“Valley of Dry Bones”

For those of you who are not aware, this is our second and last week in the Book of Ezekiel… Last week we examined Ezekiel 11:19-21… and we learned three key truths from that passage:

Your heart DESIRES things that are DETESTABLE

In other words, Your heart chases after and champions behind things that are intensely disliked by the Lord… Our hearts natural hardwired seek after sin…

2.) You will RECEIVE your REWARD…

I mentioned Luke 7:21-23 and how many will stand before the Lord saying that they did many things for the Lord… yet the Lord will respond with… depart from me… for I do not know you…

The things we do in private will be exposed to the public…

The things we do in the dark… will be exposed by the light…

3.) Your heart of STONE can only be replaced by a SAVIOR

There are just some things you can not do on your own… the only person qualified and capable of removing your heart of stone that is filled with sin and replacing it with a heart of flesh that is filled with faith is - Jesus Christ… the Son of the Living God…

This week however… we are turning our attention to Ezekiel 37:1-10… but before we dive into the passage… it is important that you know that we always ask ourselves two important questions as we approach Gods Word…

1.) What is God teaching us through this text?

Not what does the preacher or tanner think would be a cool or relatable point…

2.) How do we apply that teaching to our lives today?

We ask ourselves these questions because we believe in what 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says…

2 Timothy 3:16–17 (ESV)

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

In other words, the Word of God is more than sufficient to guide us in every circumstance and situation that we may encounter in this life…

With this in mind… please follow along with me as I read Ezekiel 37:7-10…

Ezekiel 37:7–10 (ESV)

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 [tuff tissue uniting muscle & bone] 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.

A fair question to ask is… what is happening in this passage?

Ezekiel is experiencing a vision where he is standing in a valley and sees dry bones or bones that are so old that there are no flesh on them… they had completely decayed… they are bare and without a covering… Ezekiel sees these bones and the Lord tells Ezekiel to prophecy to them…

Ezekiel does as the Lord instructs and the bones begin to rattle and take shape… flesh and blood begin to cover the dry bones… and the bones that were once dry and decayed are now developed and have been reconstructed…

Finally, the Lord tells Ezekiel to tell the breathe to enter into the former dry bones… and they all received the breathe and life…

But why does God provide this vision to Ezekiel? What is the point? What is God teaching us through this text?

POINT #1: CIRCUMSTANCES do not limit, CONTROL, or hold God CAPTIVE

STORY #1 - FABIAN

I met someone my sophomore year of college… his name is Fabian… Fabian and I played soccer together in college for 3 years… so I got to know who he was and his story well… in fact, he lived with my parents and I for a summer we were that close… he is respectful, kind, generous, and a friend that I do not deserve… No matter what the situation or scenario… Fabian has the ability to make you laugh… he is always smiling and telling jokes that I wish could think of or come up with… He is one of the guys that when he walks into the room you can not help but to smile… you can not help but to feel a new and exciting energy…

But one reason why I love and have so much respect for him is because Fabian came from a broken home… he has multiple brothers and sisters with different fathers… Fabian is the oldest of his siblings and experienced a life of carrying the burden of being a high school boy and a father figure to his younger siblings… he would go to school, take care of his siblings, and help his mom… Fabian had every right to be frustrated, angry, bitter, and mad at his father and mother… Fabian could have easily grown up to be man who was full of hatred and resentment… in fact, many would look at Fabians circumstance and think… he probably is not going to go anywhere or be anything… he probably wants nothing to do with his parents… many would like at Fabians CIRCUMSTANCES and think his outcome or chances of success are slim to none…

But if you were to talk to and see Fabian today… you would be blown away by how God has changed his life…

Fabian is filled with love, grace, mercy, kindness, patience, and has a peace about him that surpasses understanding… in fact, Fabian still makes an effort to talk to, hang out with, and help out his Father, Mother, and Siblings… Fabian is the greatest example of what it looks like to be a friend in my life…

He had every reason to allow his CIRCUMSTANCES to CONTROL him and take him CAPTIVE… but Fabian allowed CHRIST to be his COMPANION and Fabian witnessed how God is not limited or held CAPTIVE by CIRCUMSTANCES…

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You may be thinking… “Tanner, thanks for the uplifting story… but how does that relate to Ezekiel… and the Valley of Dry Bones”?

If you were to look back and read the books of the Bible that come before Ezekiel… you would know that the Israelites had experienced captivity and being removed from their homeland. The Israelites were without a king, home, or a promising future… there chances of hope had dwindled as a nation and when they looked back at their history as a nation… they were a people who were not free… but rather slaves and in captivity… Their CIRCUMSTANCES made it seems as if it was far too late for God to do anything to help, save, or redeem them…

And yet this Valley of Dry Bones was a vision of hope… a glimmer of light… in the sea and abyss of cold, depressing darkness… this vision was one of hope…

The Israelites did not forget about the promise that God made to them through Abraham and David…

We are reminded of this promise in Ezekiel 37:24…

Ezekiel 37:24 (ESV)

“My servant David shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd. They shall walk in my rules and be careful to obey my statutes.

But even though they knew Gods promise… they could not see past their circumstances…

Can you relate to the Israelites? Have you ever been in a circumstance or situation where you thought… I know God is Good… I know God loves me… I know that God says he sees me… but I am not sure how he is going to help me with this?

You may have been going through something for several years now and you can’t help but to think… it has been so long… is God actually going to step in?

Have you ever been in a circumstance where you have questioned whether or not God is going to actually show up or make a difference?

Have you ever been in a circumstance where you do not see hope?

Are you in living in one of those circumstances now?

I have noticed in my own life and in the lives of other Christians around me that we do not struggle to have a head knowledge of God’s Truth… We know what God’s Word says … Rather we often struggle to live out these truths because we allow our CIRCUMSTANCES to limit, CONTROL, and hold God CAPTIVE…

Your circumstances do not limit your creator

Your situations can not stop your savior

Your limitations stand no chance against the Lord

How can we stop our circumstances from limiting what we think God can do?

Philippians 4:6–7 (ESV)

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Anxious = a verb that means, “To be concerned with”

A life that does not communicate with God… is a life that is filled with concerns

Some of you today can not see past your own circumstances and concerns because you are not relying upon or communicating with your Savior…

Communication with God results in a confidence in God…

Consistent Communication with God… allows you to confidently release your concerns and see past your circumstances…

During the Day of Ezekiel… the Israelites were a divided nation… held captive by another… the valley of Dry Bones was a beacon of hope for the Israelites… that even though they had rebelled and disobeyed the Lord… the Lord is willing and able to save them… no matter their circumstances…

POINT #2: Don’t be SURPRISED when the SAVIOR returns

STORY #2:

I can remember one evening when my dad was throwing a football with me in the back yard… we threw the football for about 15 - 20 minutes… once we hit the 20 minute mark… my dad looked at me and said, hey son, I have to go inside… if I keep going… my shoulder is going to be sore all day tomorrow…

This made no sense to me at the time… in high school I could throw a football, play soccer, or run around with friends all day and never get sore… My dad could looked at me and said… “Oh… just wait… One day when your older… you will understand… and don’t be surprised when it happens…”

* Well my Father was right… just this past Sunday Night I played 4 games of basketball after youth… And the following morning my entire lower back was in pain…

*This past Tuesday night I decided to work out after a couple of months of off… I thought it would be wise to do squats and hit leg day… I was in pain for the next three days… and yet… I shouldn't be surprised… After all my Dad told me years ago that this day would happen… that there would be a day when I would be sore after being physically active after only 15 minutes…

But this came as a surprise to me because I would much rather believe in something that I make-believe… instead of reality…

The reality is… the older you get… the more difficult it is for you to be active… to run… or to play sports like you once did…

I share this because we do the same things with sin in our lives… we would rather believe the make-believe… sin filled… fair-tale ending… than the reality of what God’s Word has always declared from the beginning…

Example: We do not like to necessarily think about the reality that Jesus Christ is returning at any moment… why? Because it would change how we live our lives and the sins that we love to believe…

Sin will often act as a smoke screen… making it difficult to see the reality that God’s Word is TRUTH…

In other words, Sin is a smoke screen… But the scriptures reveal reality…

Let me say it again… sin is a smoke screen… but the scriptures reveal reality…

Let’s take your past week… Have the realities of God’s Word - the truth - changed how you act, behave, and think?

Gods Word Reveals Reality - told to love our neighbors as ourselves… have you gone out of your way to love someone else in your circle of influence… that could be your friends… family…

Gods Word Reveals Reality - love our enemies… Have you intentional thought of, prayed for, or acted on the behalf of someone who has hurt you or who has said something that cut you deeply?

Gods Word Reveals Reality - That we are sinners saved by grace… do your thoughts express gratitude for your salvation… or do think that your a pretty good kid, that is why God saved you…

Gods Word Reveals Reality - That all have fallen short of the glory of God. That all of us are sinners… so do you have compassion on others or do you judge, ridicule, and view yourself as “not as bad” as them?

Gods Word Reveals Reality - That we ought to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength… do you cherish and love your God more than anything? Or do you covet and chase after sin in your life more than you chase after Christ?

Gods Word Reveals Reality - Jesus Christ is Lord and King and will Return… are you awaiting for the arrival of the king… looking and thinking about his return often… excited for his return… or are you living your life for you… and will the return of Christ come as a surprise and shock to you?

You see the Israelites had been blinded by the smoke screen of sin… they pursued after idolatry… and worldly things… they wanted a human king… they wanted to live their life as they pleased… and because of this… in the day of Ezekiel… the Israelites were without a place to call home… they were captives of the Babylonians and unable to see how God was going to make them a united nation… They could not see a light at the end of the tunnel… but God provides this vision of the valley of dry bones to remind them of their reality… the truth that one day they would be set free…

Have you ever encountered someone who can not see through the smoke screen of sin… who is unable to see reality… because they do not view God’s Word as Truth…

On the day of the great flood with Noah… I am sure there were many who were surprised or shocked that the flood actually happened…

On the day when Moses took the Israelites out of captivity and parted the Sea for them to finally escape… I am sure there were many who were shocked and surprised that it actually happened…

On the day when Jesus raised Lazarus from the grave… I am sure there were many who were shocked and surprised that it actually happened…

On the day when Jesus fed the 5,000… I am sure there were many who were shocked and surprised that it happened…

On the day when Jesus was Risen to life… defeating death and sin once and for all… I am sure there were many who were shocked and surprised…

I am sure there will be many who are shocked and surprised when Jesus Christ Returns… just as his Word and Truth tell us… the question is… are you going to be shocked and surprised? Or Ready when He returns?

To recap tonights passage and teaching… we learned that the valley of dry bones has taught us at least two things tonight:

POINT #1: CIRCUMSTANCES do not limit, CONTROL, or hold God CAPTIVE

The Israelites circumstances made it seem as if the promise God had made them would never happen or come true… yet God is faithful to his Word and will accomplish his purposes no matter what the circumstance

* Consistent Communication with God… allows you to confidently release your concerns and see past your circumstances…

POINT #2: Don’t be SURPRISED when the SAVIOR returns

The Israelites will be under the rule and reign of king Jesus… and so will you and I… the question is… are we ready for when Christ Returns?

BAND COME UP FOR WORSHIP…

PRAY AND ALLOW THE BAND TIME TO GET READY FOR WORSHIP…