Ezekiel 37:1-14

II. THE REBIRTH OF THE NATION 37:1-28

Ezekiel had been promising God's people a bright future with new leadership and a new Canaan. However, these promises were met with as much skepticism as his earlier message announcing the 587 B.C. overthrow of Jerusalem. The destruction of their Temple meant the shattering of their faith. They were absolutely convinced that their dead and disjointed nation could never live again. By means of a vision (Ezekiel 37:1-14) and a symbolic action and an oracle (Ezekiel 37:15-28) Ezekiel responded to their despondency. In the vision Ezekiel learns that God's Spirit had the power to turn what looked like a host of skeletons into an effective army. In the oracle and accompanying symbolic act Ezekiel points out that the old divisions between Israel and Judah would disappear in the day of restoration.

A. The Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones 37:1-14

TRANSLATION

(1) The hand of the LORD was upon me, and the LORD brought me out in the Spirit, and set me down in the midst of the valley, and it was full of bones; (2) and He caused me to pass by them round about, and, behold, there were very many upon the surface of the valley; and, behold, they were very dry. (3) And He said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live again? And I said, O Lord GOD, You know. (4) And He said unto me, Prophesy over these bones, and say unto them, O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. (5) Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones, Behold, I am about to cause spirit to enter into you, and you shall live. (6) And I will put sinews upon you, and I will bring upon you flesh, and I will cover you with flesh, and put spirit in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the LORD. (7) So I prophesied as I was commanded, and as I prophesied there was a sound, and, behold, a shaking, and bones came together, bone to its bone. (8) And I saw, and, behold, sinews and flesh came upon them, and flesh covered them above; but no spirit was in them. (9) And he said unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O spirit, and breath on these slain ones that they may live. (10) So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the spirit, came on them, and they lived, and they stood on their feet, an exceeding great host. (11) And he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel; behold, they are saying, Our bones are dry, our hope has perished, we are cut off. (12) Therefore, prophesy and say unto them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am about to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O My people; and I will bring you unto the land of Israel. (13) And you shall know that I am the LORD when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O My people. (14) And I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land; and you shall know that I the LORD have spoken, and done it (oracle of the LORD).

COMMENTS

Thanks to the Negro spiritual, Ezekiel's vision of the dry bones is perhaps the best known passage in the book. The prophet felt the hand of the Lord, i.e., God's power overwhelmed him. He was carried in spirit, i.e., mentally, to the middle of a valley, perhaps the same valley where Ezekiel earlier saw a vision (cf. Ezekiel 3:22). The floor of that valley was littered with the bones of dead men (Ezekiel 37:1). The Lord caused His prophet to move about in that valley. As he did so Ezekiel was impressed with two facts: (1) the bones were numerous; and (2) they were very dry, having lain exposed to the elements for many long years (Ezekiel 37:2).

In order to heighten the prophet's interest and give him a foregleam of what was about to transpire, God asked Ezekiel a question: Can these bones live? From the human standpoint nothing seemed more remote. But Ezekiel would not underestimate the power of God. If He so willed those mouldering bones could live (Ezekiel 37:3). Then Ezekiel was told to prophesy to those bones, and bid them to hear God's word (Ezekiel 37:4). God would resurrect those skeletons by means of a process which He describes in reverse order. Life-giving spirit would be imparted to those corpses (Ezekiel 37:5). Perhaps this is mentioned first so as to underscore the point that God is the source of life for His people. Of course sinew, flesh and skin must first cover those skeletons. This miraculous and mass resurrection would once again underscore the deity of the only God who would dare to make such a prediction (Ezekiel 37:6).

Ezekiel did as he was told. As he prophesied he heard a sound. Suddenly a commotion a shaking erupted all over the valley as the bones began to unite (Ezekiel 37:7). Then over those naked skeletons flesh began to appear. But still there was no life in the corpses (Ezekiel 37:8).

Again Ezekiel was told to prophesy, this time to the spirit or breath. The breath of life which once had animated those corpses is thought of as having been scattered in all directions. Ezekiel through this mighty prophetic prayer summoned the life-giving spirit to return from wherever it may be[461] (Ezekiel 37:9). The prophet again did as he was told, and the breath of life returned to the corpses and they lived. A great host all over that valley rose to their feet (Ezekiel 37:10).

[461] Another possible interpretation The wind from the four corners of the earth is but a symbol of the universal life-giving spirit of God.

There can be no doubt as to the meaning of this vision. The dry and disjointed bones are a sad symbol of the entire people of Israel. The Northern Kingdom of Israel and now the Southern Kingdom of Judah as well had been destroyed and left desolate. The scattered survivors of the two kingdoms could in no sense be considered a nation any longer. Our bones are dried up, they cried. The hope of ever again existing as a nation had been lost. They compare themselves to limbs severed from the body cut off never again to be united in a living organism (Ezekiel 37:11). Nationally they were dead and disjointed with no prospect of anything better.

God had a positive word for those discouraged exiles. The graves (i.e., the foreign lands) where God's people were languishing in captivity would be opened. Israel would be resurrected from those metaphorical graves and restored to Canaan (Ezekiel 37:12). This stupendous miracle of national resurrection would cause the people's faith in the Lord to be firmly established (Ezekiel 37:13). Only the impartation of God's life-giving Spirit could effect such a revival; only the action of God could bring them back to their own land. The God of Israel not only has the prescience to predict the future, He has the power to perform His word (Ezekiel 37:14).