From Ezekiel 37-39

The valley was full of dead people. More accurately full of bones. Bones without flesh. Bones of the slain. Ezekiel is named by the LORD, ‘son of man’. Readers of Ezekiel will know he is often called that in the book. It signifies his humanity. Ezekiel is led around the valley. There are many bones.

This post is part of my bible in a year series.

Passage and Comments

Today’s passage is another classic passage from Ezekiel. In today’s passage dead people will come to life!

37 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. 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.” (Eze 37.1-3)

Ezekiel is brought out by the Spirit of the LORD. Perhaps an involuntary decision, the Spirit moved in his heart. Perhaps he was carried out physically, perhaps he flew. Some might suggest transported. He was ‘set down’ in the middle of the valley.

How has the Spirit worked in your life?

The valley was full of dead people. More accurately full of bones. Bones without flesh. Bones of the slain. Ezekiel is named by the LORD, ‘son of man’. Readers of Ezekiel will know he is often called that in the book. It signifies his humanity. Ezekiel is led around the valley. There are many bones.

He is asked by the LORD is the bones can live. The valley was full of the bones of dead people. The normal answer would be ‘no’. But the LORD is the one who asked. The LORD can do anything. He can restore and give life. Ezekiel wisely answers ‘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.” (Eze 37.4-6)

Ezekiel is commanded to speak to them. To prophesy – deliver the word of the LORD. Ezekiel is to tell them;

• Breath will enter them (recall Gen 2.7),
• They shall live, and
• Sinews, flesh and skin will cover them.

When this is happens to them, they will know the LORD because of what he has done.

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. (Eze 37.7-8)

Ezekiel does as he is told. Most of it happens as the LORD promised. But one thing remains. There is no breath in them, they do not have life.

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. (Eze 37.9-10)

Ezekiel is commanded again to prophesy. He does and the four winds (north, south, east, west) come. They are the LORD’s breath and the go into the bodies giving them life. They come to life and stand up. They all stand up. They are an 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.” (Eze 37.11-14)

Its possible Ezekiel’s vision and prophecy is about physical resurrection. But I suspect he is speaking about a spiritual national renewal. They say before they have life ‘our bones are dried up and our hope is lost’. The fact that they can speak signifies they are somehow both alive and dead. They are physically alive and spiritually dead. The Spirit comes upon them and they will spiritually live. God will restore his people, give them his Spirit and a new heart. Then he will bring them back to their own land.

Story of Israel

The Jews did indeed return to the land. Perhaps some were indwelt by the Spirit. The LORD’s prophets. But the LORD had not sent his Spirit or breathed life into people in this way for many years.

Story of Jesus

After Jesus died and rose from the dead the Spirit came and people came to life – spiritual life – as the LORD promised.

2 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 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— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (Eph 2.1-7)

God makes his people alive with Christ. They die with him in his death. They rise with him into new life, new spiritual life with God. Ezekiel’s prophecy has come true in Jesus.

Copyright © Joshua Washington and thescripturesays, 2014. All Rights