vision of the valley of dry bones

These called-out ones, true Christians, will be resurrected to receive everlasting life when Christ returns (1 Corinthians 15:50-54; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Philippians 3:20-21). And by the time his prophecies began, some of the inhabitants of the kingdom of Judah were likewise already in captivity, first by the Assyrians and then the Babylonians, with most of the rest soon to follow as a result of later Babylonian invasions. And the Spirit enabled them to speak in all the native languages of those assembled in Jerusalem for Pentecost. Herman Melville, early in his long story Benito Cereno, provides much description of the strange behavior and appearance of another ship, the San Dominick. Scripture: Ezekiel 37:1-14. Ezekiel 37:1-14. 750BC King Jotham the 11th and a good King of Judah, Isaiah the Prophet (739BC-680BC) wrote the book Isaiah, 732BC- 723BC King Hoshea the last King of Israel was taken to Assyria, 722BC Israel Exiled as Slaves because of sin, 716BC-686BC King Hezekiah was the 13th King of Judah, 716-686BC King Hezekiah the sun goes backward, 695BC King Manasseh the 14th King of Judah, 640BC King Josiah the 16th and a good King of Judah, 627BC-580BC Jeremiah the prophet of God, 627BC Jeremiah visited the potters house, 609BC King Jehoahaz the 17th King of Judah, 609BC-598BC King Jehoiakim the 18th King of Judah, 604BC Jeremiah used a scribe called Baruch, 597BC King Jehoiachin the 19th King of Judah, 595BC Judah goes into Slavery to Babylon, 592BC-570BC The Scroll one of Ezekiels messages, 587BC Jeremiah the Prophet of God is put down a well, 597BC-586BC Zedekiah the 20th King of Judah, Golden Image made by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, 605BC-562BC Fiery test in the Fiery Furnace, 536BC-516BC Temple rebuilt by Zerubbabel, 468BC Esther becomes the Queen of Persia, 400 Years the gap between Malachi and Jesus, 170BC-37BC Hasmonean Dynasty, This family stayed faithful to God, 63BC A Roman Soldier representing the Roman Empire in the restored Israel, 20BC-AD25 King Herod the Great built a Temple for the Jews, 4BC -AD32 Jesus The author and giver of all faith, AD32 The cross, a Roman method of killing people. In the vision of the valley of dry bones in Ezekiel 37:1-14, God revealed to the priest Ezekiel the state of His people Israel, who were defeated and lived in captivity in Babylon. God gave Ezekiel a great mission to accomplish. And so, on the day of Pentecost, 120 believers were gathered in one place, waiting for what Jesus had promised them. 3Then I will (CE)strike your bow from your left hand and make your arrows fall from your right hand. Each bone came together, all of them attached together! In verse 9 the Lord says Come, breath (ra), from the four winds (ra) and breathe into these slain. Ra is an invisible force that gives life (breath) and animates the physical world (wind). He had important announcements to make. 21Say to them, Thus says the Lord God, Behold, I am going to take the children of Israel from among the nations where they have gone, and I will [c]gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; 22and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one [d]king will be king over all of them; and they will no longer be two nations, and will no longer be divided into two kingdoms. Israel did return to their land, at least in part. They will also walk in My ordinances and keep My statutes and observe them. Pay attention! And you find it used that way in Ezekiel 37:1-14. Read terms of download. All rights reserved. 7So I prophesied (J)as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a loud noise, and behold, a [e]rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone. Look how they keep saying, Our bones are dried up, and our future is lost. And the people's experience of exile, the hard thinking that would come out of it, would help to ensure the survival of Judaism after the final destruction of the Temple in AD 70. Israel may be physically reestablished - the dry bones of the post Holocaust people may have been restored - but the second stage of spiritual revival is only just starting to happen. Sign up for daily inspiration today! God must not be underestimated. And in Ezekiel 18:32 we read, "'For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,' says the Lord God. And then he tells Ezekiel to prophesy, or pass on a message from God, to the bones. What Is the Role of Conformity in Our Everyday Lives? "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 . So they will cleanse the land.. Yet it represents an essential missing piece to the puzzle of salvation. Now, Ezekiel had witnessed the Babylonians destroying Jerusalem. 8 As I continued to watch, I saw tendons growing on the bones, and muscles growing and covering them, and then skin covered the flesh from above. You can also follow him onTwitterorFacebook. Ezekial 37 is when the vision takes place. Read more. The Lords power to restore Israel to its land is an encouraging reminder that He always keeps His unconditional promises. [Yet] God would use all that He had built into Ezekiel's life during his years of preparation" (The Message of Ezekiel, 2001, p. 27). of And he would put his Spirit into them. 5You will fall on the [ab]open field; for it is I who have spoken, declares the Lord God. Answer: Yes, years later he walked through a conditionally promised new Temple. What is the purpose of this remarkable vision? I do not believe there are any coincidences in the Bible. Try it free today! All rights reserved. What Does a Wife of Noble Character Look Like? Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken and done it, declares the Lord.. The apostle Paul wrote: "And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: 'The Deliverer [Jesus Christ] will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob [whose name was changed to Israel]; For this is My covenant with them [i.e., the New Covenant], when I take away their sins'" (Romans 11:26-27). "Thus says the Lord God: 'Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. Because few people are aware of the God-ordained festivals spelled out in the Bible, few understand God's step-by-step plan of salvation revealed through these celebrations. As Saint Ambrose of Milan stated, "Great is the lovingkindness of the Lord, that the prophet is taken as a witness of the future resurrection, that we, too might see it with his eyes We notice here how the operations of the spirit of life are again resumed; we know after what manner the dead are raised from the opening tombs And finally, he who has believed that the dead shall rise again 'in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump (for the trumpet shall sound) shall be caught up among the first in the clouds to meet Christ in the air'; he who has not believed shall be left, and subject himself to the sentence by his own unbelief.". 9 Then he ordered me, Prophesy to the Spirit, Son of Man. He and others were taken from Jerusalem to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar in 597BC which was the second wave of Jewish slaves or exiles from Jerusalem. 25And they will live on the land that I gave to My servant Jacob, in which your fathers lived; and they will live on it, they, and their sons and their sons sons, forever; and My servant (AF)David will be their leader forever. Publication date. Before him, the bones connect into human figures; then the . So they will be My people, and I will be their God. This vision, Ezekiel's third in the book (Ezekiel 1:1), is one of the most famous passages in Ezekiel. How Does the Book of Ecclesiastes Point Us to Christ? Much of God's revelation to him revolved around crucial, end-time eventsboth positive and negativethat would take place centuries in the future. God not only revealed in the vision of the valley of dry bones the state of Israel, but God also revealed the future of Israel. 8Behold, it is coming and it shall be done, declares the Lord God. Is it a witness of the Resurrection? The Lords favorite phrase? With a UCG.org account you will be able to save items to read and study later! 3Then He said to me, Son of man, (D)can these bones live? And I answered, Lord [b]God, (E)You Yourself know. 4Again He said to me, (F)Prophesy over these bones and say to them, You dry bones, (G)hear the word of the Lord. 5This is what the Lord God says to these bones: Behold, I am going to make [c](H)breath enter you so that you may come to life. Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning. What is the meaning of this mystifying vision, and what does it teach us about God's plan? It has a powerful meaning, necessary for all of our lives. As the fruits of the first resurrection. In the New Testament, written in Greek, the word pneuma carries the same meaning as the Hebrew ra. Ezekiel 37:11-14. But God can "make these bones live", too. We discern a nation's true condition (e.g., the . God asks him whether they can come back to life. (F) 26I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant with them. The entirety of the relevant part of Ezekiel 37 is read from the pulpit at the end of Chapter 1 by a Church of England padre to a motley group of mostly Welsh miners and bankers as well as some officers from England's upper classes as they begin to form a company. Nehemiah returned under the protection of King Artaxerxes in the year of 444BC. Does the vision of the Valley of Dry Bones look ahead to this Pentecost after Jesus death, resurrection, and ascension? 14I will put My [b]Spirit in you and you will come to life, and I will place you in your own land. Gen 2:7; Ps 104:29, 30; Ezek 37:9, 10, 14, Is 49:23; Ezek 35:9; 38:23; 39:6; Joel 2:27; 3:17, Deut 32:39; 1 Sam 2:6; Is 26:19; 66:14; Hos 13:14, Is 32:15; Ezek 11:19; 36:27; 37:6, 9; 39:29; Joel 2:28, 29; Zech 12:10, Is 11:13; Jer 50:4; Ezek 37:22-24; Hos 1:11; Zeph 3:9, Is 43:5, 6; Jer 29:14; Ezek 36:24; 39:27; Amos 9:14, 15, Ezek 38:3, 14, 16, 18; 39:1, 11; Rev 20:8, 2 Chr 36:20; Ezra 1:1; Ezek 27:10; Dan 8:20, Is 11:11; Ezek 36:24; 37:21; 38:12; 39:27, 28, Is 5:26-29; 34:1-6; 63:1-6; 66:15, 16; Joel 3:9-14, Deut 32:22; Ps 18:7, 8; Ezek 5:13; 36:5, 6; Nah 1:2; Heb 12:29, Judg 7:22; 1 Sam 14:20; 2 Chr 20:23; Hag 2:22, Ps 76:3; Jer 21:4, 5; Ezek 30:21-24; Hos 1:5, Ezek 30:8, 16; 38:19, 22; Amos 1:4, 7, 10; Nah 1:6, Is 56:9; Jer 12:9; Ezek 39:4; Rev 19:17, 18, Ps 76:5, 6; Ezek 38:4; Hag 2:22; Rev 19:18, Ex 9:16; Is 37:20; Ezek 36:23; 38:16, 23; 39:13, 2 Kin 17:7; Jer 2:17, 19; 4:18; Ezek 36:19, Jer 31:1; Ezek 36:10; 37:21, 22; Hos 1:11, NASB, The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Daily Bible, Paperback: Holy Bible, New American Standard Bible, NASB, MacArthur Study Bible, 2nd Edition, Comfort Print: Unleashing God's Truth One Verse at a Time, NASB, Thinline Bible, Large Print, Red Letter Edition, 1995 Text, Comfort Print, NASB, Zondervan NASB Study Bible, Red Letter Edition, NASB, Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, 2nd Edition, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New American Standard Bible, NASB, Thinline Bible, Red Letter Edition, 1995 Text, Comfort Print. What exactly did Ezekiel experience in the Valley of Dry Bones? Ezekiel was from the tribe of Levi. Those are not visible aspects of a person, but, nonetheless, are real. 2He had me pass among them all around, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley; and behold, they were very dry. 15(BP)You will come from your place out of the remote parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding horses, a large assembly and a mighty army; 16and you will come up against My people Israel like a cloud to cover the land. As mentioned earlier, the Feast of Tabernacles, also known as the Feast of Ingathering, pictures Christ's millennial reign. He then prophesies to the wind, and it comes from the four corners of the earth and gives the bodies life. Summary: Ezekiel's spectacular vision of the valley of the dry bones coming alive offers great hope to all who feel that you are in a spiritually dry time in your life. Read Background Reading to find out what happens to the dry bones. The spars, ropes, and great part of the bulwarks looked woolly from long unacquaintance with the scraper, tar, and the brush. "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 37:10). Doctrines are parroted without true, heartfelt understanding. The exiles would return. It is only because God has breathed his Spirit (breath) into me that I am alive. Without a camera, Ezekiel tried to use words to describe the bizarre nature of what he saw, heard, and experienced. Ezekiel 37:1-14 is a story that has fascinated me for most of my life. So many lay on the surface of the valley! God was looking after His own. God Bringing a Spiritual freshness (renewal) into the dry and arid placese sometimes find ourselves. Know that I am the Lord appears dozens of times throughout Ezekiels book. By no stretch of the imagination is all of Israel being saved now during this present age of man. Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones. He asks Ezekiel if the bones can live. One of God's annual festivals, the Feast of Tabernacles, corresponds directly to Christ's coming millennial reign. Perhaps you've heard of Ezekiel's vision in the valley of dry bones, where the Spirit of the Lord sets Ezekiel down and commands him to prophesy over the bones, and to the breath, so they might live. So many people among the Israelites have died as victims of evil and injustice. Thru the Bible - Dr. J. Vernon McGee. Remember, the other tribes, the Northern Kingdom of Israel, were all carried into captivity. Just as Jesus wasnt made unclean by touching a leper and healing him, so Ezekiel wasnt made unclean in the presence of bones turning into living persons again. (BZ)Every mans sword will be against his brother. Before him, the bones connect into human figures; then the bones become covered with tendon tissues, flesh and skin. God alone could cause them to live. 23The nations will know that the house of Israel went into exile for their (DE)wrongdoing, because they were disloyal to Me, and I (DF)hid My face from them; so I handed them over to their adversaries, and all of them fell by the sword. Valley of dry bones - The vision of the valley of dry bones The dry dead bones were turned into an army. Another way that ra is sometimes translated is spirit. Rather than a simple "Of course not", he says, "Sovereign Lord, only you can answer that." . The Valley Of The Dry Bones Will Come Alive". The vision of Ezekiel in chapter 37 of his book is one of the most powerful anywhere in the Old Testament. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and fulfilled it, says the Lord.. No other prophet had such surreal experiences as Ezekiel. They were living and, humanly speaking, completely functional. Jesus had ascended just 10 days prior to this and had instructed his followers to remain together in Jerusalem until the gift of the Father, the Holy Spirit, is given to them (Acts 1:4-5). Weve been completely eliminated! 12 Therefore prophesy to them, and tell them, Watch me! 3. In Ezekiels vision, this valley of dry bones was transformed into a vast army of living people through the life-giving Spirit of God. The valley of dry bones was no Hollywood production the location manager, set builder, bone collector, special effects director, producer, actor, soundman, and scriptwriter all were God Himself. That is the day of which I have spoken. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. 17Now as for you, son of man, this is what the Lord God says: Say to every [ah]kind of (CU)bird and to every (CV)animal of the field: Assemble and come, gather from every direction to My sacrifice, which I am going to (CW)sacrifice for you as a great sacrifice on the mountains of Israel; and you will eat flesh and drink blood. Four insights into the significance and meaning of the Valley of Dry Bones: 1. 18You will (CX)eat the flesh of warriors and drink the blood of the leaders of the earth, as though they were (CY)rams, lambs, goats, and (CZ)bulls, all of them fattened livestock of (DA)Bashan. Ezekiel's vision continues: "Thus says the Lord God to these bones: 'Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live' . It's important to understand that the kingdoms of Israel and Judah had separated after King Solomon's death and that the people of the kingdom of Israel had already gone into captivity at the hands of the Assyrians during the latter part of the eighth century B.C.well over a century before Ezekiel prophesied. He sees avalley covered with dry bones. In verse 12, the scene appears to move to a cemetery. Figuratively, they were nothing more than a pile of dry bones. How do I sign up to have surreal experiences like Ezekiel? Print length. (Genesis 18:14). 8And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on the bones, and flesh grew and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them. We are completely cut off. 12Therefore prophesy and say to them, Thus says the Lord God, Behold, I will open your graves and make you come up out of your graves, My people; and I will bring you [back home] to the land of Israel. Spirit builds on the idea of ra as an invisible life-giving force, including the part of us that makes decisions and can think. In the Valley of Dry Bones The first is Ezekiel's vision of the Valley of Dry Bones. 1. What Does the Bible Have to Say about Weed? It's a vision of resurrection. And they will be My people, and I will be their God. Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones. Start for FREE. He earnestly desires to see the blood of His Son Jesus blot out the sins of as many as possible. Several passages in the Gospel accounts show that non-Israelite rulers and peoples are to be resurrected as well. Tragically, these two trends continue unabated today. But when the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, that valley of dry bones began to stir, to come together, and was given life through the Breath of God, the Holy Spirit. More importantly, it was a vision fromthe Lord and with the Lord. In the prophecy Jesus Christ gave on the Mount of Olives the week He died, He plainly stated regarding the end-time, "For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written [in the Old Testament prophets, including Ezekiel] may be fulfilled" (Luke 21:22). They were cut off from their homeland and the future they had envisioned there. 11 These bones represent the entire house of Israel, the LORD explained to me. Skin and flesh covered them, and the wind was then told to blow upon these bodies, and they were restored to life. 978-0962088100. They were alive physically, but dead spiritually. (C), 11Then He said to me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. The vision receives a double interpretation, with the primary meaning relating to the exiles' despair and that this prophecy is one of the few hints of resurrection in the Old Testament. Up until the coming of Gods Spirit at this Pentecost, Israel continued to be dead men walking. Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden - Bible Story, The Ten Commandments - Bible Verses and Importance Today, Parable of the Prodigal Son - Bible Story, The Resurrection of Jesus - Bible Story and Prophecy. It is typically translated as breath or wind. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! . And that much of the Old Testament is only understood fully in light of the New Testament and in Jesus, the fulfillment of the Law and Prophets. In the first we find a collection of bones, dry and lifeless. But I believe that Ezekiels vision was really pointing toward the coming of Gods Spirit at Pentecost. 27My dwelling place also will be with them; and I will be their God, and they will be My people. The best of them, Ezekiel among them, had been deported to a strange land. Ed Jarrettis a long-time follower of Jesus and a member of Sylvan Way Baptist Church. God asks Ezekiel if those bones all around him could live. By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway. In fact the vast majority of mankind will receive their opportunity for salvation during the great resurrection to judgment that we have been reading about in Ezekiel 37:1-14. Amplified Bible (AMP). Proud member Today we remember the Holocaust in which 6 million Jews were callously murdered in Central and Eastern Europe. It was also a clear intimation of the resurrection of the dead; and it represents the power and grace of God, in the conversion of the most hopeless sinners to himself. It's quite surreal. The Valley of the Dry Bones represents a first step in this amirable endeavor. In chapters 3, 18, and 33, Ezekiel is solemnly charged with the responsibility of serving as a new watchman for the kingdom of Judah. And the newly established church continued its tremendous growth throughout the book of Acts. God told Ezekiel it was where His people, whom He loved, were at. In this vision, Ezekiel finds himself in a valley full of dry human bones of Israelite origins. But clearly Israel was not literally a collection of dry bones. Second, God breathes in a small part of His life into each of us. The invisible barriers between heaven and earth were supernaturally parted for Ezekiel. John died on March 8, 2014, in Oxford, England, four days after suffering cardiac arrest while returning home from a press event in London. Copyright 2023, Christianity.com. The second complementary message concerned a symbolic action, binding two sticks together (vv. Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. He caused me to pass among them round about, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley; and lo, they were very dry. Why all the heaven and hell, Lewis Capaldi. Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Complete). His latest book was Life Map Devotional for Men published concurrently with his wife Renees book, Life Map Devotional for Women. Why Are We to Wait on the Lord and Be of Good Courage? These are long, long dead. 6And I will [d]attach tendons to you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin, and put breath in you so that you may come to life; and you will (I)know that I am the Lord.. But I believe that Ezekiel's vision was really pointing toward the coming of God's Spirit at Pentecost. And all share in the same fatenational punishment and, for each individual, the ultimate penalty of sin, which is death (Romans 6:23). 2. 'Therefore turn [to righteousness] and live!'". Consider all those little babies Herod cruelly killed in a failed effort to murder the Christ child. 19952023 All correspondence and questions should be sent to info@ucg.org. In Ezekiel's vision of the valley of dry bones that come back to life, the physical resurrection precedes the spiritual. 3 The LORD asked me, Son of Man, will these bones ever live?, Lord GOD, I replied, you know the answer to that!, 4 Then the LORD told me, Prophesy to these bones. And this idea of spirit within humanity carries over to God as well. And in Romans 8:11 he says that God will give life to our mortal bodies because of his Spirit (pneuma) who lives in us. Ezekiel continued to have visions throughout his prophetic ministry. Ezekiel's vision from God about a valley of dry bones that came alive. He is told to "prophesy to the bones" that God would bring them back to life, and so it happens: the bones come together, they are covered with sinews and muscles and skin. 18-28. . God takes Ezekiel to the middle of a valley where he sees a multitude of dry bones. United Church of Godis a501(c)3organization. Do Prophets Still Exist Today? The fundamental lesson of this story is when the spirit of God is present, his people are enabled to live. Dry bones indicate no hope for revival. Then you shall know that I am the Lord" (Ezekiel 37:12-13). Windsor Golden Series. But, until recently, they never again experienced real independence, other than a short time under the Maccabees. 9Then He said to me, Prophesy to the breath, 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. 10So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood up on their feet, an exceedingly great army. But the Valley of Dry Bones doesn't just speak of God's grace to Israel. The wind was an emblem of the Spirit of God and represented his quickening powers. For less than $5/mo. At first glance, this famous vision of the valley of dry bones seems more like an Easter text than a Lenten text. 6And I will send (CH)fire upon Magog and those who inhabit the (CI)coastlands in safety; and they will know that I am the Lord. Who Were the Major and Minor Prophets in the Bible? So the question God was asking Ezekiel was, "Do you believe I can raise Israel to life again?". The chapter details a vision revealed to the prophet Ezekiel, conveying a dream-like realistic-naturalistic depiction. Ezekiel then warns the kingdom of Judah of coming judgment (chapters 4-7), sees visions of the Lords glory departing from the Temple (chapters 8-11), continues to exhort the people of Judah to repent (chapters 12-24), and prophecies against other nations (chapters 25-32). It shall come about in the last days that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may (BQ)know Me when I (BR)show Myself holy through you before their eyes, Gog., 17This is what the Lord God says: Are you the one of whom I spoke in former days through My servants the prophets of Israel, who (BS)prophesied in those days for many years that I would bring you against them? 19So you will eat fat until you are full, and drink blood until you are drunk, from My sacrifice which I have sacrificed for you. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. 3. No matter how many times one rereads it, this account remains both arresting and suspenseful to the converted mind. His vivid language and visuals likely made a strong impression on the children who went into exile. Poet Glauco Ortolano wrote a poem entitled Valley of the Dry Bones based on Ezekiel 37: As Israel bid farewell to Babylon The padre suggests that not just they, but all of the British army as it prepares for war, should take this image as a way of thinking about how they need to come together. The United States and Britain in Bible Prophecy, Good News Magazine: September - October 2010. But who truly represents the "Israel" today to whom these prophecies are intended? Paul, in Romans 4:17, says that God gives life to the dead. Or was it just an unrelated similarity? God told Ezekiel that this valley of dry bones represented the exiled people of Israel. Did he really see bones come to life? Rather than a simple "Of course not", he says, "Sovereign Lord, only you can answer that.". Lewis? 7 So I prophesied, just as I had been ordered to do so. Should Christians aim to be successful at work? 37The (A)hand of the Lord was upon me, and He (B)brought me out [a]by the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the (C)valley; and it was full of bones. This special Holy Day directly corresponds to the Great White Throne Judgment period, during which God will give all those who have ever lived but never really understood the truth their first real opportunity for salvation. But it would have little real value for us. The prophecies of future national blessings are encouraging, but what good are they to those who have died? He is commanded to carry a prophecy and the bones connect into human figures, then become covered with flesh and skin. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" And I answered . 37:1 The LORD laid his hand on me and brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD to the middle of a valley that was filled with bones. Send inquiries regarding the operation of this Web site to webmaster@ucg.org. The "great white throne" judgment occurs not in an instant as people are raised from the dead, but instead over a considerable period of time. 10They will not take wood from the field or gather firewood from the forests, because they will make fires with the weapons; and they will take the spoils of those who plundered them and seize the (CP)plunder of those who plundered them, declares the Lord God. And as Ezekiel does so, the bones begin to assembly into bodies. This Holy Day reminds us that God's plan promises to offer every human being the opportunity to truly repent of sin and receive a permanent place in His everlasting family, the Kingdom of God. Are these children, then, now lost? Im bringing my Spirit into you right now, and youre going to live! First, God creates the phenomenally complex human body with 100% of everything intact and ready to work. 5 Remarkable Things to Know about Pentecost Sunday. God wants to breathe His Spirit not only into us, of course, but also in all not-yet-Christians that we know and love. And I will place them and multiply them, and will put My sanctuary in their midst forever. By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway. The early Church fathers taught that Ezekiel's vision prophesies the Final Resurrection. The vision of 'Dry Bones' in Ezekiel 37:1-28: Resonating Ezekiel's message as the African prophet of hope Joel K.T. What Does the Bible Say about Seeking the Worlds Validation? Notice the apostle Peter's words to the crowd gathered in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost seven weeks after Jesus' death and resurrection: "Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets [again including Ezekiel] since the world began" (Acts 3:19-21). While it stands on its own as a powerful statement of God's power to re-create the community, the context is important. To say the least, Gods amazing, almighty power is clearly on display. There looked to be no prospect of their country ever rising again. Moving beyond the introductory revelation of the awesome angelic realm, we fast-forward to verses 26 and 28. Where did Ezekiel go? Most in mainstream Christendom erroneously believe that today is the only day of salvation. This coming time of judgment will give those who never really knew God during their previous lifetime a just and fair opportunity for salvationnot a second chance. So I answered, 'O Lord God, you know'" (Ezekiel 37:1-3). 9And you will go up, you will come (BE)like a storm; you will be like a (BF)cloud covering the land, you and all your troops, and many peoples with you., 10This is what the Lord God says: It will come about on that day, that [r]thoughts will come into your mind and you will (BG)devise an evil plan, 11and you will say, I will go up against the land of [s](BH)unwalled villages. All rights reserved. He asked the patriarch Abraham, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" The real meaning of this celebration is rarely understood in modern theological circles. Churches and chapels are empty, Christian witness is sparse or non-existent, and there are nothing but the dry bones of spirituality left. 24And My servant (AD)David will be king over them, and they will all have (AE)one shepherd; and they will walk in My ordinances, and keep My statutes and [j]follow them. 11-14) is the first message. Today, we face the constant temptation of mixing our yes and no, all in an effort not to offend, get along, and make peace. The book Ezekiel covers 22 years 593-571BC. Most pictured here never really knew God during their previous human lives. Christine Wyrtzen, The Valley Of Dry Bones Is there anything too hard for Me?" He saw how Gd brought them to life again. It was filled with bones. and He said to me, 'Son of man, can these bones live?' God transported Ezekielprobably not literally, but in a visionto a valley full of dry bones and directed him to speak to the bones. God wants to raise up an army, people revived and living for Jesus. The third wave of Jewish slaves or exiles taken by King Nebuchadnezzar was the start of a seventy year period that ended when, under Nehemiah, the walls of Jerusalem and the city began to be rebuilt. God asks him whether they can come back to life. Why humility is at the heart of Christianity. Fortunately, God proceeds in the next few verses to explain what Ezekiel has just witnessed. When he was 30 years old, Ezekiel began to experience astonishing visions from Almighty God. All rights reserved. 2 He had me pass among them all around, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley; and behold, they were very dry. Ezekiel 37:1-14. New American Standard Bible (NASB). It is used for breath, wind, and things that have no material substance. The present tiny state of Israel consists mostly of Jews descended from those of the kingdom of Judah, so the name Israel is a misnomer. First the bones come together and are clothed with flesh, and then they are covered with flesh and skin. 12For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them in order to (CQ)cleanse the land. It was magnificent and took nine full chapters to describe (Ezekiel 40-48). So should we See also note 34:23. Whats more, the word bones occurs more often in Ezekiel 37:1-11 than any Old Testament book except Job and Psalms. What do you know about Ezekiel? 15As those who pass through the land pass through and anyone sees a human bone, then he will [af]set up a marker by it until the burial detail has buried it in the Valley of [ag]Hamon-gog. Her keel seemed laid, her ribs put together, and she launched, from Ezekiels Valley of Dry Bones. What Ezekiel experiences produces a remarkably enduring story with a hope-filled message. 13 Then youll learn that I am the LORD, when Ive opened your graves and caused you to come up out of them, my people. The one in the 37th chapter speaks directly to the desperate plight of Israel down through the ages. Context Matters: Valley of Dry Bones. This sermon focuses on a vision of Ezekiel in the valley of dry bones. The Valley of Dry Bones. The most unusual chapter about the nations restoration, of course, is the vision of the valley of dry bones. New American Standard Bible, Copyright 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. The bones stood up, were covered in flesh, and came to life. Ezekial 37 is when the vision takes place. The Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones is a prophecy in chapter 37 of the Book of Ezekiel. It has a profound message to Christians today, as well. Is there no hope for even innocent children who died in infancy without ever knowing why? Overcome the sins and enticements Perhaps the Lord has something else in mind. 38Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2Son of man, set your face toward (AN)Gog of the land of (AO)Magog, the (AP)chief prince of (AQ)Meshech and (AR)Tubal, and prophesy against him, 3and say, This is what the Lord [l]God says: Behold, I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. Registered in England and Wales 5090917, Christian Today, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN, When ministry turns toxic: How pastors can care too much for their congregations. This reminds us that we humans are made in His image and likeness. 11Then He said to me, Son of man, these bones are the (O)entire house of Israel; behold, they say, Our (P)bones are dried up and our hope has perished.

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