Prophesy Life/ The Masada Mystery.
Ezekiel 37:1-10, 12-14NKJV
As NT believers what are we saying, “What are we prophesying?” As believers our words actually become God’s word, so what is God saying through you? Are you prophesying words of comfort and deliverance? Are you hearing Him for others, as well as yourself and your family? Speak words of life, it’s that simple.
I want to divide the text in three parts:
Ezekiel 37:1-6NKJV 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.”
These verses have at least a two-fold meaning: First, Ezekiel was writing a portion of scripture that would be lost and buried in the ruins of Masada. Again, when Israel was destroyed, this book would be lost and buried. (More about that later).
Secondly, We are commanded through scripture to speak and prophesy to those things which are lost. People and things, that need to be recovered.
Verse 1, This valley was full of bones, and then Ezekiel states, “they were dry bone.”
God ask Ezekiel one question: “Can these bones live?” Ezekiel wisely replies, “Oh Lord you know.”
God states, “I will cause breath to enter into you, I’ll put sinews on you, and flesh upon you and cover you with skin.’ And then God say’s to top it off, ‘I will put My breath in you, and you shall live!”
Finally God states, “And then you shall know that I Am the Lord!”
H.A Ironside told of visiting a godly Irishman, Andrew Frazer, who had come to Southern California to recover from a serious illness. Though Frazer was quite weak, he opened his worn Bible and begin expounding the deep truths of God in a way that Ironside had never heard before. Ironside was so moved by Frazer words that he asked him, “Where did you get these things?” “Could you tell me where I could find a book that would open them up to me? Did you learn them in some seminary or college?”
The sickly man gave an answer that Ironside said he would never forget. “My dear young man, I learn these things on my knees on the mud floor of a little sod cottage in the north of Ireland. ‘The Bible before me, I used to kneel for hours at a time and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal Christ to my soul and to open the word to my heart.”
According to Ezekiel, God proclaims that “I will resurrect Israel.” -That Israel will be found; That Israel shall know the Lord!
God included Ezekiel in on this powerful prophetic word.
“Now let’s flip the coin.”
In the first century the Romans destroyed the nation of Israel. The nation's last stand took place on a desert mountain fortress called Masada. It was there that her last soldiers would meet their end. So Masada became the grave of ancient Israel. But then after 2000 years, the nation of Israel was resurrected by the hand of God as was foretold in the vision of dry bones.
The people were resurrected, the cities were resurrected, and the Israeli soldiers were resurrected. And then the resurrected nation decided to return to its ancient grave. -To Masada.
Why?
*To excavate it, to dig it up. The man in charge of the excavation was one of the nation's most famous soldiers and archaeologists. And Israeli soldiers helped in the excavation.
So now on the grave of Israel's ancient soldiers walked her resurrected soldiers to see what lay hidden in its ruins.
And what was hidden in the ruins? What was buried in Masada?
A prophetic mystery… A scripture. It had been buried and hidden in there for almost 2000 years. -And what did it say?
It was from the Book of Ezekiel, the section that contained the prophecy of the valley of dry bones.
Ezekiel 37:7-10NKJV 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.
You prophesying causes noise, a rattling, bones coming together. -Sinews and flesh came upon them, and then, skin.
As Ezekiel prophesied Israel came together. Dry bones, into a complete person. However, still in lack... Say, “still in lack.”
Jesus states in, John 6:63NKJV It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
Spirit words/ Words of life!
Listen to me, God said, “There’s a lot of dead lifeless bodies walking around, the only thing missing is the breath. The life, the Spirit!”
Remember this, Your emptiness and lack, evaporate with just one breath from God!
Again, the flesh profits nothing but the spirit brings forth life.
Hear the last part of this great prophecy: Ezekiel 37:12-14NKJV 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.’ ”
So the prophecy was hidden right there in Israel's ancient grave, waiting for ages for the day that it would be uncovered, the day when its words would be fulfilled and the nation resurrected from its grave.
You see, God is real. And He will restore the broken, bring hope from hopelessness, and life from death. Don't ever give up.
Luke 1:37NKJV For with God nothing will be impossible.”
I hear God saying bring your most helpless situation and issues to Me. Believe Me for the impossible. Live and move in the power of the impossible. (Show picture of Masada and ruins).
God's got a Masada mystery for you! Just listen to this, They found a Synagogue on Masada - 4 tiers of plastered benches along the walls, as well as columns to support its ceiling. Fragments of 2 scrolls, parts of Deuteronomy and Ezekiel 37 (including the vision of the "dry bones"), the very words that Ezekiel prophesied came into being!
The books were found hidden in pits dug under the floor of a small room built inside the synagogue.
Again, Ezekiel 37:12-14TM “Therefore, prophesy. Tell them, ‘God, the Master, says: I’ll dig up your graves and bring you out alive—O my people! Then I’ll take you straight to the land of Israel. When I dig up graves and bring you out as my people, you’ll realize that I am God. I’ll breathe my life into you and you’ll live. Then I’ll lead you straight back to your land and you’ll realize that I am God. I’ve said it and I’ll do it. God’s Decree.’”
Again, it took almost 2000 years for Ezekiel 37, to be excavated, and because of this great excavation we see another prophecy fulfilled. -Dry bones, live!
7 final words:
God wants you to breath life, in-return, that will prompt Him to do the same.
God can unearth, or excavate your lost vision or dream.
God will allow the right associations. Those who will help you excavate/dig and unearth your own Ezekiel 37.
Begin to proclaim- “Those dry bones shall live!”
You speak, and God will work on your behalf.
Don't be ashamed of how God does it, it might not look like the way you would do it. -His ways are sometimes mysterious.
Give all the glory to God!
Benediction. “Father God, in Jesus name, unearth what’s been buried within, rebuild the ruins. Establish me new. Bring Holy Ghost resurrection within.”
