The fountain (1–6). The defiled will be cleansed of sin (Jer. 31:31–34), and the deceived will have all their idols and false prophets removed. Verse 6 refers not to Jesus Christ but to a false prophet who has wounded his body in some religious ritual (1 Kings 18:28). He tries to prove that he is not a prophet because he wants to escape judgment.
The flock (7). To save His flock, the Good Shepherd must be smitten, and that means suffering and death (Isa. 53:4, 10; Matt. 26:31). The next time you are smitten because of your faith, remember that your Shepherd felt it before you did (Matt. 5:38–42; 10:16–26).
The furnace (8–9). Israel’s terrible suffering at the close of the age will be like a refining furnace, separating the true from the false (Isa. 48:10). Suffering in the will of God can be a time of purification when we can bring glory to God (Job 23:10).
