Ezekiel 22:20
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. 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 22:20 belongs to the prophetic warnings uttered before the destruction of Jerusalem, given for correction, denunciation, and reproof. The chapter recounts the sins and the steps leading to exile, showing that idolatry together with Sabbath desecration brought the people into trouble, dispersion, and captivity. Within that apostasy the priests were carried into paganism, violating the law and profaning the Sabbath.
The verse pictures God gathering the guilty, who have become dross like mixed silver, brass, iron, lead, and tin, into the midst of a furnace to leave and melt them in anger and fury. Lead in this passage, as a base and weighty metal, symbolizes sin, with guilt and condemnation weighing down and holding corruption. Sin must either be forgiven or it will be consumed in this melting judgment. After this melting, the people will know that the Lord has poured out His fury upon them.
The verse describes the professed people of God in the last days, the same time and people addressed in Isaiah 30:8-11, Ezekiel 13, and Jeremiah 6:9-19, where Israel means the people of God and remnant means the last part. It stands as proof against the false prophetic cry that has always offered peace and assurance in time of danger, slightly healing the hurt by proclaiming safety where none exists.