath He poured out on them?
- Warren Baker, D.R.E., Eugene Carpenter, Ph.D. The Complete WordStudy Dictionary: Old Testament. (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2003) 1055
- Bible Hub. Hebrew Interlinear Old Testament. https://biblehub.com/hebrew/5221.htm
- Bible Hub. Hebrew Interlinear Old Testament. https://biblehub.com/hebrew/8552.htm
- Baker, 975
- Ibid., 512
- Ibid., 775
- Ibid., 743
- Ibid., 801