Dry Bones

Ezekiel 37

Ezekiel 37:1–14 ESV

The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.” So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army. Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.”

This section of the book of Ezekiel is probably the most well known passage in the book. We hear it and it stands out with its striking nature. Lots of studies have been done on it and many theologians have looked to see the full meaning of the text. The longer you study it the deeper you go, though this can be said of any passage of scripture.

This passage at it’s core though is simple to understand. We are often captivated by it but this passage is just showing us a pattern we see throughout all of scripture. Here in this instance the people of Israel are in exile and there is nothing they can do about it, it is as though they are dry bones that have no power to give themselves life. Through the power of God though life can be achieved in them.

The same is seen through the New Testament, we are dead in our trespasses and sins. Dead people can’t do anything for themselves, but through the life giving power of Jesus he intervenes for us. Without him acting we are as helpless as the exiled Israelites, and as helpless as the dry bones.