The Refining Furnace
According to Ezekiel 22:18, what did God compare the house of Israel to in the furnace?
Dross (impurities of metal)
Dross means something regarded as worthless, rubbish.
According to Ezekiel 22:19-21, what did the LORD say He would do with the house of Israel because they had become dross?
He would gather them into the midst of Jerusalem and melt them in the fire of His wrath.
According to verse 25, what were the prophets compared to?
Roaring lions ravening the prey.
According to Ezekiel 22:30, what did God say needed to be made up to protect the land?
The hedge (the wall).
Who wrote the Book of Ezekiel?
The prophet Ezekiel. (Ezekiel 1:3)
What metals are listed in the Ezekiel 22:18?
Silver, brass, iron, lead, and tin.
According to Ezekiel 22:27, what were the princes in the midst of Jerusalem like?
Wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood and destroy souls for dishonest gain.
According to verse 26, what were the priests accused of doing to God’s law?
Violating God's law and profaning His holy things.
According to Ezekiel 22:30, what was God looking for someone to do?
Stand in the gap before Him for the land.
Where is the Book of Ezekiel found in the Bible?
In the Old Testament, amongst the major prophets. This book is immediately between the Book of Lamentations and Daniel.
According to Ezekiel 22:19, where would God gather the people for judgment?
Into the midst of Jerusalem.
According to Ezekiel 22:26, what had the priests done to God’s law and holy things?
They violated God’s law and profaned His holy things; they put no difference between the holy and profane.
According to Ezekiel 22:28, what were the prophets doing falsely?
They were seeing false visions and divining lies. (Prophesying peace, prosperity, or divine approval when God had not spoken to them)
According to Ezekiel 22:30; why did God want someone to stand in the gap?
So He would not destroy the land.
According to the memory verse, who said He has poured out His fury upon the people?
The LORD.
Ezekiel 22:22 (last sentence)
According to verses 20-21, what would God blow upon them in the furnace?
The fire of His wrath.
According to Ezekiel 22:28, what were the prophets doing that was sinful?
They daubed with untempered mortar, saw false visions, and divined lies in the name of the Lord.
In other words, the prophets were applying false messages and promises to the people, making it seem as if everything was fine when it was not
In verse 27, what were the princes compared to?
Wolves ravening the prey.
What tragic statement did God make at the end of verse 30?
“But I found none.”
According to the memory verse, what does God say they will know after judgment?
That “I the LORD have poured out my fury upon you.”
Ezekiel 22:22
Based on Ezekiel 22:18-22, why do you think God used the image of a refining furnace to describe His judgment?
Because a furnace reveals and removes impurities. God’s judgment exposes sin and purifies those who repent. It shows that sin cannot remain hidden.
What do verses 25–29 teach us about how widespread sin had become in Jerusalem?
Sin had spread through every level of society (princes, priests, prophets, and the people of the land).
Based on Ezekiel 22:25-29, why is it especially serious when leaders and spiritual leaders sin?
Because they influence many others. When leaders fail, the people often follow, spreading corruption throughout the nation.
Based on Ezekiel 22:30, what does it mean today to “stand in the gap” for others?
To pray, intercede (to step between God and His people, pleading for mercy, restoration, or protection), to defend and represent others before God, appealing for grace instead of judgment.
Based on Ezekiel 22:22, why did God want the people to know that He was the one who poured out His fury?
He wanted the people to understand that He is the LORD and that sin has consequences.
God wanted them to recognize His authority, holiness, and justice so they would understand the seriousness of sin and turn back to Him.