Ezekiel 22:21

Yea, I will gather you, and blow upon you in the fire of my wrath, and ye shall be melted in the midst thereof.

Yea, I will gather {H3664} you, and blow {H5301} upon you in the fire {H784} of my wrath {H5678}, and ye shall be melted {H5413} in the midst {H8432} thereof.

Yes, I will collect you and blow on you with the fire of my rage, and you will be melted down in it.

Yes, I will gather you together and blow on you with the fire of My wrath, and you will be melted within the city.

Yea, I will gather you, and blow upon you with the fire of my wrath, and ye shall be melted in the midst thereof.

Commentary

Context

Ezekiel 22:21 is part of a powerful prophetic indictment against Jerusalem, delivered by the prophet Ezekiel during the Babylonian exile. Chapter 22 specifically details the rampant sins of the city – bloodshed, idolatry, injustice, and corruption among all levels of society, from priests and prophets to princes and the common people. God declares Jerusalem to be a "bloody city" (Ezekiel 22:2), filled with abominations.

The verses immediately preceding Ezekiel 22:21 (verses 17-20) use the vivid imagery of a smelting furnace. God likens the people of Israel to dross – the worthless impurities separated from precious metals – which He will gather into a furnace (Jerusalem) to be melted by the heat of His indignation. Verse 21 intensifies this metaphor, emphasizing God's active role in bringing about this severe judgment and purification.

Key Themes

  • Divine Judgment and Wrath: The verse powerfully expresses God's active and decisive judgment against sin. The "fire of my wrath" signifies the intense and destructive nature of His righteous anger against the deep-seated corruption of Jerusalem.
  • Refining or Consuming Fire: While fire often symbolizes purification in Scripture, in this immediate context, it primarily emphasizes the consuming and destructive aspect of God's wrath due to the severity of the people's rebellion. The "melting" indicates a complete and unavoidable exposure to this judgment.
  • Consequences of Sin: The verse serves as a stark reminder that persistent sin and rebellion against God's commands lead to severe divine consequences. The judgment is a direct result of Jerusalem's pervasive unrighteousness.
  • God's Sovereignty: God explicitly states, "I will gather you, and blow upon you," highlighting His absolute control and intentionality in bringing about this judgment. He is not a passive observer but the active agent of justice.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "wrath" here is chemah (Χ—Φ΅ΧžΦΈΧ”), which often denotes intense heat, burning anger, or fury. It perfectly complements the imagery of fire and melting. The verb "melted" is nathak (Χ ΦΈΧͺַךְ), meaning to pour out, melt down, or be molten, reinforcing the metaphor of metal being subjected to extreme heat in a furnace. This powerful imagery communicates the inescapable and thorough nature of God's judgment.

Theological Significance and Application

Ezekiel 22:21 underscores God's absolute holiness and His unyielding commitment to justice. He is not indifferent to sin, especially when it becomes systemic and pervasive as it did in ancient Jerusalem. This passage serves as a solemn warning that God's patience has limits, and His righteous wrath will ultimately be poured out on unrepentant wickedness. The intensity of this judgment underscores God's righteous wrath against widespread unrighteousness.

For believers today, this verse reminds us of the serious nature of sin and the need for genuine repentance. While Christ has borne the full wrath of God for those who believe (John 3:36), the passage also serves as a potent reminder of God's power and His ultimate authority over all nations and individuals. It calls us to live lives of righteousness and to seek justice, knowing that God will hold all accountable.

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Cross-References

  • Ezekiel 22:20 (2 votes)

    [As] they gather silver, and brass, and iron, and lead, and tin, into the midst of the furnace, to blow the fire upon it, to melt [it]; so will I gather [you] in mine anger and in my fury, and I will leave [you there], and melt you.

  • Ezekiel 22:22 (2 votes)

    As silver is melted in the midst of the furnace, so shall ye be melted in the midst thereof; and ye shall know that I the LORD have poured out my fury upon you.

  • Jeremiah 21:12 (2 votes)

    O house of David, thus saith the LORD; Execute judgment in the morning, and deliver [him that is] spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my fury go out like fire, and burn that none can quench [it], because of the evil of your doings.

  • Psalms 21:9 (2 votes)

    Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the LORD shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them.

  • 2 Kings 25:9 (2 votes)

    And he burnt the house of the LORD, and the king's house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and every great [man's] house burnt he with fire.

  • Ezekiel 20:47 (2 votes)

    And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.

  • Ezekiel 20:48 (2 votes)

    And all flesh shall see that I the LORD have kindled it: it shall not be quenched.