GOD WILL CAUSE A RATTLING NOISE

WON’T HE DO IT!!!

Ezekiel

The Resurrection and Reunification of God’s People:

Symbolized by a Vision of Dry Bones and a Visual of Joined Sticks, 37:1–28) (37:1–28) Introduction: hopelessness is an awful feeling.

When people feel hopeless, they become dejected, demoralized, despondent, and often desperate.

The future seems dark and bleak, offering them no glimmer of light whatsoever.

Hopeless people feel as if they are in a no-win situation, in an unchanging and unsolvable crisis.

A spirit of hopelessness gripped the Jewish exiles being held captive in Babylon.

The Babylonians had totally destroyed their nation, including Jerusalem and the temple, and devastated their land.

WHAT IF YOUR HOME, TOWN, CITY WAS BOMBED, SCATTERED AND DEVASTATED

Now the people were scattered throughout the nations of the world.

It was as if they were dead as a people, as though they were nothing more than “dry bones.”

They thought that their situation was utterly hopeless.

SPIRITUAL DEATH-

WHY THEY WERE IN A “DRY” STATE:

DISOBEDIENCE AND IDOLATRY

ISRAEL HAD REBELLED AGAINST GOD

DEFILING HIS SANCTUARY AND DISOBEYING HIS COMMANDS

LEADING TO DIVINE JUDGMENT.

EXILE AND DISPAIR:

THE BABYLONIANS HAD CONQUERED JERUSALEM,

DESTROYED THE TEMPLE

AND EXILED THE PEOPLE

LEAVING THEM FEELING SPIRITUALLY

AND PHYSICALLY DEAD

LIKE BONES SCATTERED IN A VALLEY

But that is not what God thought.

The LORD’s thoughts are different from man’s thoughts.

LOSS OF HOPE:

THE PEOPLE FELT THEIR NATION WAS FINISHED

SAYING, OUR BONES ARE DRIED UP,

AND OUR HOPE IS LOST

WE ARE INDEED CUT OFF (EZEKIEL 37:11)

He saw no reason for His people to feel hopeless,

for He possessed the power to conquer any of their enemies

and to deliver them from any distressing situation.

This passage is an amazing message of hope to all who feel hopeless.

In it,

God gives two signs that demonstrate His power to meet the needs of His people,

no matter what they may be facing.

This is,

The Resurrection and Reunification of God’s People:

Symbolized by a Vision of Dry Bones and a Visual of Joined Sticks, 37:1–28. 1. The vision of dry bones: a picture of God’s power to give new life to the hopeless and to resurrect the dead (vv. 1–14). 2. The visual of joined sticks: a sign of God’s people being reunited (vv. 15–28).

1 (37:1–14) Vision, of Dry Bones, Meaning, Restoration of Israel

—Restoration, of Israel, Promised—Hopelessness,

Example of, Exiles in Babylon

—Power, of God, to Restore Israel;

to Give New Life;

to Help the Hopeless;

to Resurrect the Dead

—New Life, Source, God—Resurrection,

Spiritual, Source, God

—Resurrection, Believers,

Pictured, Vision of Dry Bones:

the LORD gave Ezekiel a very special vision that is known as The Vision of Dry Bones.

Ezekiel actually saw a valley full of scattered dry bones that were gathered together,

given new flesh, and brought back to life.

Only the power of God could accomplish such a phenomenal event.

It was totally contrary to the nature of death,

but nevertheless it was going to take place.

Scripture gives a graphic description of Ezekiel’s vision: