Biblical Text: Ezekiel 37:1-10
This is one of the most familiar texts in the Black Church. Pastors and preachers across the country have preached and re-preached from this chosen text. So there isn’t much else we can teach you on the subject of Ezekiel and the dry bones, right? WRONG.
I’m sure you’re already familiar with the historical setting, but let me paint the picture for a refresher. At this time in history, both Israel and Judah were ruined politically, Assyria had scattered Israel, and Judah had been captured by Babylon. Just the way you remembered it, right?
Both Isaiah and Jeremiah predicted a return from captivity, but Ezekiel’s vision takes us further…beyond the years of captivity to a time when the dead nation would come alive again. In the vision, Ezekiel saw many dry bones in the open valley. Imagine bones bleached white by the burning sun, lying right where the unfortunate solider had succumbed to the intensity of the dessert climate. It was the picture of utter defeat, with the bones of armies drying and unburied. What a vivid description of the Jewish people at this time in their history. But through the power of God’s Word, the bones were reassembled to form men; and through the power of the Holy Spirit in the form of the wind, life was breathed into them once again!
Ezekiel’s vision reveals the future revival of the Jewish nation when men will be brought up out of the graves of the Gentile nations where they have been scattered. From a political standpoint, this took place on May 14, 1948, when the modern nation of Israel entered into the family of nations again. Of course, the Jews remain spiritually dead; but one day when Christ returns, the nation of Israel will be reborn in a day and be saved.
Now, I know that all you bible scholars knew all this already, and I thank you for allowing me to rehash the familiar, but here’s an observation that might cause you to sit up and take notice.
Just as we see the destructive force of sin in the vision of Isaiah, we see deterioration in our homes and churches because of the neglect of God’s truth.
For instance: Where do children get their sense of values?
1 When you give your child a dime for the offering plate and a dollar for cokes, candy, ice cream, etc., you are revealing your sense of values to your child.
2 When you insist that your child do his public school homework, but complain if the church sends home some Bible reading and memory work, you are showing your sense of values to your child.
3 When you stay home to putter around the house instead of going to Sunday School and Church, you are showing your sense of values to your child.
4 When you put sports and pleasure events ahead of your duties and responsibilities to the church, you are showing your sense of values to your child.
5 When you allow your child to stay up late and watch TV, or stay out late for sports or pleasure event, but never encourage, no! …REQUIRE them to attend youth meetings at the church, you are showing your sense of values to your child.
6 When you insist that your child go to public school, but not to Sunday School and church, you are showing your values to your child.
Maybe it’s time to resurrect our own dry bones!
God has always been concerned for the spiritual well being of mankind, regardless of our disobedience and lack of trust. Isn’t it a shame that we have allowed ourselves to digress to such a pitiful spiritual state?
Ezekiel saw the most tragic scene, but we actually experience it. For Ezekiel it was a most heartbreaking picture – a valley full of bones where there once had been life and activity, and now there was nothing. But that scene is no more tragic than what we see today, even in our churches.
Ezekiel’s heart bled for his people. Christ’s heart bleeds for us as we look at our churches filled with dry bones. Sure, we function physically, but many are as dead spiritually as Ezekiel’s dry bones. Ezekiel desired to do something about his dry bones, but he was powerless. Ezekiel had to wait upon the Lord and His power. We, too, are powerless, but if we allow God to work through us, we can see life again in our valleys.
What good are dry bones to the cause of Christ? The spiritually alive sometimes become discouraged like Ezekiel, when it seems as though they are facing impossible odds, but the Lord says, “No! Stay right where you are. We’re going to do a work here together”.
I have known godly Christians who fell prey to sin in their lives, and never recovered. Maybe it was guilt, maybe it was feelings of failure, maybe it was the belief that they had besmirched the name of Christ and could therefore no longer live openly for Him...whatever their reasons, and they quit serving. Unfortunately, many believe it will never happen to them. But it can, if we become separated from our source of spiritual supply.
In 1982, "ABC Evening News" reported on an unusual work of modern art--a chair affixed to a shotgun. It was to be viewed by sitting in the chair and looking directly into the gun barrel. The gun was loaded and set on a timer to fire at an undetermined moment within the next hundred years. The amazing thing was that people waited in line to sit and stare into the shell’s path! They all knew the gun could go off at point-blank range at any moment, but they were gambling that the fatal blast wouldn’t happen during their minute in the chair. Yes, it was foolhardy, yet many people who wouldn’t dream of sitting in that chair live a lifetime gambling that they can get away with sin. Foolishly they ignore the risk until the inevitable self-destruction.
There is a valley of dry bones in the Christian life. It’s a dry place devoid of joy.
It’s a dead place devoid of fruit. It’s a dangerous place, and no Christian should remain there.
Lifeless bones can never bring glory to God.
Something must be done.
God’s people…those who are called by His name…must humble themselves…and seek His face…and turn from their wicked ways. Then and only then will the Lord hear from heaven and heal our land.
It’s time to be re-activated.
It’s time for the dry bones of the universal Christian church to live.
It’s time to reconnect with the source of our supply.
It’s time for a resurgence of our witness.
It’s time for a rebirth of our joy.
“O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!”
Ezekiel teaches us today that though the preaching of Jesus seems as foolishness to the world, is to be the means of the world’s awakening. Ezekiel’s declaration – O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!” teaches us that when we are obedient to God’s command to share the Word, God’s people shall yet stand up, and be an exceeding great army.
Ezekiel did as the Lord commanded. Will you? Will you preach to a valley of dry bones?…perhaps the dry bones in your family…or the dry bones in your office…or the dry bones in the mirror?
If those dry bones in the mirror are you, don’t despair. There is hope. Revival is on its way. ..the joy of your salvation can return unto you.
Revive us Oh Lord; cleanse us from our impurities, and make us holy!
Hear our cry, and revive us, Oh Lord!
