The View from Death Valley

View from Death Valley — Ezekiel 37

Background

The OT prophet/priest, Ezekiel, was taken captive into Babylonian exile with the people in 597. His name means “God will strengthen” a term which could reference the core of his message to God’s people and even the strength he would need to deliver the prophecies as a prophet of God. Instead of entering into the role of the priest, God called him to divine service as a prophet five years into the exile. After his initial resistance, he submitted to the call of God and was obedient to the Spirit of God as he served for over 20 years. He is the only Israelite prophet to carry out his ministry outside of the nations footprint. The book of Ezekiel is centered around 3 visions (oracles). The oracles are directed primarily to God’s people in Babylonian exile. Apocalyptic prophecy, parable, and poetry and weaved throughout the book.

Ezekiel 37:1-14

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.”

DRY bones — have been there for a long time. Description proves that there is no life left in the bones.

Ezekiel took care not to touch the bones and become unclean.

Can these bones live? Ezekiel’s answer displayed helplessness in the face of death.

God = LIFE (Even in Death Valley)

Ezekiel 37:3 ESV

And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.”

By the POWER of His WORD

Ezekiel 37:4 ESV

Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.

The only thing that can bring life is the Word of God.

By the POWER of His SPIRIT

Ezekiel 37:9 ESV

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.”

The Spirit (breath) of God brings the dead to life

By the POWER of His PROMISE

Ezekiel 37:12–14 ESV

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.”

Even in the most hopeless of situations, God’s Promise rings true.

The primary purpose of the oracle is not to offer a doctrine of the resurrection. The goal is the promised restoration of Israel. This was accomplished on May 14, 1948 when Israel was established as we know it today. BUT…this same God who can resurrect a dead nation, can do the impossible with humanity’s greatest enemy — death.

Romans 6:23 ESV

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Sin has brought death

Ephesians 2:1–2 ESV

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—

Ephesians 2:5–6 ESV

even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

John 11:25 ESV

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,

2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Our response should be like that of Ezekiel....trust and obey

Do you trust God…

That He desires what’s best for you?

That He knows what’s best for you?

That He can bring about what’s best for you?

How about you?

Are you listening to the Word of God?

Are you obedient to the Spirit of God?

Are you trusting in the Promise of God?

The way we handle ourselves when circumstances get out of control is directly connected to our focus. When we focus on the right things, we can maintain a sense of peace.

3 options:

We look OUT (circumstances/problems)

We look IN (self-helplessness)

We look UP (to the only one who can do something about it)

(Stressless Life by Vance Pittman)

Ezekiel is trying to communicate to the people a key truth about life:

Our circumstances do not shape the way we view God.

Our God shapes the way we view our circumstances.