“Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to Me; they are all bronze, tin, iron, and lead, in the midst of a furnace; they have become dross from silver. " v.18
Read chapter 22
Dross is a waste matter taken off a metal when smelted in fire. The Lord is saying that Israel has no long become the precious metal they were but now the refuse, the dross to Him. Mixed metals were often thrown together, so the refiner would throw it in the melting pot or fire that the silver would separate and be brought out. This silver would be made shinny once the dross was removed. Thus refining was needed, refining fire. There was both hope and terror in this process both literally and figuratively. The fire the Israelites were about to go through was the destruction and captivity under Babylon. Just as a refiner sits by the fire to make sure the metal is not in the fire any longer than necessary, so God brings His own people into the furnace to purify them.
What dross needs to be melted off in your life?
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