In this passage, Ezekiel describes an amazing vision from God.In his state of ecstatic prayer, Ezekiel is taken up by the hand by God to the middle of a valley filled with dry bones.Ezekiel describes what must have been a terrifying sight.As God led him back and forth across the valley, he “saw a great many bones on the floor, bones that were very dry.”
Ezelkiel describes a valley scattered from side to side with bones, the bones not only of the dead, but of the LONG DEAD, weathered, bleached, and brittle.These are the bones not only of those dead, but of those massacred!The sheer number of skeletons must have been overwhelming for Ezekiel, painting a picture of hopelessness and waste.
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When God asks Ezekiel whether these bones can come back to life, he must have been tempted to answer that there was no way these bones could be reanimated.They were much too dry and decrepit to be of any use to anyone.Ezekiel would have been within his human nature to despair of any chance of these bones coming back to life.But Ezekiel searches his soul and wisely responds, “O Sovereign Lord, You alone know.”He understands that all things are in God’s hands, even those things that are well beyond our limited human comprehension.
God then directs Ezekiel to preach a message of hope and love to the bones:
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.
Ezekiel knows that nothing is beyond God’s power, and he put his faith firmly in Him.Filled with the Spirit, he sets out upon his task and begins preaching God’s message of hope and faith in God.God is all-powerful and can breathe the very breath of life into these old, dry bones, if they will only hear the word of the Lord.It is Ezekiel’s task to get this message of hope, renewal, and resurrection to the bones.
This vision related to the nation of Israel, which was at the time, scattered to the four winds in political exile.Most of the people of Israel have lost hope in ever being restored as a nation under God.They have become a heap of dry bones, with no spiritual life; they had given in to despair.God sends His message of restoration through Ezekiel to Israel that through Him, their spiritually dead bones will be resurrected through Him.This is God’s message: Never surrender!Never quit!Never say die!If Israel will remain faithful to God, God will remain faithful to Israel.
Proclaim Salvation to the Lost
Many of us today are like these bones: brittle, dry, and scattered, in our spiritual lives. It is easy to give up on evangelizing God’s message of love and restoration to people who may seem hopelessly lost.As Christians, it is our DUTY to reach out to the lost and spread God’s message of love, and resurrection.We know that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), but through God’s love and through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice (John 3:16), we can be resurrected, no matter how far gone we are.Even if we are a scattered mess of dry bones, God’s love can restore us in salvation.No one is beyond God’s reach, no one is beyond the love of Jesus.
We have to reach out beyond our comfort zone and proclaim salvation to the lost.Many Christians are more comfortable debating issues of church business or even the interpretation of scripture with other Christians, but are terrified of the thought of proclaiming God’s message of salvation to the lost.Why is this?Is it the fear of rebuke? Is it the fear that we may offend someone for whom we care?Whatever the reason, we must put our faith and trust in God, and seek to understand His will.In order to receive God’s vision in our own lives, we must be like Ezekiel and spread God’s message of love and resurrection to those who have died spiritually.
Ask yourself every day, “Lord, whom should I befriend today so I may share Your message of love?”
Look for Signs of Life
In the movie, Proof of Life, Russell Crowe’s character is a hostage negotiator who always instructs his clients (the loved ones of those taken) to demand a proof of life before continuing with the negotiations.Likewise, we should seek signs of life in delivering God’s message.While no one is beyond God’s love, there are those who are not yet ready to hear His word in their souls and be transformed by it.So how can we know that the message is being received?Look for signs of life in your audience.
Ezekiel obeyed God and put his faith in Him.As he began to preach the message of resurrection through God’s love.
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.
How terrifying must this sight have been?Can you imagine being alone in a wasteland of dry bones, and suddenly, they begin to reassemble, and become covered with flesh and skin?This scene could be straight out of a George Romero horror film!
Indeed, initial responses to hearing God’s message could be frightening.We could be challenged with difficult questions, mean more to trap us than to seek understanding: How can there be a God when the world is so full of hatred, suffering, and war?Since Gandhi did not accept Jesus as his savior, is he in Hell now?But we must not give up!Ezekiel did not waver in his faith when faced with this horrifying scene; he persevered and continued to preach God’s word:
This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.
When Ezekiel did as commanded by God, the breath of life swept over the valley of corpses and this wasteland of dry, brittle, bones had been transformed into a vast army!Not only were these bones restored to life, but they were resurrected to a life filled with vitality and power: a vast army ready to restore the very nation of Israel!
Just as Ezekiel was encouraged by signs of life in the Valley of Dry Bones, we must search for signs of life in those to whom we deliver God’s message.How can we identify early signs of life?How can we know to whom we should be delivering God’s message?There are some easy ways of know who may be more ready to receive God’s word.Ask yourself:
Who likes you?
At times, people who like and respect us may ask the secret to our happiness.Perhaps you are engaged in conversation, and the topic of your faith is raised.Be ready to share God’s message of love to those about whom you care.If you truly care about someone, care enough to proclaim God’s salvation!
Who is willing to listen to you?
Sometimes, the opportunity to share God’s message of love and resurrection through Jesus Christ comes from the strangest situations.Even objections from a heckler can result in an opportunity to share God’s message.When confronted by challenges such as how you could possibly believe in a God who allows children to be born with AIDS, remain resolute, muster your courage, and explain your faith in God’s supreme wisdom that is beyond that of any man, and use the opportunity to describe the many wonders of God’s love.Even if someone is challenging your faith, at least he or she is listening to your response!
Who has already made the decision to receive Christ in his or her life?
This one may seem contrary, but once someone decides to let Christ into his or her heart, the mission is not complete.Indeed, the journey has just begun.Choosing to accept Christ into your heart is oftentimes like the life of a salmon making the journey to spawn: it is often a difficult and challenging task to swim against the current.In fact, the closer you get to completing your mission, it seems the current against you strengthens.Do not despair!There are pools of peace and rest along the way, and you are not alone!This is the time when we as Christians must continue to disciple to our new family members to help them grow in Christ, and fulfill God’s mission of fully receiving the breath of life.
In summary, nothing is beyond God’s power.Just as he restored the nation of Israel from a pile of dry bones and dust, he can resurrect our spiritual lives and provide us with a new, eternal life through Jesus Christ!But we as Christians must persevere in proclaiming God’s Salvation of the Lost through Jesus.When delivering this message, we must reinforce that no matter how far we have strayed, we are never beyond hope; we are NEVER beyond God’s love.
How terrifying must this sight have been? Can you imagine being alone in a wasteland of dry bones, and suddenly, they begin to reassemble, and become covered with flesh and skin? This scene could be straight out of a George Romero horror film!
