Ezekiel 37:1-14
for a pretty good
dramatization of this text: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yB9lIPCssos
There he was in the middle of a
grotesque scene of the aftermath of a war zone. He stood in the midst of a vast
collection of dry bones. They covered the floor of the valley as far as he
could see. It had been a slaughter. Hundreds of dead Israelites laid out
unburied, their bones picked clean by birds, animals and weather. They must
have been dead for quite a while. Now they lay in a hopeless jumble, all
disconnected and scattered, like a horrifying jig saw puzzle.
grotesque scene of the aftermath of a war zone. He stood in the midst of a vast
collection of dry bones. They covered the floor of the valley as far as he
could see. It had been a slaughter. Hundreds of dead Israelites laid out
unburied, their bones picked clean by birds, animals and weather. They must
have been dead for quite a while. Now they lay in a hopeless jumble, all
disconnected and scattered, like a horrifying jig saw puzzle.
Those bones in that valley lay there
in a condition that can be called excarnation. Excarnation is a real old word
that describes exactly what we see here. In the ancient war zones, if the king
had fallen while he was away from home, his loyal subjects would want to bring
him back home for a proper burial. But they didn’t have refrigerator cars to
preserve the body from rotting. And they didn’t have airplanes to make it a
quick trip. They came up with a different solution to make the long journey
home without having to suffer the shame and dishonor of smelling their beloved
king turning into rotten meat. The soldiers deliberately excarnated their king.
They would remove all the flesh and everything that could rot and deteriorate
and carry home with them just the clean bones and give them a proper burial. Whatever process they used, they called it
excarnation, meaning without flesh, or out of the flesh.
in a condition that can be called excarnation. Excarnation is a real old word
that describes exactly what we see here. In the ancient war zones, if the king
had fallen while he was away from home, his loyal subjects would want to bring
him back home for a proper burial. But they didn’t have refrigerator cars to
preserve the body from rotting. And they didn’t have airplanes to make it a
quick trip. They came up with a different solution to make the long journey
home without having to suffer the shame and dishonor of smelling their beloved
king turning into rotten meat. The soldiers deliberately excarnated their king.
They would remove all the flesh and everything that could rot and deteriorate
and carry home with them just the clean bones and give them a proper burial. Whatever process they used, they called it
excarnation, meaning without flesh, or out of the flesh.
In the valley where Ezekiel stood,
excarnation had happened by the natural processes I have already described.
There had been no proper burial to honor these war heroes, every one deserving
of a purple heart. It was a sad and disgraceful scene. If you were standing
there, you would probably begin to mourn the loss of all those lives. And if
you were there with Ezekiel that day, it probably never would have occurred to
you to ask, “Can these bones live?” But God asked Ezekiel to think about it.
And Ezekiel didn’t give the normal, natural, immediate answer that you or I
might have given if we were there then. He didn’t burst out saying, “Of course
not! They are very dead! Absolutely no chance of recovery!”
excarnation had happened by the natural processes I have already described.
There had been no proper burial to honor these war heroes, every one deserving
of a purple heart. It was a sad and disgraceful scene. If you were standing
there, you would probably begin to mourn the loss of all those lives. And if
you were there with Ezekiel that day, it probably never would have occurred to
you to ask, “Can these bones live?” But God asked Ezekiel to think about it.
And Ezekiel didn’t give the normal, natural, immediate answer that you or I
might have given if we were there then. He didn’t burst out saying, “Of course
not! They are very dead! Absolutely no chance of recovery!”
But Ezekiel had already had some
experiences with God and he at least knew that nothing is impossible with the God
of all creation, so he cautiously admitted his own doubts or ignorance while
leaving the door open for God to do something wonderful. Can these bones live?
“Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”
experiences with God and he at least knew that nothing is impossible with the God
of all creation, so he cautiously admitted his own doubts or ignorance while
leaving the door open for God to do something wonderful. Can these bones live?
“Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”
It is true that
only God knows. It is also true that God could have raised all those dead bones
to life without any help from Ezekiel. And since Ezekiel doesn’t know and
doesn’t have any power, we may very well wonder why God even asks Ezekiel to do
anything. Doesn’t God get more glory if God does the miracle all by himself
without any human help? But God doesn’t do something wonderful all by himself.
The first wonderful thing God did was to invite Ezekiel to be the agent through
whom God does the really wonderful thing. God commands Ezekiel to prophesy to
the bones. And God is still making the same invitation today. In his sovereign
love he chooses to invite us to partner with him. Even though he doesn’t have
to, it is what he wants.
only God knows. It is also true that God could have raised all those dead bones
to life without any help from Ezekiel. And since Ezekiel doesn’t know and
doesn’t have any power, we may very well wonder why God even asks Ezekiel to do
anything. Doesn’t God get more glory if God does the miracle all by himself
without any human help? But God doesn’t do something wonderful all by himself.
The first wonderful thing God did was to invite Ezekiel to be the agent through
whom God does the really wonderful thing. God commands Ezekiel to prophesy to
the bones. And God is still making the same invitation today. In his sovereign
love he chooses to invite us to partner with him. Even though he doesn’t have
to, it is what he wants.
“Prophesy to
these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is
what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and
you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon
you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to
life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is
what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and
you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon
you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to
life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
So Ezekiel demonstrates
his faith. He had faith in God to obey this strange command. “I prophesied as I
was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound,
and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh
appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.”
his faith. He had faith in God to obey this strange command. “I prophesied as I
was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound,
and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh
appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.”
I don’t want us
to miss this. Listen again to the way God commanded Ezekiel to speak. “Prophesy
to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is
what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and
you will come to life.” But that’s not what happened first, and so far the
breath has not yet entered these reconstructed bodies. These dead bodies coming
to life will be the final result after a second round of Ezekiel’s prophesying,
or preaching as you might call it.
to miss this. Listen again to the way God commanded Ezekiel to speak. “Prophesy
to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is
what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and
you will come to life.” But that’s not what happened first, and so far the
breath has not yet entered these reconstructed bodies. These dead bodies coming
to life will be the final result after a second round of Ezekiel’s prophesying,
or preaching as you might call it.
I believe God
announced the end result first so that Ezekiel would get a glimpse to understand
why he was being asked to do this, and would not be terribly frightened when he
heard the bones rattling and saw them all moving about, bumping into each
other, until they all found their correct connections and snapped together. I
wonder what it was like for Ezekiel to watch the tendons, muscles and skin
appear on all those skeletons. I wonder if they were now lined up in orderly
ranks as they lay there still dead, but re-incarnated.
announced the end result first so that Ezekiel would get a glimpse to understand
why he was being asked to do this, and would not be terribly frightened when he
heard the bones rattling and saw them all moving about, bumping into each
other, until they all found their correct connections and snapped together. I
wonder what it was like for Ezekiel to watch the tendons, muscles and skin
appear on all those skeletons. I wonder if they were now lined up in orderly
ranks as they lay there still dead, but re-incarnated.
Did you know that
Christianity has a theology of reincarnation? But it is not that we die and
come back as some higher of lower life form. It is the Jesus died and rose
again and now he lives in us. The incarnate God is reincarnated in us. We are the
body of Christ.
Christianity has a theology of reincarnation? But it is not that we die and
come back as some higher of lower life form. It is the Jesus died and rose
again and now he lives in us. The incarnate God is reincarnated in us. We are the
body of Christ.
Then God said to Ezekiel,
“Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the
Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these
slain, that they may live.’” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath
entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.” Now
they are resuscitated. Not just air, but breath, the breath of life has filled
them, the Spirit of God, has brought each one’s spirit back to its own body.
They came alive with that breath and rise to stand before God and before
Ezekiel, a vast army.
“Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the
Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these
slain, that they may live.’” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath
entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.” Now
they are resuscitated. Not just air, but breath, the breath of life has filled
them, the Spirit of God, has brought each one’s spirit back to its own body.
They came alive with that breath and rise to stand before God and before
Ezekiel, a vast army.
What has God
done? He has raised the dead. What has Ezekiel done? He merely obeyed the Lord
and preached the Word. What should we do? Preach t eh Word. Share the good news
and watch God raise the dead in sin to life in Christ! Ezekiel 37:1-14, is a
perfect example of how God chooses to work with and through humans. We normally think of this passage as a
promise to the nation of Israel that they will come home from exile and be a
nation under God once again. However, we
can also see how God and man partner together to bring about God’s “good,
pleasing and perfect will.”
done? He has raised the dead. What has Ezekiel done? He merely obeyed the Lord
and preached the Word. What should we do? Preach t eh Word. Share the good news
and watch God raise the dead in sin to life in Christ! Ezekiel 37:1-14, is a
perfect example of how God chooses to work with and through humans. We normally think of this passage as a
promise to the nation of Israel that they will come home from exile and be a
nation under God once again. However, we
can also see how God and man partner together to bring about God’s “good,
pleasing and perfect will.”
God began by asking
Ezekiel a question here. This is similar to questions that Jesus asked before
He performed many of His miracles. Do you want to be healed? What do you want
me to do for you? Questions from God invite us to express our faith in Him. Imagine
God turning to you and asking, “Beloved, can your loved one come to life in
Me?”
Ezekiel a question here. This is similar to questions that Jesus asked before
He performed many of His miracles. Do you want to be healed? What do you want
me to do for you? Questions from God invite us to express our faith in Him. Imagine
God turning to you and asking, “Beloved, can your loved one come to life in
Me?”
The Lord only
knows. But maybe you know too. If you are willing to admit that you were once
dead in your sins and Jesus brought you to life in the Spirit, then maybe you
can believe that anyone else you pray for can also come alive in Him. But there
is another reason for asking. It is the invitation to you, to be a part of the
life giving process. It reminds me of the way two guys might stand together
looking at a big project in front of them. The one who owns the project says to
his friend, “What do you think? Can we do this?” We get to be God’s partners in
ministry.
knows. But maybe you know too. If you are willing to admit that you were once
dead in your sins and Jesus brought you to life in the Spirit, then maybe you
can believe that anyone else you pray for can also come alive in Him. But there
is another reason for asking. It is the invitation to you, to be a part of the
life giving process. It reminds me of the way two guys might stand together
looking at a big project in front of them. The one who owns the project says to
his friend, “What do you think? Can we do this?” We get to be God’s partners in
ministry.
Remember that the
resurrection process in the valley happened in two stages? First came the
physical assembly. In our evangelistic ministry, I see this as similar to
taking care of a person’s physical needs first. Now, these bones have been
clothed and fed, and comforted. Their
physical needs have been met, but are they alive? However, once the physical is
taken care of, we can turn to the spiritual. But now, instead of talking to the
people, Ezekiel is told to talk with someone else.
resurrection process in the valley happened in two stages? First came the
physical assembly. In our evangelistic ministry, I see this as similar to
taking care of a person’s physical needs first. Now, these bones have been
clothed and fed, and comforted. Their
physical needs have been met, but are they alive? However, once the physical is
taken care of, we can turn to the spiritual. But now, instead of talking to the
people, Ezekiel is told to talk with someone else.
First he
prophesied to the bones. Next he prophesied to the breath, or the Spirit. Only
God can make a dead body come to life. Each person needs the Holy Spirit to
breathe the life of Christ into them. And what God is doing as he brings more
and more people to life in Christ is that he is raising a vast army, a vast
host of faithful servants who are devoted to doing the work that we do in God’s
Kingdom.
prophesied to the bones. Next he prophesied to the breath, or the Spirit. Only
God can make a dead body come to life. Each person needs the Holy Spirit to
breathe the life of Christ into them. And what God is doing as he brings more
and more people to life in Christ is that he is raising a vast army, a vast
host of faithful servants who are devoted to doing the work that we do in God’s
Kingdom.
Then once all the
people in the valley are on their feet and alive, ready to go, they can begin
to hear God’s Word for themselves and act on it. What does God want them to know?
God told Ezekiel, “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say,
‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ In other words,
even the living remnant of Israel feel as powerless as a pile of dead bones. While
they were in exile they thought of their homeland as like a ghost town. Empty
and dead. And the people in exile were powerless. They were as good as dead, and
thought of themselves as buried away. This miracle of resurrection was not just
for the dead people, it was also to encourage the living remnant who felt
hopeless and powerless under the oppression of their enemies.
people in the valley are on their feet and alive, ready to go, they can begin
to hear God’s Word for themselves and act on it. What does God want them to know?
God told Ezekiel, “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say,
‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ In other words,
even the living remnant of Israel feel as powerless as a pile of dead bones. While
they were in exile they thought of their homeland as like a ghost town. Empty
and dead. And the people in exile were powerless. They were as good as dead, and
thought of themselves as buried away. This miracle of resurrection was not just
for the dead people, it was also to encourage the living remnant who felt
hopeless and powerless under the oppression of their enemies.
“Therefore,” says
God, “prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My
people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring
you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord,
when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you
and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know
that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’”
God, “prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My
people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring
you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord,
when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you
and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know
that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’”
In the same way,
we ought to see ourselves as having life and hope and a mission to accomplish. We
also get to share the same life with anyone who will listen and come to life in
Christ. We get to prophesy, and speak the Word of God, not to literal dead
bones but to real people who are as good a dead without faith in Jesus. God
wants your loved ones to know, through your ministry to them, that he loves
them and values them enough to give them life, real life!
we ought to see ourselves as having life and hope and a mission to accomplish. We
also get to share the same life with anyone who will listen and come to life in
Christ. We get to prophesy, and speak the Word of God, not to literal dead
bones but to real people who are as good a dead without faith in Jesus. God
wants your loved ones to know, through your ministry to them, that he loves
them and values them enough to give them life, real life!
Of course we
can’t do this on our own. Ezekiel didn’t come up with his message on his own.
Nobody walks in to a valley of dry bones and thinks, I wonder if I could make
them all come to life again, not seriously anyway. We didn’t come up with God’s
plan of salvation either. We’re just asked to share it. But if we are faithful
and do share it, amazing things can happen! Amen.
can’t do this on our own. Ezekiel didn’t come up with his message on his own.
Nobody walks in to a valley of dry bones and thinks, I wonder if I could make
them all come to life again, not seriously anyway. We didn’t come up with God’s
plan of salvation either. We’re just asked to share it. But if we are faithful
and do share it, amazing things can happen! Amen.
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