7/26 Faced with Dry Bones

Ezekiel is a book that if full of profound theology, doctrine of individual responsibility, God’s sovereign grace, His absolute holiness and justice and the ultimate victory of God’s people. This book is fascinating, filled with visions, allegories and action parables.

Ezekiel was born in the 18th year of King Josiah, 621 B.C., the year the young king launched a vigorous religious reformation in Judah. Visible signs of idolatry were purged from the land, but not from the hearts of the people. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, marched against Jerusalem and they finally surrendered. The king and 10,000 leading citizens were carried away to Babylon into captivity.

Ezekiel ministered to the Jewish captives in Babylon. The fall of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. was a pivotal event. After the fall, Ezekiel attempted to reassemble the shattered pieces of Israel’s faith, marking out the path that would take the truly penitent back to the Lord. Preaching played a prominent role in the ministry of Ezekiel. Dozens of times he was told to verbalize the message God laid on his heart.

In Chapter 37, we see the vision that sets forth the most bold symbolism of the resurrection of the nation Israel following the Babylonian exile.

Vision of Dry Bones (37:1–14)

Ezekiel felt again the “hand of the Lord,” i.e., the power of God, upon him. In the spirit, in a visionary experience, he was taken to the edge of a valley (37:1). There he not only saw a spectacular vision, he heard an authoritative explanation thereof.

1. Presentation of the vision (37:2–10). The valley to which Ezekiel visionally was transported was full of bones. Ezekiel was an active participant in the vision. Here the Lord caused the prophet to pass through the midst of the bones in his vision.

He made two observations:

there were very many bones on the surface of the valley, unburied and open to public view; and the bones were very dry, in an advanced state of decomposition. The Lord piqued Ezekiel’s curiosity in the meaning of the bones by asking a question: “Son of man, can these bones live?” A man of lesser faith would have responded negatively. Ezekiel, however, wisely responded: “O Lord God, Thou knowest.” For the Lord nothing was impossible. If he so willed, even those decaying bones could be resurrected to life (37:2–3).

The Lord then commanded Ezekiel to prophesy over those bones, to call upon them to hear the word of the Lord. God promised those bones that he would enable them by his Spirit to live again. He would put sinews upon them, and cover them with flesh. Those resurrected bones would know for certain that Yahweh alone is God (37:4–6).

Ezekiel carried out his instructions. With dramatic swiftness things began to happen. He first noticed a noise—a rattling—as bones came together “bone to its bone,”(vs7), each bone joined the appropriate bone in the skeleton. As he continued to look at this weird scene he noticed sinews coming upon the skeletons followed by flesh rapidly covering the bones. Still there was no evidence of life in these corpses for “there was no breath in them.”(vs8). The double use of the word “behold” suggests Ezekiel’s amazement and shock at what he was witnessing (37:7f.).

Vs9—Ezekiel was now directed to prophesy to the “breath” or spirit of these dead ones. He was to command their breath to come from “the four winds,” i.e., from four directions, and “breathe on these slain that they come to life.” Ezekiel did as he was told. The breath or spirit came into the corpses and they lived. When they rose to their feet Ezekiel could see that they were an exceeding great army (Vs10).

2. Explanation of the vision (37:11–14). Fortunately the explanation of the vision of dry bones is given in the text. The bones represent “the whole house of Israel.” As a nation the captives regarded themselves as dead and disjointed. In spite of the promises of restoration which Ezekiel had been making since the fall of Jerusalem, they were convinced that their nation could not live again. They felt that forever they were “cut off” from their land, their Temple and even one another (37:11).

God assured these discouraged captives that he would resurrect his people from this death-like captivity. He would open their graves and then cause his people to come out of their graves. Then the Lord would bring them back to their land. This miraculous transformation would be accomplished through the Holy Spirit of God which God would put within his people. When these glorious events transpired they would know that Yahweh was God, and that he was absolutely faithful to his word (37:12–14).

Smith, J. E. (1992). The Major Prophets (Eze 37:1–14). Joplin, MO: College Press.

We know through history that God did restore Israel—

The question for us today is —“Do we believe God can make Dry Bones come to life today?

In vs 4, God instructs Ezekiel to “prophesy”- pour forth words abundantly, to show, to declare the words of God to men. God’s instructs Ezekiel to prophesy and He would cause breath to enter into them and cause them to live.

We don’t have the power to give life. Ezekiel was told to prophesy unto the wind, to come from the four winds and breathe upon the slain that they would live. The four winds represent or indicate the four quarters of heaven, suggesting the need demanded to give life to the dead, the fulness and force of the Spirit’s operation.

The “four winds” emphasizes that the work of “revival” is God’s work from start to finish. If man plays any part in it himself, it is only in OBEDIENCE to God’s direction.

This passage has many applications for us today:

-The power and sovereignty of God

-God’s plan for the nation of Israel

-The proof and power manifested in resurrection.

But—also—today we walk among valleys of “dead dry bones”—We live among people who are spiritually dead. Romans 6:23 tells us, “for the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”.

“But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them”(2 Cor 4:3-4).

Faced with a Valley of Dead Dry Bones—what are we lacking?

-we are instructed to be the light, share the Good News, to pray, to share. Paul tells us in 2 Cor 5:18, “God has given us this task of reconciling people to him”. “We are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God”! God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ”(vs20-21)

The valley of dry bones speaks of the spiritual condition of the nation—we must see that it speaks of our nation, our state, our community, as well.

-Do we see people as God does? what must I overcome to do so?

-Do we feel the situation? Jesus wept over Jerusalem—what must I overcome in order to feel as Jesus felt?

-Are we being obedient to the Great Commission? what must I overcome to be obedient?

What am I Lacking?

-Knowledge- We must study the Word of God, understand what it takes for a man to be saved, for dry bones to come alive. If we are to speak words as Ezekiel, let us learn words and trust the Holy Spirit to use them.

ABC—Admit, Believe and Confess

Roman Road- 3:23; 6:23; 5:8; 10:9-10

John Road—3:16; 6:44; 14:6; 1:12

Faith—“In your personal opinion, what do you understand it takes for a person to go to heaven?

F-Forgiveness

A-Available- forgiveness is available

I-Impossible- impossible for God to allow sin in heaven

T-Turn- repent from sin and self

H-Heaven- heaven is eternal life

-Sincerity-when we speak to others about their spiritual condition—are we really sincere? Do we really see their condition and the possible results if they fail to be saved? Lost people, those who are dead in their sin and trespasses, are only one breath from an eternity in hell. Until we truly believe the reality of sin ourselves, we will not be sincere when dealing with others.

When sharing Christ with someone, you are handling one of the most sacred functions that has ever been given to man. When we are sincere, we will influence others because they will see that we are not just words, but people of action. Being a soul winner is not a performance, but it can be the difference between life and death.

-Intensity-“today is the day of salvation”- where is our intensity of emotion? when is the last time we wept over a lost family member, lost friend? It is not so much that you get every word of the presentation correct, but it is of importance the force in which you deliver them. The valley is filled with dry bones! They don’t understand their need! Its okay if people think that we are too enthusiastic, maybe a fanatic—its for their well being.

-Love- how big is your heart for others? how big is your heart for those who don’t look like you, dress like you? how big is your heart for those who are under the power of sin—addiction, abuse, homeless, dirty, etc? Do those we come in contact with “hear our heart” or just our words?

Our Love must be Greater than our Fear of Rejection- soul winning is not a contest! People don’t trust Christ because we forced them to believe. Rather, they put their trust in Christ because God uses us to point out the truth! The dry bones didn’t come to life because of Ezekiel, but because of God’s working through Ezekiel.

When people reject your message, its not that they are rejecting you. They are rejecting Jesus and God’s Word. Therefore, you didn’t fail in your obedience—God can use your obedience to speak to “dead dry bones” and bring them to life.

There is a HELL! Without Christ, our eternal destiny is separation from God!

The Christian message centers on God’s plan to redeem mankind, not mankind’s efforts toward God. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is a gift of God; not of works lest any man should boast” (Eph 2:8-9).

God did for mankind what we could not do for ourselves—He provided a perfect sacrificial substitute—Jesus Christ!

Will you do as Ezekiel? “So I prophesied as I was commanded” (vs7).