A Hope That Brings Life

St. Augustine wrote a book entitled the City of God, in which he discussed our identity with the holy city.(1) Throughout the Old and New Testaments, both Jews and Christians identified themselves with Jerusalem. Wherever they journeyed or resided, they did not consider themselves citizens of that place. They always considered themselves citizens of the holy city of Jerusalem, and subjects only to the laws of Jerusalem.

By considering themselves citizens of the holy city of Jerusalem, God’s people could refrain from falling into the sins of the land in which they resided. It also gave them strength to live in their sometimes hostile and cruel environments. They were strangers in a foreign land; sojourners who would one day reside in that “city whose architect and builder is God.”(2)

This evening we are going to look at an example in which God’s people, Israel, were forced to look to that “other city,” and this message can be applied to Christians who dwell in a foreign land today, as this world is not our true home. We’re going to see that when we fail to recall our true citizenship, we wither away into a pile of dry bones. But when we regain our focus, we are infused with new life and passion.

Valley of Dry Bones (vv. 1-14)

1 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. 2 Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. 3 And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” So I answered, “O Lord GOD, You know.” 4 Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD’! 5 Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. 6 I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the LORD’.”

7 So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them. 9 Also He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, 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’.”

10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army. 11 Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!’ 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘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. 13 Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. 14 I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken it and performed it, says the LORD’.”

What is going on here? Well, in verse 11 we read that this valley of dry bones represents the “whole house of Israel.” Now, the question is what does a valley usually represent? It represents a low point in one’s existence, a time I which things are not going well. So, what is this valley that Israel has gotten themselves into?

The nation of Israel had been divided into north and south (Israel and Judah) since 930 B.C.,(3) and they had many civil battles between the two nations. Around 586 B.C. the king of Judah and a small garrison of Babylonians who were stationed in Judah were murdered. The Baylonians feared an uprising, so they came in and deported many of the Judaeans to Babylon.(4)

These Judaeans were forced to live the rest of their lives in Babylon, away from their homeland, and they wondered how they would ever be able to live and worship the Lord in that foreign land. Psalm 137:1-4 portrays their desperate cry: