From the earth : from the breath of God
Without God we are dust. We are compound creatures: called up from the very dust to set our sights on the heavens. Letting the breath of God - the Holy Spirit enliven us.
Ash Wednesday - Remember you are from the earth.
Ash Wednesday
The imagery of breath is often used to convey spiritual essence and power, unseen except in its effects, including aspects of the person and work of the Holy Spirit. The main Hebrew and Greek words translated as “breath” in the NIV are also translated as “spirit” and “wind”.
A breath of life. - It is God the brings froth life. - Adams creation
the breath of life—literally, of lives, not only animal but spiritual life. If the body is so admirable, how much more the soul with all its varied faculties.
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life—not that the Creator literally performed this act, but respiration being the medium and sign of life, this phrase is used to show that man’s life originated in a different way from his body—being implanted directly by God (Ec 12:7), and hence in the new creation of the soul Christ breathed on His disciples (Jn 20:22).
the breath of life—literally, of lives, not only animal but spiritual life. If the body is so admirable, how much more the soul with all its varied faculties.
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life—not that the Creator literally performed this act, but respiration being the medium and sign of life, this phrase is used to show that man’s life originated in a different way from his body—being implanted directly by God (Ec 12:7), and hence in the new creation of the soul Christ breathed on His disciples (Jn 20:22).
Adam and Eve
4 This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, when the LORD God made the earth and the heavens.
5 Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up, for the LORD God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground, 6 but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground. 7 Then the LORD God formed a man w from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
formed—had FORMED MAN OUT OF THE DUST OF THE GROUND. Science has proved that the substance of his flesh, sinews, and bones, consists of the very same elements as the soil which forms the crust of the earth and the limestone that lies embedded in its bowels. But from that mean material what an admirable structure has been reared in the human body (Ps 139:14).
the breath of life—literally, of lives, not only animal but spiritual life. If the body is so admirable, how much more the soul with all its varied faculties.
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life—not that the Creator literally performed this act, but respiration being the medium and sign of life, this phrase is used to show that man’s life originated in a different way from his body—being implanted directly by God (Ec 12:7), and hence in the new creation of the soul Christ breathed on His disciples (Jn 20:22).
A breath of life. - It is God the brings froth life. - Adams creation
A renewing life - Valley of the bones.
The hand of the LORD was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3 He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
I said, “Sovereign LORD, you alone know.”
4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’ ”
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin 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 it, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’ ” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.
11 Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.’ ”
The hand of the LORD was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3 He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
I said, “Sovereign LORD, you alone know.”
4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’ ”
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin 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 it, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’ ” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.
11 Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.’ ”
Alive again - sprit that enlivens
Want to stay alive - Keep Breathing.
Finish - Pray.
Intentionally seeking God.
Adam and Eve
4 This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, when the LORD God made the earth and the heavens.
5 Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up, for the LORD God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground, 6 but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground. 7 Then the LORD God formed a man w from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
formed—had FORMED MAN OUT OF THE DUST OF THE GROUND. Science has proved that the substance of his flesh, sinews, and bones, consists of the very same elements as the soil which forms the crust of the earth and the limestone that lies embedded in its bowels. But from that mean material what an admirable structure has been reared in the human body (Ps 139:14).
the breath of life—literally, of lives, not only animal but spiritual life. If the body is so admirable, how much more the soul with all its varied faculties.
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life—not that the Creator literally performed this act, but respiration being the medium and sign of life, this phrase is used to show that man’s life originated in a different way from his body—being implanted directly by God (Ec 12:7), and hence in the new creation of the soul Christ breathed on His disciples (Jn 20:22).
The hand of the LORD was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3 He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
I said, “Sovereign LORD, you alone know.”
4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’ ”
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin 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 it, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’ ” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.
11 Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.’ ”
37 GOD grabbed me. GOD’s Spirit took me up and set me down in the middle of an open plain strewn with bones. He led me around and among them—a lot of bones! There were bones all over the plain—dry bones, bleached by the sun.
3 He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
I said, “Master GOD, only you know that.”
4 He said to me, “Prophesy over these bones: ‘Dry bones, listen to the Message of GOD!’ ”
5–6 GOD, the Master, told the dry bones, “Watch this: I’m bringing the breath of life to you and you’ll come to life. I’ll attach sinews to you, put meat on your bones, cover you with skin, and breathe life into you. You’ll come alive and you’ll realize that I am GOD!”
7–8 I prophesied just as I’d been commanded. As I prophesied, there was a sound and, oh, rustling! The bones moved and came together, bone to bone. I kept watching. Sinews formed, then muscles on the bones, then skin stretched over them. But they had no breath in them.
9 He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath. Prophesy, son of man. Tell the breath, ‘GOD, the Master, says, Come from the four winds. Come, breath. Breathe on these slain bodies. Breathe life!’ ”
10 So I prophesied, just as he commanded me. The breath entered them and they came alive! They stood up on their feet, a huge army.
11 Then God said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Listen to what they’re saying: ‘Our bones are dried up, our hope is gone, there’s nothing left of us.’
12–14 “Therefore, prophesy. Tell them, ‘GOD, the Master, says: I’ll dig up your graves and bring you out alive—O my people! Then I’ll take you straight to the land of Israel. When I dig up graves and bring you out as my people, you’ll realize that I am GOD. I’ll breathe my life into you and you’ll live. Then I’ll lead you straight back to your land and you’ll realize that I am GOD. I’ve said it and I’ll do it. GOD’s Decree.’ ”
5. I … cause breath to enter into you—So Is 26:19, containing the same vision, refers primarily to Israel’s restoration. Compare as to God’s renovation of the earth and all its creatures hereafter by His breath, Ps 104:30.
The valley of dry bones
Ezekiel Chapter 37
The shepherd’s care for his flock is demonstrated yet again in chapter 37. Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones is a remarkable story. But the story is only meant, as are all the visions, to convey a truth from God.
This is made clear in verse 11: ‘These bones are the whole house of Israel.’ Here, God is reminding us that he sees the true spiritual condition of the people and does not minimize it, yet still there is hope in the message that the prophet is to bring to them.
Dry bones
Ezekiel, as the result of the activity of the Holy Spirit (v. 1), found himself in the middle of a valley filled with dead men’s bones. They were very dry (v. 2), that is, they had been dead a long time. This was no recent disaster but the product of a long process of decay and death. And the valley was full of these bones—there were very many. It was a total disaster not merely touching one or two people, but the whole nation.
The prophet must have been shocked at what he saw. He had seen nothing like this before, and revulsion must have filled his heart. But the vision was meant by God to do just this; it was meant to hit him hard. God let him take it all in as he led Ezekiel ‘to and fro among them’ (v. 2). Then God asked his servant a crucial question: ‘Can these bones live?’ (v. 3). Following the question came the command, ‘Prophesy to these bones’ (v. 4). Does history, sacred or secular, offer a more ridiculous picture than this? Here is the height of hopelessness! Did any preacher have such a dumb congregation as Ezekiel? Written over the scene in large letters is the word—‘IMPOSSIBILITY’.
The valley of dry bones speaks of the spiritual condition of the nation. And if we are to learn anything from this, we have to see that it also speaks of our nation. Do we see our people as God does? Can we see the true spiritual condition of Britain or America, or whatever our nation is, as spiritually dead? God caused the prophet to pass back and forth among bones—and we do this every day in the shops and on the streets of our towns and cities. Do we see? Do we feel the situation? Jesus did, and he wept over Jerusalem. Paul did, and his heart’s desire and prayer for his nation was that they should be saved. Consider how John Elias saw his homeland of Wales in 1841:
They walk in darkness, without knowing whither they go; and the ministry leaves them in that condition. Oh how sad! God, no doubt, is hiding himself! There is strength, light, and warmth wherever his gracious presence is found. Oh! that he would return to us, for his name’s sake! Oh! that he would turn to revive us! We have deserved this on account of our great iniquities, but he can visit us in his grace. Oh! that I might see one gracious and powerful divine visitation, in Anglesey, before I sleep in death.
Obedience
No faith is needed to do the possible. Again and again, God asks people not to do what they can, but what they can’t. God’s dealing with us is not intended to show us how clever we are if only we would try, but rather the opposite, that no matter how hard we try, in the realm of the Spirit, we are helpless. We need to learn to trust God and realize that we can do all things—but only through Christ.
Ezekiel was in a position not of his own choosing. He had been led by the Spirit and not to green pastures but to a valley of death. He must have shuddered at the appalling sight of mile after mile of dry bones. Many in his position would have run away in despair, but not this man. His eyes were on God and his ears were open to the voice of God, so he prophesied, as he was commanded (v. 7).
If the world had viewed this amazing scene, it would probably have certified Ezekiel as insane and locked him away. If many religious people had seen it, they may well have accused the prophet of cheapening the gospel and bringing the church into disrepute. But this man was willing to become a fool for Christ’s sake. He did as he was told by God. He said to the dry bones, bones which had no ears, ‘Hear the word of the LORD.’ I wonder what we would have done? Or, more particularly, what we do now when we are facing souls that are spiritually dead?
Very often, to save face, we modify God’s commands. We may reason and rationalize, but, in reality, our situation is so desperate that it calls for nothing less than full obedience. We are always the losers by such actions and fail then to see what Ezekiel saw. He saw God working and he saw the impossible happening.
God’s question
Before God began to work, he asked Ezekiel a very important question: ‘Can these bones live?’ The purpose of the question was to ascertain the prophet’s reaction to the situation and to see whether he had faith in God. If anyone else had asked the question, there could be little doubt that Ezekiel would have answered that the situation was hopeless. But it was God who was asking, so his answer was—‘O Sovereign LORD, you alone know’ (Ezek. 37:3).
This man believed not only in a doctrine of divine sovereignty that was theoretical, but in a Sovereign God for whom nothing was actually impossible. The doctrine of God’s sovereignty should be a sweet and blessed comfort in a hopeless and terrible situation. Because of this, the prophet was not unduly pessimistic but neither was he unduly optimistic. He did not say, as he looked at the valley of dry bones, ‘We are going to see a great harvest of souls.’ In other words, he did not speak in the normal evangelical jargon used on the eve of a campaign. All he said was, ‘LORD, you alone know.’ He was, in effect, saying that if it can be done, and if it is to be done, then God must do it.
Notice that divine sovereignty is linked immediately to divine omniscience: ‘You alone know.’ God knows because God ordains and plans. And sometimes, to encourage his people, he reveals in advance to them what he is going to do. He did so for Ezekiel in chapter 36:25–28. The preacher and hymn-writer, Augustus Toplady, used to talk about his Saturday assurances, when, on occasions, God would show him on Saturday how he was going to bless his preaching on the Sunday. This is thrilling. It may be rare but it does happen.
Did Ezekiel reason in this way? God does not play with us. If he is showing me this terrible vision and causing me to feel as well as see the situation, it has to be for a purpose. So with trepidation, humility and a little confusion, but also with faith in God, he said—‘LORD, you alone know.’
It may be that the Lord is asking us a similar question today. The spiritual condition of our land is frightening, but is it past hope? Can these bones live today? Can our unbelieving relatives be saved? Can that foul-mouthed, blaspheming man at work come to Christ? Can those pleasant but spiritually lost neighbours who have no time for God be converted? Are we beginning, at last, to have a real concern and burden for lost souls? If so, is that not God’s doing, and isn’t it a ground for optimism rather than pessimism?
Is God telling us to witness to dry bones such as these, to tell them the gospel? And can we respond, as Ezekiel did, ‘So I prophesied as I was commanded’? (v. 7). It may be that we feel totally inadequate to meet the needs of today, but we could not be more inadequate than Ezekiel in the valley of dry bones. Our adequacy is no more the issue than the condition of the bones. What really matters is this: do we trust God to work?
