It was my observation in Ezekiel 22 that the message of Elohim becomes resolute. Bad stuff is at your doorstep. God tells His people that their defiance is soon to stop. Justice is the only remaining path. God tells us: I have offered you grace and mercy repeatedly. It is still on the table, but your defiance has hardened your heart. Only justice remains. You did this to yourself. I did not cause your troubles. You did!
These people were fully aware that Nebuchadnezzar was on the road. The Hebrews started moving from the hills toward the city for protection. They gathered together in the City of God—the city with walls that had never been defeated. They believed they were coming to a place of absolute safety. But then they find out they have gathered together for destruction. They were piling into a crucible, a forge, that was to hammer out all the dross from them. They are trapped by the very walls that were supposed to be their sanctuary.
Ezekiel 22:18-22 says: “Son of man, the people of Israel have become dross to me; all of them are the copper, tin, iron and lead left inside a furnace. They are but the dross of silver. Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you have all become dross, I will gather you into Jerusalem. As silver, copper, iron, lead and tin are gathered into a furnace to be melted with a fiery blast, so will I gather you in my anger and my wrath and put you inside the city and melt you. I will gather you and I will blow on you with my fiery wrath, and you will be melted inside her. As silver is melted in a furnace, so you will be melted inside her, and you will know that I the Lord have poured out my wrath on you.” (NIV)
If you meditate on the notion of the City of God and all that it was intended to be, this is indeed a sad message. The melancholy is intense. The various turns of rebellion are defined in metaphors, and the use of the concept of dross is incredibly powerful. They are to be consumed in fire. If you take some time and review the message presented in Psalm 119:113-120, you will see a very similar theme.
Notice the declination of the source of dross, moving from the finer metals down to the common base metals. This appears to represent the wide strata of sin and worldviews present among the Hebrew people. These people were clearly dull of mind. The dross tells us of the dirt, the rubbish, and the useless nature of their thinking and lifestyle. It shows the vile nature of their degenerate thought leaders, and the contemptible reach of their influence to drag others down into their pit. All of this is dross compared to the holiness of Elohim. Hence, they have become useless for any service to man, and they are only suitable as firewood. These are hard words for me to write. I shudder because we deserve this same fate. May the mercy of God truly be everlasting. Selah.
We see the full wrath of Elohim defined in terms they understand. His wrath is kindled in a furnace—the very city Elohim established for them to be a candle on a candle stand. Now they are contained within a raging fire, soon to be destroyed, never to be seen again at the level of culture and beauty that God intended for them. This honor is moved to a new group, the Church, through a new covenant of grace. Elohim plans to rebuild again. His point is clear: He is full of mercy, but He will not be dismissed.
His mercy is forever, yet He requires honesty, walking in mercy, walking in humility, and treating others in a just way while showing kindness and forbearance. He delivers blessings in return. Elohim will provide the tools you need to walk with Him. Elohim tells us: I fill you with my Spirit, I write my laws upon your heart with the blood of Jesus, and I provide the ransom necessary to purchase your life.
What do I require from you? Nothing. Please exercise your free will to follow me. That is it. Take my yoke upon yourself and I will give you rest. Lordship and resurrection equal salvation, as noted in Romans 10:9. That is the whole story. Yield your hearts and Elohim will meet you with an amazing life…
I choose Jesus.