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Ezekiel 22

31 verses

TL;DR

Ezekiel 22 is a prophetic indictment of Jerusalem’s moral decay, describing its people as wicked, corrupt, and idolatrous, and announcing that God will judge and scatter them like dross in a furnace.

Summary

The chapter opens with the Lord instructing Ezekiel, called "Son of man," to expose Jerusalem’s sins. The city is portrayed as a blood‑shed, idol‑making, and defiling entity that has abandoned holy worship and violated the Sabbath. The lament extends to specific sins: oppression of strangers, exploitation of the poor, violence against the vulnerable, and profanation of sacred rituals. Prophets and priests are depicted as corrupt, spreading lies and leading the nation into further disobedience. The Lord declares that because Jerusalem has become the dross of all metals, He will gather them in His wrath, melt them in a furnace, and scatter them among the nations, condemning them for their wickedness.

Outline
  1. Prophetic accusation of Jerusalem’s moral corruption
  2. Detailing the nation’s sins and the corrupt leadership
  3. God’s judgment: gathering, scattering, and melting the wicked
Themes
Judgment and condemnationCorruption of leadershipPurity vs. impurity
Keywords
bloodidolsdrossfurnacewrathsabbathusuryprophetspriestscorruptionjudgment
People
EzekielSon of man (prophet)Princes of IsraelProphetsPriestsNation of Israel
Places
Jerusalemthe house of Israelthe land
Things
drossfurnacesilverbrassironleadtinfire of wrathidolssabbathsusury
Key Verses
  • Ezekiel 22:1: God’s call to the prophet to judge the city.
  • Ezekiel 22:15: The declaration of scattering Israel among the nations.
  • Ezekiel 22:18: The image of Israel as dross in a furnace.
  • Ezekiel 22:22: The promise that Israel will be melted like silver.
  • Ezekiel 22:25: Accusation against corrupt prophets who lead Israel astray.
Questions
  • Why does the prophet refer to Jerusalem as a 'bloody city'?
  • How does the imagery of a furnace and dross convey God's judgment?
  • What does the condemnation of prophets and priests reveal about leadership responsibility?
  • In what ways does the chapter warn modern readers about moral decay?
  • How can the call to justice and purity be applied today?
  • What parallels exist between Ezekiel’s judgments and contemporary social justice concerns?
Sentiment

negative
The chapter conveys harsh condemnation and impending judgment.