Mission Impossible:

Ezekiel 37:1-14 MISSION IMPOSSIBLE:

Ezekiel, was a 25 year old priest, when he, with the king and 10,000 Jews were taken to Babylon in 598 BC. Five years later,he was called into the ministry.

in Ch 37 He is speaking to the nation of Israel, v. 11. as a dead nation.

we too are surrounded by the dead. And can tell the dead that they can live.

I. A SHOCKING REVELATION 1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,

It was a picture of the desolation, destitution, and devastation of Israel.

A. He Saw Death - The bones speak of death on a massive scale.

B. He Saw Devastation - The bones Ezekiel saw were “very dry.”

2 behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.

C. He Saw Defeat - 11 behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost

II. A SOLEMN RESPONSIBILITY

A. He Was Commanded To Preach - 4 Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.

How Foolish - Preaching to bones - How Fruitful - 7 as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.

B. He Was Commanded To Pray - 8 And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them. 9 Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four

winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.

Through preaching people may be convinced of truth, but they will remain dead

It is our obligation to preach with divine urgency, and pray with divine fervency.

William Lee, “It is not the arithmetic of our prayers, how many they are; nor the rhetoric of our prayers, how eloquent they are; nor the geometry of our prayers, how long they be; nor the music of our prayers, how sweet our voice may be; nor the logic of our prayers, how argumentative they may be; nor the method of our prayers, how orderly they may be—which God cares for. Fervency of spirit is that which availeth much.”

III. A SUPERNATURAL RESURRECTION

A. How They Were Activated - We read that “they lived.”

10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.

John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing:

B. How They Were Animated - They “…stood up upon their feet…”

C. How They Were Associated - “…an exceedingly great army.”

D. How They Were Assured - 14 And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.