Single lesson
Ezekiel 22: The Sins of Jerusalem
Ezekiel 22:1–16; Ezekiel 22:17–22; Ezekiel 22:23–31
Ezekiel 22:1–16 is a direct message from Yahweh that exposes Jerusalem’s guilt. The passage names violence, idolatry, injustice and sexual sin, then explains the judgement that will come because the city has forgotten Yahweh. This lesson also brings together The Refining Furnace, Israel’s Wicked Leaders.
Before you teach
In this passage, Yahweh tells Ezekiel to judge “the bloody city” and make her know her abominations. The message stays focused on Jerusalem’s guilt, listing specific sins and then declaring that Yahweh will deal with the city by scattering her among the nations.
Explain the central teaching of Ezekiel 22: The Sins of Jerusalem, using two details from the reading. This passage teaches that Yahweh sees public and private sin clearly, and Jerusalem’s violence, idolatry, oppression and defilement bring his judgement. This passage teaches that Yahweh compares the house of Israel to dross and uses the furnace image to declare his wrath and make himself known. This passage teaches that Yahweh sees falsehood, profaning of holy things and oppression across a whole community, and he answers with just judgement.
Welcome: Ezekiel 22: The Sins of Jerusalem
5 minIntroduce “The Sins of Jerusalem”, “The Refining Furnace”, “Israel’s Wicked Leaders” and locate Ezekiel 22:1–16; Ezekiel 22:17–22; Ezekiel 22:23–31. This passage teaches that Yahweh sees public and private sin clearly, and Jerusalem’s violence, idolatry, oppression and defilement bring his judgement. Invite each learner to name a detail or question they will listen for.
Ezekiel 22:1, Ezekiel 22:9, Ezekiel 22:16
Read and explain the passage
12 minThe Sins of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 22:1–16): Yahweh tells Ezekiel to judge Jerusalem and reveal her abominations. The main charges appear straight away: she sheds blood and makes idols. These sins make her guilty and defiled. The result is near judgement, so the city becomes a reproach and a mocking among surrounding peoples.
The Refining Furnace (Ezekiel 22:17–22): The passage starts by saying Yahweh’s word came to Ezekiel. That introduction tells us these verses are a message from Yahweh. What follows is presented as prophecy and teaching, using an image to explain what Yahweh says about his people.
Israel’s Wicked Leaders (Ezekiel 22:23–31): The message opens with Yahweh speaking to Ezekiel about a land that is “not cleansed nor rained on in the day of indignation”. The verse does not explain the lack of rain. In the flow of the passage, “not cleansed” can be read in light of the sins then listed, including violence, profaning holy things, dishonest gain and oppression.
Read the selected verses together, pausing at “The Sins of Jerusalem”, “The Refining Furnace”, “Israel’s Wicked Leaders”. Use the source reading below and check the explanation against the words of the passage.
Ezekiel 22:2, Ezekiel 22:3, Ezekiel 22:4, Ezekiel 22:5, Ezekiel 22:17, Ezekiel 22:23, Ezekiel 22:24, Ezekiel 22:25, Ezekiel 22:26, Ezekiel 22:27, Ezekiel 22:29
Discuss the details and their meaning
8 minUse the three questions below. Begin with “What repeated kinds of wrong does this passage connect with Jerusalem’s guilt?” and allow time to find the supporting verses. This passage teaches that Yahweh sees falsehood, profaning of holy things and oppression across a whole community, and he answers with just judgement. Ask learners to explain which details support their answer and to identify a question they would like to explore further.
Ezekiel 22:3, Ezekiel 22:7, Ezekiel 22:11, Ezekiel 22:12, Ezekiel 22:19, Ezekiel 22:30, Ezekiel 22:31
Make and respond: Vision and message evidence map
12 minWork on “Ezekiel 22: The Sins of Jerusalem: Vision and message evidence map”. Follow the materials and steps below, using “The Sins of Jerusalem”, “The Refining Furnace”, “Israel’s Wicked Leaders” as reading headings. Each learner should include at least two accurate details and their verse references. Share one observation from the finished sheet and explain how it connects with the central teaching.
Ezekiel 22:1, Ezekiel 22:16, Ezekiel 22:31
Closing: return to Israel’s Wicked Leaders
3 minRevisit Ezekiel 22:23–31. Invite a learner to summarise what the group has learned about Israel’s Wicked Leaders and another to support the summary with a verse. Give learners a moment to complete their response sheet. They can share a question or, if appropriate for the group, join the optional prayer.
Ezekiel 22:23, Ezekiel 22:27, Ezekiel 22:31
Questions to explore
What repeated kinds of wrong does this passage connect with Jerusalem’s guilt?
Look for the repeated charges of bloodshed, idols, oppression, sexual sin and dishonest gain across the whole message.
Ezekiel 22:3, Ezekiel 22:7, Ezekiel 22:11, Ezekiel 22:12
How does verse 19 connect Israel’s condition with what Yahweh will do next?
Look for the cause-and-result wording: “Because ... therefore” and the action of gathering into Jerusalem.
Ezekiel 22:19
What was Yahweh seeking in verse 30, and how does verse 31 connect to that search?
Use the words “build up the wall” and “stand in the gap”, then explain the “therefore” that introduces the final judgement.
Ezekiel 22:30, Ezekiel 22:31
Make, think or respond
Ezekiel 22: The Sins of Jerusalem: Vision and message evidence map
What you’ll need
- plain paper or card
- pencils or pens
- a Bible or the source reading on this page
Try it together
- Fold a sheet into three panels or draw three columns. Label them “What the passage describes”, “What is explained in the text”, “What question remains”.
- Read Ezekiel 22:1–16; Ezekiel 22:17–22; Ezekiel 22:23–31. Use “The Sins of Jerusalem”, “The Refining Furnace”, “Israel’s Wicked Leaders” as your reading headings and add a short quotation or detail with its verse reference to each panel.
- Compare your notes with a partner. Check that every quotation is accurate and every conclusion has support in the passage.
- Circle an explanation the passage itself provides. Leave unexplained details as questions for further reading.
The finished sheet keeps the details of Ezekiel 22: The Sins of Jerusalem connected to their Bible references and gives the group a way to explain what they noticed.
Adapt for your group
- For learners who need more support, prepare the reading headings “The Sins of Jerusalem”, “The Refining Furnace”, “Israel’s Wicked Leaders” and let them match short quotations to the correct heading.
- For confident readers, compare two sections of Ezekiel 22:1–16; Ezekiel 22:17–22; Ezekiel 22:23–31. Ask for a written explanation with two supporting references and one question that the text leaves open.
An optional closing prayer
“God, help us listen carefully as we read Ezekiel 22:1–16; Ezekiel 22:17–22; Ezekiel 22:23–31. Help us understand what we have read, ask thoughtful questions and respond with care for others. Amen.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Ezekiel 22
1 Moreover Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,
2 “You, son of man, will you judge? Will you judge the bloody city? Then cause her to know all her abominations.
3 You shall say, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “A city that sheds blood within herself, that her time may come, and that makes idols against herself to defile her!
4 You have become guilty in your blood that you have shed, and are defiled in your idols which you have made! You have caused your days to draw near, and have come to the end of your years. Therefore I have made you a reproach to the nations, and a mocking to all the countries.
5 Those who are near and those who are far from you will mock you, you infamous one, full of tumult.
6 “ ‘ “Behold, the princes of Israel, everyone according to his power, have been in you to shed blood.
7 In you have they treated father and mother with contempt. Among you they have oppressed the foreigner. In you they have wronged the fatherless and the widow.
8 You have despised my holy things, and have profaned my Sabbaths.
9 Slanderous men have been in you to shed blood. In you they have eaten on the mountains. They have committed lewdness among you.
10 In you have they uncovered their fathers’ nakedness. In you have they humbled her who was unclean in her impurity.
11 One has committed abomination with his neighbor’s wife, and another has lewdly defiled his daughter-in-law. Another in you has humbled his sister, his father’s daughter.
12 In you have they taken bribes to shed blood. You have taken interest and increase, and you have greedily gained of your neighbors by oppression, and have forgotten me,” says the Lord Yahweh.
13 “ ‘ “Behold, therefore I have struck my hand at your dishonest gain which you have made, and at the blood which has been shed within you.
14 Can your heart endure, or can your hands be strong, in the days that I will deal with you? I, Yahweh, have spoken it, and will do it.
15 I will scatter you among the nations, and disperse you through the countries. I will purge your filthiness out of you.
16 You will be profaned in yourself in the sight of the nations. Then you will know that I am Yahweh.” ’ ”
17 Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,
18 “Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to me. All of them are bronze, tin, iron, and lead in the middle of the furnace. They are the dross of silver.
19 Therefore the Lord Yahweh says: ‘Because you have all become dross, therefore, behold, I will gather you into the middle of Jerusalem.
20 As they gather silver, bronze, iron, lead, and tin into the middle of the furnace, to blow the fire on it, to melt it, so I will gather you in my anger and in my wrath, and I will lay you there and melt you.
21 Yes, I will gather you, and blow on you with the fire of my wrath, and you will be melted in the middle of it.
22 As silver is melted in the middle of the furnace, so you will be melted in the middle of it; and you will know that I, Yahweh, have poured out my wrath on you.’ ”
23 Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,
24 “Son of man, tell her, ‘You are a land that is not cleansed nor rained on in the day of indignation.’
25 There is a conspiracy of her prophets within it, like a roaring lion ravening the prey. They have devoured souls. They take treasure and precious things. They have made many widows within it.
26 Her priests have done violence to my law and have profaned my holy things. They have made no distinction between the holy and the common, neither have they caused men to discern between the unclean and the clean, and have hidden their eyes from my Sabbaths. So I am profaned among them.
27 Her princes within it are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood and to destroy souls, that they may get dishonest gain.
28 Her prophets have plastered for them with whitewash, seeing false visions, and divining lies to them, saying, ‘The Lord Yahweh says,’ when Yahweh has not spoken.
29 The people of the land have used oppression and exercised robbery. Yes, they have troubled the poor and needy, and have oppressed the foreigner wrongfully.
30 “I sought for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I would not destroy it; but I found no one.
31 Therefore I have poured out my indignation on them. I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath. I have brought their own way on their heads,” says the Lord Yahweh.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.