A Revelation Of Revival In The Valley Of Dry Bones Series

SERIES: “EXCERPTS FROM EZEKIEL”

TEXT: EZEKIEL 37:1-14

TITLE: “A REVELATION OF REVIVAL IN THE VALLEY OF DRY BONES”

INTRODUCTION: A. There was once an explorer who was deep in the Amazon jungle. He became lost

in the thick foliage and stopped to get his bearings. As he looked around, he found

himself surrounded by a group of bloodthirsty cannibals. Quietly to himself, he said,

“I’m doomed!”

As he pondered his situation, a thought came to him: Wait! You’re not doomed

yet. Pick up that big stone at your feet and hit the cannibal in front of you in the

head. He looks like the chief. So he did.

He hit the chief with a few swift blows and looked down at the chief’s limp body.

The rest of the cannibals stared silently at the explorer. As he stared them in the eye,

he had another thought: Okay. NOW you’re doomed.

B. Today is the last of our messages from Ezekiel

1. We’ve studied the rebellion and unfaithfulness of God’s people and God’s removal

of His hand of protection and provision because of it.

--What they had taken for granted was taken away from them.

2. Because of their sinfulness, Israel found themselves in what seemed to be a

hopeless situation

--They felt doomed and desperate

C. Before we get into the text this morning, let’s review the circumstances in which

Ezekiel was called to be a prophet:

1. Israel had become a divided nation: the northern kingdom called Israel and the

southern kingdom called Judah

--The northern kingdom quickly left behind their devotion to God and God sent the

Assyrians to defeat them and discipline them

2. The southern kingdom managed to maintain a relationship with God for awhile but

eventually became as wicked and idolatrous as the northern kingdom

3. Because of their wickedness, God sent the Babylonians to defeat and take captive

the southern kingdom

a. Jehoichim was king of Judah at the time

--He subjected himself as an underling to Babylon and their ruler

Nebuchadnezzar

b. After three years, Jehoichim rebelled and within four years, Jerusalem was

surrounded and under siege.

c. At a very critical point in time, Jehoichim died

--His 18-year-old son Jehoichin became king and surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar

d. Jerusalem was plundered but the temple was not harmed

e. Though under Babylonian domination, Judah remained an entity with her own

king

f. However, Jehochin, his officers, the fighting men, the craftsmen and artisans, as

well as all the leading men of Judah were deported to Babylon

--Ezekiel went to Babylon with this first group of exiles

4. During this time, Zedekiah was made king of Judah and he also rebelled against

Babylon

a. In a desperate attempt to escape, Zedekiah led his army through a break in the

wall at night and fled into the plain where the Babylonian army pursued and

overtook them

b. The king’s sons and a large part of his army were slaughtered

c. The city of Jerusalem was destroyed, the Temple burnt down – all of its

implements and articles of worship taken to Babylon, and many more were taken

into captivity

5. What a truly discouraging and disappointing time

D. Judah and Jerusalem were no more

1. Everything the people had placed their hope in had been destroyed

2. They were dead as a nation and dead as a people

3. They needed REVIVAL

a. Webster; “the act or state of being restored or returned to consciousness or life;

becoming or making active or flourishing again; to bring back into use; to

renew”

b.

E. Our churches need revival

1. Revival doesn’t come to a church without the individuals that make up that church

experiencing revival in their own lives.

2. One old-time preacher was asked, “How can we have a revival?” He replied, “Take

a piece of chalk, draw a circle on the floor. Then step inside the circle and pray,

‘Lord, send a revival inside this circle.’”

F. TITLE: A REVELATION OF REVIVAL IN THE VALLEY OF DRY BONES

1. God has presented His program for revival for His people in our text this morning

2. Let’s see what wee need to do to have revival in our lives

I. REALIZE YOUR SITUATION

--Ezek. 37:1-3 – “The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and

set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a

great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, ‘Son of man, can these

bones live?’ I said, ‘O Sovereign LORD, you alone know.’”

A. A lawyer got somewhat distracted on his drive home and rear-ended the car in front of him at a traffic