Dem Bones. Part 1 Of Our Revival Preperation Series

“Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones”

As we near the kickoff of our Old Time Tent Revival

I feel the need to preach revival of our own hearts first

It is impossible for us as a church to promote revival in our community

Without looking at revival in our own lives

Both personally and as a part of the body of Christ

I am excited about what God is doing here

I am excited about what God is preparing to do in our community

And I am excited about what he has done in my own life and the lives of many of you

In prayer and preparation for today’s sermon

I kept coming back again and again to the Old Testament book of Ezekiel

This is a book of prophesy

And God through Ezekiel shows the nation of Israel the path of their lives apart from him

Listen to me

This book was written to God’s chosen people

While they were suffering in exile and bondage to Babylon

They knew God- kind of

But they chose to go their own way

And due to their disobedience

They suffered the consequences of their sins

And more importantly lost the blessings of God

While this book is hard to understand

And if read out of context is even harder to understand

It does

As does all of God’s word

Have direct application in our own lives

In the life of our Church

And in the world, we live in

Listen to me

Before I read Ezekiel chapter 37

You need to know

This was a vision given to Ezekiel

There are some out there that teach

Bodily restoration from this passage

They are not rightly dividing God’s word

It is clear from this passage if we read it in context and understand how prophesy is written

That God is teaching the people about

Spiritual restoration

And freedom from bondage

Not Physical restoration

We need these as well

Freedom form the bondage of sin

And Spiritual revival

Just a of couple of quick facts

The book was written in about 571 BC

The nation of Israel was in exile-- again

And God spoke to them though the prophet Ezekiel just as he spoke though Isaiah, Jeremiah, and many others, just as he speaks though his word to us today

Ezekiel’s message was initially one of Doom and the first 24 chapters hold this message

Ezekiel also spoke judgement against other nations in chapters 25-32

Then he spoke a message of hope and restoration in chapters 33-48

It is in the hope chapters that we learn of revival

And where we see a promise of restoration to the people and a restoration of the true worship of God

Let me read Ezekiel 37 verses 1- 13 for you

The LORD took hold of me, and I was carried away by the Spirit of the LORD to a valley filled with bones. 2 He led me all around among the bones that covered the valley floor. They were scattered everywhere across the ground and were completely dried out. 3 Then he asked me, “Son of man, can these bones become living people again?”

“O Sovereign LORD,” I replied, “you alone know the answer to that.”

4 Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to these bones and say, ‘Dry bones, listen to the word of the LORD! 5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again! 6 I will put flesh and muscles on you and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”

7 So I spoke this message, just as he told me. Suddenly as I spoke, there was a rattling noise all across the valley. The bones of each body came together and attached themselves as complete skeletons. 8 Then as I watched, muscles and flesh formed over the bones. Then skin formed to cover their bodies, but they still had no breath in them.

9 Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to the winds, son of man. Speak a prophetic message and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come, O breath, from the four winds! Breathe into these dead bodies so they may live again.’”

10 So I spoke the message as he commanded me, and breath came into their bodies. They all came to life and stood up on their feet—a great army.

This passage is about restoration

This passage is about revival

And this passage has direct application in our lives today

Sin

Selfishness

Complacency

Idol worship

And all sorts of distractions had caused the nation of Israel to place their hope and trust