Total Recall

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.”