Ezekiel 37:1-14 NIV
U.S. Army Chaplain (MAJ) Ken Harris, Jr.
Fort Ord Chapel
Seaside, CA
24 February 2008
Big Idea: Believers are encouraged to remain faithful at their present task because there are no limits to what God can do.
Scriptural References: EAI (Expository; Application; Illustration) 2 Kings 13:20-21 KJV (And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year. And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet); Proverb 17:22 KJV (A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones); 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 KJV (We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed); Deuteronomy 31:8 KJV (And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed); Jeremiah 32:27 KJV ( Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?); Genesis 2:7 KJV (And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.); Psalms 31:24 KJV: Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.
I. ANNOUNCE THE PERICOPE: Ezekiel 37:1-14 NIV
II. READ THE PERICOPE: Ezekiel 37:1-14 NIV
III. READ THE TEXT: Ezekiel 37:11-12 NIV (Then he said to me: "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ’Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: ’This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel.
IV. PURPOSE: To encourage believers to obey the inner voice of God, and remain faithful at their present task, because there are no limits to what God can do.
V. SERMONIC THEME: “The Valley of Dry Bones”
VI. Introduction: Webster’s Dictionary.com defines “DESPAIR” as the loss of HOPE and a feeling of hopelessness. It’s the idea of giving up hope … and feeling discouraged and defeated. Believe it or not … there’s a company’s website on the INTERNET called “DESPAIR.INC. At the company’s website, one can find pictures of sinking ships and designs that are called DEMOTIVATORS.
In fact, at DESPAIR, INC their slogan reads as follows: “we believe motivational products create unrealistic expectations, raising hopes only to dash them.. That’s why we created our soul-crushingly depressing Demotivators designs, so you can skip the delusions that motivational products induce and head straight for the disappointments that follow!”
There’s one picture of what looks to be a marathon race with runners running to the finish-line; and beneath the picture IN BIG BOLD PRINT is inscribed:
DEFEAT: For every winner there are dozens of losers. Odds are you one them.
Now, seriously in contrast, The Apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 KJV: We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.
********** TAKE 5 BEATS *********
MOVE 1: Therefore, this morning (my brothers and sisters) I have a FEW Questions to ask of you?
a. Question Number 1: Is there ever a time for a believer to become UNFAITHFUL TO GOD?
b. Question Number 2: Is it possible for a Believer … who knows how awesome and powerful God is … to momentarily get so wrapped-up in his trials and troubles that he loses his nerves … and his HOPE?
c. Again, Is it possible for a Believer … who knows how awesome and powerful God is … to momentarily get so wraped-up in his trials and troubles that he loses his nerves … and his HOPE?
d. Question Number 3: As a God Fearing Believer, within the rudiments of your mind and heart, do you think that there’s anything that God CAN NOT DO?
e. In other words, “Is there anything TOO HARD FOR GOD?
**********TAKE 5 BEATS **********
MOVE 2: As you ponder the questions, I would like to call your attention to the Book of 1 Kings, Chapter 19 and verses 1-21 …
a. Because it is there … that we find the account of Elijah at Mount Horeb (or Mount Sinai).
b. For you see, just shortly after God had displayed His awesome power in the life of Elijah, perhaps a day earlier, and defeated hundreds of Baals Priest on Mount Carmel …
c. The Bible paints word pictures of the Prophet Elijah negatively reacting to the verbal threats of Queen Jezebel.
d. For don’t you remember, Elijah was so afraid and threatened by Jezebel’s verbiage that he loss his nerves …
e. and fled south through the wilderness to Mount Horeb (or Mount Sinai) and REQUESTED TO DIE.
f. Imagine … feeling so emotionally afraid and threatened by the enemy of God (in the midst of your current situation) that you ask GOD HIMSELF to take your life.
********TAKE 5 BEATS********
MOVE 3: For you see … My brothers and sisters … there are some trials that are so poignant; they can make you wish you were dead and NOT ALIVE.
a. But, THANKS BE TO GOD;
b. THAT HE NEVER LEAVES OR FORSAKES US;
c. HE’S ALWAYS THERE.
d. IF WE HAVE PERSONALLY ACCEPTED HIM INTO OUR LIVES; and made up in our minds – NEVER TO LEAVE HIM: HE’S THERE .
e. IN FACT, As long as we remain in the Hands of God;
f. the trials we face will never bring us to defeat … because the POWER OF GOD WILL NOT ALLOW IT TO DEFEAT US.
g. WE MAY BE TROUBLED ON EVERY SIDE; But we will not give-up and we won’t give-in; BECAUSE THE POWER OF GOD WILL BE WITH US.
h. WE MAY BE CAST DOWN, ROBBED, BEATEN, AND PERSECUTED; BUT we won’t give-up the spiritual fight; BECAUSE GOD IS STILL WITH US.
*******TAKE 5 BEATS *******
MOVE 4: For don’t you remember … it was there, on Mount Horeb (or Mount Sinai) that Elijah heard the voice and the WORDS OF God.
a. And it was there that he received new encouragement, and a new policy from God which he proceeded to put into practice.
b. After Elijah heard GOD SPEAK to his situation he went from the FEELING OF DESPAIR TO HOPE.
c. Now, Jewish Encyclopedia.com defines “HOPE” as “the expectation of something desired”. In other words, EXPECTANCY NEVER YEILDS TO FAILURE.
d. HOPE ALWAYS EXPECTS GOD TO DO SOMETHING GOOD.
e. For the Psalmist says in Psalms 31:24 KJV: Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.
*********TAKE 5 BEATS **********
MOVE 5: Likewise, in our text, this morning we find ourselves witnessing one of the most powerful VISIONS described in the Bible.
a. For the Dry Bones symbolizes ISAREL in Babylonian Exile - a NATION whose HOPE had been dashed because of their disobedience and the circumstances they found themselves in.
b. As a nation, they couldn’t seemly MUSTARD UP ENOUGH HOPE for their current situation to even expect GOD … TO DO SOMETHING GOOD IN THEIR LIVES.
c. I submit to you this morning that EZEKIEL HAD TO ENCOURAGE HIMSELF.
d. THEREFORE THERE ARE 3 THINGS THAT EZEKIEL DID (which we should also do) that ultimately gave him hope in the midst of a HOPELESS SITUATION.
d. Now, the FIRST thing that EZEKIEL did - that we should also do - is that he OBEYED the inner voice of God.
d. If Ezekiel had not obeyed the inner voice of God which commanded him to PREACH to what appeared to be DRY BONES ….
e. … there would have been NO MOVE OF GOD’S SPIRIT IN THE VALLEY.
f. If Ezekiel had not been obedient to the inner voice of God … there would NOT HAVE BEEN AN EXCEEDINGLY GREAT ARMY IN THE VALLEY.
g. So, the FIRST thing that Ezekiel did – THAT WE MUST ALSO DO - in the midst of difficult times is OBEY the inner voice of God in our lives.
*********TAKE 5 BEATS *******
MOVE 6: The SECOND thing that EZEKIEL did – THAT WE MUST ALSO DO – in the midst of difficult times IS TO REMAIN FAITHFUL TO GOD in spite of how pitiful and dismal things look.
a. Because …as believers, we know that the “just live by faith” and not by sight.
b. EVEN THOUGH, from the natural eye, THERE WASN’T EVEN A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SUCCESS HAPPENING;
b. Ezekiel didn’t allow what he saw to affect HOW HE RESPONDED TO GOD’S WORD.
c. Likewise, … We can’t judge the book by its cover. We can’t predict the outcome; by looking at the present situation and circumstances.
d. What looks like a defeated Army of Dry Bones … is an exceeding great ARMY … JUST LYING AROUND … WAITING … FOR GOD TO EXHALE …!
e. For God Resurrection Power … and anointing is so majestic … that it often turns DEATH into LIFE …
********TAKE 5 BEATS**********
MOVE 7: For who ever forget the story of Elisha bones in 2 Kings 13:20-21 KJV ?
a. For the Bible says ….
b. …”that Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year.
c. And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the dead man body in the same sepulchre where ELISHA dead body once lied:
d. … and when the man body … touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet); “
e. Who would have thought - from the look of things - that the dead bones of Elisha would have such a RESURRECTION IMPACT? But they did!
f. So, the SECOND thing that EZEKIEL (that we must also do) is REMAIN FAITHFUL TO GOD ... inspite of how things look (to the natural eye).
*********TAKE 5 BEATS ********
MOVE 8: Now, The THIRD AND FINAL thing that EZEKIEL did which gave him HOPE (that we must also do) in the midst of difficult times …
a. … is that he REMEMBERED … THAT THERE ARE NO LIMITS … TO WHAT GOD CAN DO.
b. So, when God asked Ezekiel the question in verse 3: “… Son of man, can these bones live?...”
c. Ezekiel looked around and saw those DRY BONES SCATTERED in the middle of the valley … as if a long time ago - a battle had been fought ….
d. … and he knew within his heart that the SCATTERED …
e. … DRY BONES HAD NEED OF A RESURRECTION MIRACLE …that ONLY GOD COULD RENDER …
e. So, he responded with a resounding …”O Lord God, thou knowest”.
f. And he recalled that there IS NO LIMIT TO WHAT CAN DO …
*********TAKE 5 BEATS*******
MOVE 9: For you see, Ezekiel remembered Genesis 2:7 which says “… the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”
a. My brothers and my sisters, man is said to be “inspired” or “possessed” by the Spirit when he is lifted beyond his normal self .
b. And, he is enabled to do … what at any other time … would have been quite beyond him.
c. Therefore, the Bible says EZEKIEL … PREACHED …and while he preached … Despair turned into HOPE.
d. … there was NOISE and then a SHAKING ….
e. And then from all over The Valley … Bones came together … Bones to its Bones …
***************TAKE 5 BEATS**************
CELEBRATION: …. (Copied from the melody of “dem dry bones”)
The toe bones connected to the feet bones,
The feet bones connected to the ankle bones,
The ankle bones connected to the leg bones,
The leg bones connected to the knee bones,
The knee bones connected to the thigh bones,
The thigh bones connected to the hip bones,
The hip bones connected to the back bones,
The back bones connected to the shoulder bones,
The shoulder bones connected to the neck bones,
The neck bones connected to the … head bones,
For the Bones came together … Bones to its Bones until they made an exceedingly
Great Army …of HOPE
