IBeam Ezekiel 37:1-14

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Ezekiel 37:1-14

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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.”

(ESV)

The Valley of Dry Bones

37 The hand of the Lord was upon me,

and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord

1 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;

and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones.

2 And he led me around among them,

nd behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. 3 And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6 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.”

and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley,

and behold, they were very dry.

3 And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

3 And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.”

4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them,

4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them,

O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6 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.”

7 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. 8 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. 9 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.” 10 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.

7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied,

there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and

it was full of bones. 2 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. 3 And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6 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.” 7 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. 8 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. 9 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.” 10 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. 11 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.’ 12 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. 13 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. 14 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.”

it was full of bones.

the bones came together, bone to its bone.

8 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.

9 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.”

10 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.

11 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.’ 12 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. 13 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. 14 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.”

2 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. 3 And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6 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.” 7 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. 8 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. 9 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.” 10 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. 11 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.’ 12 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. 13 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. 14 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.”

11 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.’

12 Therefore prophesy, and say to them,

Thus says the Lord God: Behold,

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.

13 And you shall know that

I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people.

14 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.”

INCOMPLETION (Human need in text)

In the midst of destruction and death people fail to look to God for restoration.

IMPRESSION (Big exegetical idea)

Subject (What is author talking about?)

restoration

Specifics (What is author saying about subject?)

God brought the issue to consciousness

God assembled the dead bones, covered them with flesh, and restored life

God’s breath restored life

God told of the need that He alone could meet

Impression (One sentence summary of text)

Ezekiel showed God’s plan for restoration of a people.

IMPLICATION (Big homiletical idea)

Indication (Primary idea of the text)

Believers can experience rejuvenation.

restoration

Interrogation (Probing journalistic questions)

How?

Integration (Plural noun keyword)

These essentials

Implication (One sentence summary of message)

The essential steps to rejuvenation are:

Recognize the situation

Request assistance

Realize the blessing

INTENTION (Specific goal of message)

I want my people to live a rejuvenated godly life.

INDENTATION (Message design or structure)

Identification (Title of message)

Introduction

Ingression (Transitional sentence from introduction to Scripture reading)

Inspiration (Scripture reading)

Ingression (Transitional sentence from Scripture reading to first point)

Itemization (1) (First message point or movement)

Ideation (1) (Thoughts about first point)

Instruction (1) (Explanation)

Illustration (1)

Implementation (1) (Application)

Interconnection (Transition between message points)

Itemization (2) (Second message point or movement)

Ideation (2) (Thoughts about second point)

Instruction (2) (Explanation)

Illustration (2)

Implementation (2) (Application)

Interconnection (Transition between message points)

Itemization (3) (Third message point or movement)

Ideation (3) (Thoughts about third point)

Instruction (3) (Explanation)

Illustration (3)

Implementation (3) (Application)

Interconnection (Transition between message points)

Itemization (4) (Forth message point or movement)

Ideation (4) (Thoughts about forth point)

Instruction (4) (Explanation)

Illustration (4)

Implementation (4) (Application)

Importation (Final exhortation to apply goal of message)