Good morning,
Today we complete our series on Israel’s Return to Life.
“Then in Ezekiel chapter 37 we come to the famous prediction regarding the valley of dry bones: “The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones.” (Ezekiel 37:1) The bones symbolize the nation and people of Israel, which appear to be dead and are scattered throughout the world. “Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry.” (Ezekiel 37:2) In other words, they had been there for a long time. “And He said to me, Son of man, can these bones live? So I answered, O Lord You know.” (Ezekiel 37:3) What is the answer? “Again He said to me, Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, “O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!” (Ezekiel 37:4)” (Target Israel, pages 47-48)
“Then Ezekiel went on to say that as he preached to the bones, there was a rattling sound, and the bones began to come together. The old spiritual, “Dry Bones,” which speaks of bones being joined together, comes from this very passage of Scripture, in which the bones of the skeletons suddenly begin to assemble right in front of the eyes of the prophet. Ezekiel noted that when the bones came together, flesh and sinews formed on them, but there was no breath in them-no spiritual life. (Ezekiel 37:7-8) Then we read this:
Also 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 breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army. (Ezekiel 37:9-10)
While Ezekiel was preaching to dry bones in a desert valley, they came together an stood up. But there was no life in them-not until the breath of God entered them. At that point they suddenly became alive not only physically, but also spiritually. Then God explained the meaning of the vision, saying to Ezekiel, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel.”
Ezekiel chapter 37, then, is clearly a prophecy about Israel’s future destiny. This is not a prophecy about the church. And we are seeing this prophecy come to fruition as the people of Israel return to their land and the “bones” are being reassembled. This nation has returned to life physically, and there is coming a day when it will return to life spiritually. ’” (Target Israel, pages 48-49)
Conclusion
- God has restored Israel to life
- God has breathed into the dry bones
Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001
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