Isaiah 1:21-25

Rachel Workman: See how Jerusalem, once so faithful,
    has become a prostitute.
Once the home of justice and righteousness,
    she is now filled with murderers.
²² Once like pure silver,
    you have become like worthless slag.
Once so pure,
    you are now like watered-down wine.
²³ Your leaders are rebels,
    the companions of thieves.
All of them love bribes
    and demand payoffs,
but they refuse to defend the cause of orphans
    or fight for the rights of widows.

²⁴ Therefore, the Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies,
    the Mighty One of Israel, says,
“I will take revenge on my enemies
    and pay back my foes!
²⁵ I will raise my fist against you.
    I will melt you down and skim off your slag.
    I will remove all your impurities.

Being melted down and having all your impurities removed sounds pretty awful really. What God is saying is the sin will stop, I will remove them one by one by force. It won't be a pleasant process. It's much easier to confess and repent. But Jerusalem wasn't having it. I am the slag, and at times God has melted me down. It seems like I'm not listening very well either. 

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John Burnett:  ²¹ How the faithful city
    has become a whore,^[d]
    she who was full of justice!
Righteousness lodged in her,
    but now murderers.
²² Your silver has become dross,
    your best wine mixed with water.
²³ Your princes are rebels
    and companions of thieves.
Everyone loves a bribe
    and runs after gifts.
They do not bring justice to the fatherless,
    and the widow's cause does not come to them.   Isaiah is describing Jerusalem (and Washington DC for that matter) and the abhorrent behavior taking place there.   God calls us to take care of the widows and orphans but that was not taking place in Jerusalem at the time and is still not taking place today.

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Tomorrow’s reading for Isaiah 1:26-31

Then I will give you good judges again
    and wise counselors like you used to have.
Then Jerusalem will again be called the Home of Justice
    and the Faithful City.”

²⁷ Zion will be restored by justice;
    those who repent will be revived by righteousness.
²⁸ But rebels and sinners will be completely destroyed,
    and those who desert the Lord will be consumed.

²⁹ You will be ashamed of your idol worship
    in groves of sacred oaks.
You will blush because you worshiped
    in gardens dedicated to idols.
³⁰ You will be like a great tree with withered leaves,
    like a garden without water.
³¹ The strongest among you will disappear like straw;
    their evil deeds will be the spark that sets it on fire.
They and their evil works will burn up together,
    and no one will be able to put out the fire.