Ezekiel 22:17-22 - Homilies By W. Jones

Deplorable deterioration and deserved destruction.

"And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, the house of Israel is to me become dross," etc. Notice—

I. THE DEPLORABLE DETERIORATION OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL .

1. Here are several varieties of sinful character . We will notice them as they are here adduced.

2. Here is one characteristic which marks each of these varieties of sinful character . They were each and all marked by degeneracy. In every one of these classes of evil character there had been a lamentable deterioration. "Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water." "How is the gold become dim! How is the most pure gold changed!" Thus the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah lamented this deterioration.

II. THE DETERMINED DESTRUCTION OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL .

1. The gathering of the doomed people for destruction . "Thus saith the Lord God; because ye are all become dross, behold, therefore I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem," etc. ( Isaiah 1:19 , Isaiah 1:20 ). When pressed by their Chaldean enemies the people from far and wide took refuge in Jerusalem, trusting to its forces and fortifications for safety. So that city became as it were the furnace in which they were consumed by the triple fire of famine, pestilence, and sword. Mark, how naturally and easily God effects his purposes. He has not to build the furnace for their destruction: it is already built. He has not to force them into that furnace by supernatural means: in their approaching troubles they will hasten into it of their own accord. He controls all things for the execution of his deep and righteous designs.

2. The infliction of destruction upon the doomed people .

4. Ye shall know that I the Lord have poured out my fury upon you." These words do not point to their reformation or purification As Hengstenberg observes "In the whole section the judgment is regarded, not in the light of purification, but in that of destruction; as Ezekiel usually considers the population of Jerusalem as an ungodly multitude doomed to be extirpated." Moreover, dross cannot be benefited by fire. It cannot be purified. After all burnings it remains dross—refuse. The fire was not to purify, but to punish them; not to cleanse, but to consume them. And in its fierce heat they would recognize the dread power of the God whom they had forsaken for idols, and whose word they had set at naught.

CONCLUSION . Guard against the beginnings of the deterioration of character. Seek the growth and progress of character in the true and good.—W.J.