Ezekiel 37:1-14 NLT
37 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.
11 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 WORD OF GOD FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD.
SERMON:
First we have to understand what these “dry bones” are.
37:11“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.’
Israel had left God so many times and through this leaving God, his teaching and not living what they knew was right they got into trouble over and over and over with God. Israel let God take a back seat to all that they did. They worshiped things instead of the True God.
Now they are in captivity in a foreign country. They see their life in desperation with NO HOPE.
This "No Hope" means they didn't have God in their life anymore. Therefore, all is lost to them in so many ways. And they know it.
Ezekiel had preached to the Dry Bones as God had told him and saw a miracle. Now their bodies were all together in his vision but they were just there - not living. Something had to be done to bring them back to life.
God Said: “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.
What preaching by itself failed to achieve, prayer and the power of the Holy Spirit made it all a reality.” (Taylor)
*“When you have done your best, and have failed to get results, prophesy to the Spirit; cry to the four winds, because He may come in the icy north wind of tribulation, or the warm west wind of prosperity; but speak with the certain assurance of, ‘Thus saith the Lord God: Come!’” (Meyer)
“There is no hope for humanity in man (only God can save us). But these dry bones can live. By the Word, and by the Spirit of God, people can be reborn; and at last healed of their separations (from our heavenly Father), and united under one King.” (Morgan)
Men, Women and all humanity along and our “Decayed Churches can most certainly be revived by the preaching of the Word, accompanied by the coming of the heavenly ‘breath’ from the four winds. O Lord, send us such revivals now, for many of thy Churches need them.” (Spurgeon)
OH GOD we call upon the four winds, O breath, and breathe on us you mighty words and your Holy Spirit so we can be about our Fathers work!
