Total Recall Ezekiel 37:1-10NLT
Introduction: Most of you have heard of Charles Dickens’ book~ “The Tale of Two Cities.” "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times," Charles Dickens writes in the opening lines as he paints a picture of life in England and France. Many of you may have read it. If you have, you might remember a phrase from early in the book, “Recalled to Life.” Early in the story we are introduced to Dr. Manette, who has been imprisoned in France for eighteen years, apparently in almost total isolation. The effects of this imprisonment have been so severe that Dr. Manette is reduced to a death-like existence while still alive in the body. Those who care about him or ready to receive him out of prison and they use a phrase to describe what they will do for Dr. Manette, “Recall to life.” Dr. Manette had known death, but his friends want to call him back to life.
Our world considers death as the point-of-no-return. Therefore, the phrase “recall to life” is an oxymoron in the ears of many. You can’t be recalled to life once dead. But the Bible tells a much different story. It tells a story about when conditions were at their worst, when hope was dead, that God through his Son Jesus Christ came to us to recall us to life.
We are not created for death; We were created for life, but unfortunately we chose death in that Garden so long ago. We were in a prison of our own making and there was no escape until we were recalled to life.
A man named Ezekiel once encountered the same questions. His nation, his temple, and in many ways his faith were a pile of rubble. Ezekiel and his people were in exile. As a nation and a people they were dead; the dream was over. Then God came to Ezekiel in a vision and asked him a question that would change everything, that would recall Israel to life. Can it be? ~ Say that with me~ Can it be?
Ezekiel 37:1-14NLT 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.
Bones were scattered, completely dried out, This is up to God! God say’s, speak a word or preach over these scattered dry bones. I heard a rattling noise, it’s a sign of a miracle, so I spoke prophetically over the wind, and told the four winds to breath over these scattered, dry bones!
The first thing I want you to see is found in the question given to Ezekiel by God. “Can these bones live?”
Upon reading this, remember, you and I have complete excess into God’s word, but all Ezekiel saw was very dry bones, bones without any scent of life in them.
Presently, you might not see or sense anyway for a change, but it’s important that you keep everything in God’s hands.
Ezekiel 37:3NLT 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.”
Good answer from Ezekiel~ Only You know!
Before you act on your situation that seems impossible you have to understand there’s no way humanly it can be changed. (Give it to Jesus!)
Jesus said in Mark 11:22-23NLT Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. 23 I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart.
A study once disclosed that if both Mom and Dad attend church regularly, 72 percent of their children remain faithful in attendance.
If only Dad attends regularly, 55 percent remain faithful.
If only Mom attends regularly, 15 percent remain faithful.
If neither attend regularly, only 6 percent remain faithful. --
Ezekiel may have been a prophet, but he was not immune to discouragement and maybe even despair. In the middle of this mess, God’s presence was found in the rubble, no more than a heap of ashes.
Of course these bones represent Israel, their hopes, their temple, their nation, and the majority of their people all-lying before Ezekiel as bones that are called “very” dry. They are long dead and forgotten.
Again, Ezekiel replied to the Lord, “Lord, you alone know the answer to that.”
The same goes for you, “Don’t stop believing even in the ash heap!”
Secondly, You have to know it’s up to God, so just believe and keep prophesying. Keep Speaking.
The Lord say’s, “For the rest of your days on earth, begin to speak faith over every situation; Speak God’s word, that is His life over everything.”
Listen to Ezekiel 37:4-6TM He said to me, “Prophesy over these bones: ‘Dry bones, listen to the Message of God!’” 5-6 God, the Master, told the dry bones, “Watch this: I’m bringing the breath of life to you and you’ll come to life. I’ll attach sinews to you, put meat on your bones, cover you with skin, and breathe life into you. You’ll come alive and you’ll realize that I am God!”
Have you ever felt like Ezekiel? Your life and hopes lie before you like dry bones and you want to believe they can live, but you just can’t get your hopes up again.
Again, All Ezekiel could do was to declare the Word of the Lord; Don’t stop declaring!
Thirdly, God will do His part~ He will recall life.
Ezekiel 37:7-8TLB So I spoke these words from God, just as he told me to; and suddenly there was a rattling noise from all across the valley, and the bones of each body came together and attached to each other as they used to be. 8 Then, as I watched, the muscles and flesh formed over the bones, and skin covered them, but the bodies had no breath.
How does the 21st century define the word~ Recall? It defines recall, by bringing something back to the factory and replacing what is broken or damaged.
Verse 7 again, I prophesied just as I’d been commanded. As I prophesied, there was a sound and, oh, rustling! The bones moved and came together, bone to bone.
I would have loved to have heard that sound and seen Ezekiel’s face as those bones began to rattle, as they began to form human beings, a whole army!
Remember, An army isn’t any good without passion, purpose and vision mixed with spirit~ declare your vision!
Right this very moment, allow God to bring a total recall in your life. Tell God to breath!
Fourthly, Life comes near.
This life comes through God’s word, that is, the word that is believed and spoken.
Ezekiel 37:9-10TM He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath. Prophesy, son of man. Tell the breath, ‘God, the Master, says, Come from the four winds. Come, breath. Breathe on these slain bodies. Breathe life!’”
10 So I prophesied, just as he commanded me. The breath entered them and they came alive! They stood up on their feet, a huge army.
Listen to John 1:1-5TM The Word was first, the Word present to God, God present to the Word. The Word was God, in readiness for God from day one. 3-5 Everything was created through him; nothing—not one thing!— came into being without him. What came into existence was Life, and the Life was Light to live by. The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness; the darkness couldn’t put it out.
Do you understand what John is telling us? He brings together all the aspects of the story. That same Word who created the world, was the Word who was with God and who was God. That Word who was God is the one in whom life existed. He gave that life to us as His creation. But we chose darkness and death. However, instead of giving us over to death, life itself comes to us in the flesh (and the Word became flesh). He who is the source of life comes to “recall us” to life by giving us the opportunity to be children of God through faith in him. Darkness has to vanish in the name of Jesus.
Jesus was manifested to fulfill God’s plan for mankind.
Finally, Death meets the Resurrection and the Life.
John 11:25NKJB Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.”
By coming to give us life, we discover that He chooses to die. John is subtle about telling the story at first, but we quickly discover that when this Word showed up in the flesh, he did so in the person of Jesus of Nazareth.
So, when you’re looking at a pile of ashes or your life is lying in ruins, then face the question Ezekiel did all those years ago, “Son of man, can these bones live?” Can Jesus give life to our broken dreams and our broken lives? Can He even give you life in the face of death?
Will you allow Jesus to recall you to life or will you choose to stay in death, a valley of dry bones? The word of the Lord has come to you; I pray that you will receive it; I pray that you will live!
Listen to the results of Ezekiel 37:11-14NLT Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones represent the people of Israel. They are saying, ‘We have become old, dry bones—all hope is gone. Our nation is finished.’ 12 Therefore, prophesy to them and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: O my people, I will open your graves of exile and cause you to rise again. Then I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 When this happens, O my people, you will know that I am the Lord. 14 I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live again and return home to your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken, and I have done what I said. Yes, the Lord has spoken!’”
The Lord might say something like this to you. Then He said, “These bones represent your family, community and your neighbors.” They say, “We have become old and dry all hope is gone.” Therefore, the Lord say’s, “Prophesy over your marriage, family, neighbors and over your community, Thus saith the Lord, “I will open up and refresh what’s been dead, and I will put My Spirit in you, you will live again. Then you will know that I am the Lord!”
Jesus is saying, “Walk as a child of God, A kings son, Jesus your elder brother, children of vision and destiny.” Jesus is saying, “You’ll have what you hear, speak, believe and act upon.”
Benediction.
