Vers. 13-22.-The dross in thefurnace, God's mercy and kindness scarcely any- where Rppear more manifest than in his method of dealing with his erring people, whom he subjects to chastening and discipline with the view of purging away their faults. The figure employed by Ezekiel in this passage occurs in other of the prophetic writings. There is some obscurity in his expression; for it seems as if, to convey the fulness of his meaning, he represents the people first as dross, and then as the metal from which the dross is burnt away. Perhaps his meaning is that the ore which is smelted contains a very large proportion of dross compared with the genuine metal. I. THE VALUE WHICH THE LORD ASSIGNS TO JUDAH. This is very qualified. There is, indeed, metal, whether more precious as silver or less so as iron. Yet there is much that is worthless; so that the Lord says," Ye are all become dross." The inference is that, however there may be latent some possibility of good, this can only become actual after the subjection of it to much discipline. II. Tm: TREATMENT TO wmcH THE LORD SUBJECTS JUDAH. The ore is gathered, cast into the furnace, left there, to be blown upon by the blast of indignation, and sub- jected to the heat of the fire, until it be melted in the midst thereof. Through such a process must J uda.h pass before God could take pleasure therein. Siege, suffering, privation, pestilence, famine, decimation, captivity, reproach, mockery,-such were the sufferings appointed for the people of Jerusalem. And, as a matter of fact and history, God did not spare Jerusalem-favoured though the city had been. He poured out his fury upon it, and for a time and for a purpose withheld from it his clemency and compassion. IlL THE UTTER INCAPACITY AND HELPLESSNESS 011' JUDAH TO RESIST OR TO ENDURE WHAT THE, LoBD APPOINTS. This is expressed very powerfully in ver. 14, "Can thine heart endnre, or can thine hands be strong, in the days that J shall deal with thee?" We are reminded of the inquiry, "Who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire." The discipline of God's justice is enough to overcome and break down the hard and obdurate hearts of men. They cannot accept it with equanimity. They must profit by it or be consumed by it. IV. THE PURPOSE OF THB: LoBD'e BEVEBE TREATMENT OF JUDAH. Ammon was cast into the fire, to be consumed into smoke and to vanish away; Judah, in order to refinement and purification. The intention of Eternal Wisdom and Goodness was and ever is tha.~ the dross may be consumed in the furnace of affliction and trial, and thus that the pure metal may be brought forth fit for the use and for the plea.sure of the Moat High.-T, Vers. 23-31.-0ommon co1'ruption of all classes, To complete the picture of tho debasement and moral deterioration of Jerusalem, the prophet reviews the several classes of which the population of a great city is composed. He finds in every class signs of departure from God, signs of abandoment to the vices and crimes which prevailed among the heathen around. L THE PROPHETS, WHO SHOULD SPEAK GOD'S TRUTH, DECEIVE AND LIE, AND THUS IDSLEAD THE PEOPLE. In what sense these worthless deceivers could have been called prophets, it is not easy to determine. Probably they were persons who pretended to this office, and who were deemed by their neighbours entitled to the appellation. But a prophet is one who speaks for God as his representative; and of all men deception on his part is reprehensible. Prophets are nothing if not true, Yet in how many cases have the multitude been misled by crafty, designing pretenders to Divine illumination I And not the multitude only, but even kings and commanders have too often given themselves over to the virtual dictation of men no better than soothsayers and diviners. 11. THE PRIESTS, WHO SHOULD KEEP AND REVERENCE THE DIVINE LAW1 VIOLATE AND PROFANE IT. 'l'he priesthood must be regarded as part of a system, the object of which was to maintain right relations between the Almighty Ruler and hie chosen people. Themselves divinely instituted, they were peculiarly bound to observe every 01L xxn. 1-31.] 'l'HE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. 9
ordinance and regulation of Heaven. Yet these are the men whom the inspired prophet of the Lord denounces as doing violence to God's Law, profaning holy things, as break- ing down tho distinction between clean and unclean-a distinction which it was especially their oflico to maintain. How should they be clean who bear the vessels of the Lord! "Like priest, like people." Tho moral degradation of tho priesthood promoted the degeneration of the nation. Ill. 'l'HE PUINCES, wno SHOULD PROTECT THEIR 81:iDJECTS .AND PROMOTE THEIR WELFARE, HAVIN, SPOIL, AND DESTROY. Judah had been afflicted with a succession of monarchs who did that which was evil in the eight of the Lord. The deeper the nation sank in poverty, humiliation, and despondency, the greater the opportunity for those in authority, by self-denial and sympathy, to improve the state of the nation. But the wretched rulers who found themselves in place and power appeared indifferent to everything except their own selfish interests, and did their worst to hasten and to com- plete the ruin which was manifestly so near. IV. THE PEOPLE, WHO SHOULD LIVE IN THE EXERCISE OF JUSTICE, SYMPATHY, AND CONCORD, OPPBESS AND BOB TREIB NEIGIIBOUBS. Natir.,oal life may be, and is in many cnses, an opportunity for the display of civic and social virtues. But the abuse of the best of institutions may make them evil. It is the spirit in 'l"hich the life of the nation is lived which determines the condition of the people. Differences in power, intelligence, and wealth always have existed, and always will exist, in every community. But superiority ought to be regarded as a trust to be employed for the public good. Where it is used for purposes of oppression, especially for the oppression of the poor and the stranger, such a state of things is a sure presage of national downfall. " ·when all men live like brothers," a nation may defy a public ·enemy, a foreign foe. But snspiciun and discord lay the axe at the root of the tree. Such being the state of Jerusalem and Judah, all classes striving together as it were for the nation's ruin, no wonder that to the pro,vhet the outlook appeared gloomy, and the day of retribution near at hand. "I sought, says Jehovah, "for a man among them, that should make up the fence, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none."-T.