Dry Bones to Live Bones
"Therefore prophesy and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God, 'Behold, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, My people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your graves, My people. I will put My Spirit within you and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken and done it," declares the Lord.'"
How many times have I read the story of Ezekial's vision of the 'Valley of Dry Bones'? Dozens. You've likely read it before. God tells Ezekial to prophesy over a field of dry bones, that they will come to life, that God will cause breath to enter them once again. Then, as Ezekial finishes prophesying, the bones begin to rattle as they move and flesh appears on them, muscle, skin, and finally God breathes life into them and they stand an "exceedingly great army". WOW! Now, that's an amazing Bible story!
I always thought it a really intriguing vision and even came to a point where I could believe that yes, the bones really did come to life! God really did that remarkable thing! He really did knit muscle and tissue onto old, dry bones! Why, the Bible said He did--so He did! Psalm 135:6 says, "Whatever the LORD pleases, He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps." And that was that. I left this passage alone and my marvel came to an end at believing God was indeed powerful enough to knit flesh onto old, dry, dead bones. After all, He did create the universe out of nothing, man out of dust!
Is that all there is to the 'Valley of the Dry Bones'? Well, we're taught continually that everything in the Old Testament was written for our instruction and to point us to Christ. This passage indeed does both.
For our instruction, it is a vivid picture of the way God creates life in the spiritually dead sinner. Ephesians 2:1 says, "And you were dead in your trespasses and sins." But, Ephesians 2:4-6 says, "But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, 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..." Hallelujah! So, exactly what God did for the Dry Bones in Ezekial, He did for us the day we were transferred from darkness to light! Glory!
To point us to Christ, this passage illumines the power of the triune God. That same power that resurrected those Dry Bones in Ezekial, resurrected Christ on the third day! That same power also resurrected our dead sinful souls to eternal life the day we were saved, and will someday resurrect us to glory from this dark world where we are presently sojourners. That same power of God is also that in which we have hope and joy and peace in believing! Romans 15:13 says, "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Glory be to God!
One more tidbit from this passage in Ezekial 37 stands out to me. Once God breathed life into the Dry Bones, they stood an "exceedingly great army". They were ready to fight. That's what we must be ready to do as those who have been breathed upon by the Almighty and have recieved His gift of eternal life. This life is a battle for which we must be prepared through study, prayer, and the donning of the full armor of God. Ephesians 6:10-12 says, "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places."
Thank you Lord for knitting flesh onto the dry bones of my dead soul, and for transforming my dry sinful heart into one that is softened and moved by Your glorious gospel! Please prepare me daily for the battles I will face as Your redeemed! Please, Lord, keep my heart soft and continually changed by the power of your Word, and thank You for peace in the knowledge that I will never be snatched from Your might hand!
How many times have I read the story of Ezekial's vision of the 'Valley of Dry Bones'? Dozens. You've likely read it before. God tells Ezekial to prophesy over a field of dry bones, that they will come to life, that God will cause breath to enter them once again. Then, as Ezekial finishes prophesying, the bones begin to rattle as they move and flesh appears on them, muscle, skin, and finally God breathes life into them and they stand an "exceedingly great army". WOW! Now, that's an amazing Bible story!
I always thought it a really intriguing vision and even came to a point where I could believe that yes, the bones really did come to life! God really did that remarkable thing! He really did knit muscle and tissue onto old, dry bones! Why, the Bible said He did--so He did! Psalm 135:6 says, "Whatever the LORD pleases, He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps." And that was that. I left this passage alone and my marvel came to an end at believing God was indeed powerful enough to knit flesh onto old, dry, dead bones. After all, He did create the universe out of nothing, man out of dust!
Is that all there is to the 'Valley of the Dry Bones'? Well, we're taught continually that everything in the Old Testament was written for our instruction and to point us to Christ. This passage indeed does both.
For our instruction, it is a vivid picture of the way God creates life in the spiritually dead sinner. Ephesians 2:1 says, "And you were dead in your trespasses and sins." But, Ephesians 2:4-6 says, "But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, 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..." Hallelujah! So, exactly what God did for the Dry Bones in Ezekial, He did for us the day we were transferred from darkness to light! Glory!
To point us to Christ, this passage illumines the power of the triune God. That same power that resurrected those Dry Bones in Ezekial, resurrected Christ on the third day! That same power also resurrected our dead sinful souls to eternal life the day we were saved, and will someday resurrect us to glory from this dark world where we are presently sojourners. That same power of God is also that in which we have hope and joy and peace in believing! Romans 15:13 says, "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Glory be to God!
One more tidbit from this passage in Ezekial 37 stands out to me. Once God breathed life into the Dry Bones, they stood an "exceedingly great army". They were ready to fight. That's what we must be ready to do as those who have been breathed upon by the Almighty and have recieved His gift of eternal life. This life is a battle for which we must be prepared through study, prayer, and the donning of the full armor of God. Ephesians 6:10-12 says, "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places."
Thank you Lord for knitting flesh onto the dry bones of my dead soul, and for transforming my dry sinful heart into one that is softened and moved by Your glorious gospel! Please prepare me daily for the battles I will face as Your redeemed! Please, Lord, keep my heart soft and continually changed by the power of your Word, and thank You for peace in the knowledge that I will never be snatched from Your might hand!
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