Welcome back to afaithtalk.com, I’m so glad you’re here. Today we’re going to look at the first part of a very familiar and wonderful story and see what Jesus wants to show us today.
First, let’s pray.
Lord Jesus, I know this is the next thing You’re asking me to study so lead me, show me what to write, what to understand, what to share, what to add to my and my reader’s faith today. All for Your glory, Lord. Amen.
Ezekiel 37:1-7a
September 3, 2020
The Valley of Dry Bones
1 The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones.
We have to stop and break down this verse because there is so much in it to see. So let’s do this…
The hand of the Lord was on me
In this case, this is wonderful, as David knew…
2 Samuel 24:14
David said to Gad, “I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into human hands.”
Many other instance of those words also includes the word “against”
Let there be no doubt…
Joshua 4:24
“He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.”
He brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord
And set me in the middle of a valley;
Do you believe He can do anything, especially what we know He’s already done? Trust Him. Yes, He can.
Quite often in the Scriptures there is some kind of location change when the hand of the Lord is on a person. Thank Him for the Spirit He has given to be with us at all times.
Romans 5:5
And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
The middle of a valley… the Jezreel Valley, Megiddo, yep, that valley. You can read about it, it’s not our focus here.
Ezekiel 37:2-3
He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”
A question Ezekiel can’t answer, but I don’t think God asked it because he really meant for Ezekiel to know. I think He asked to converse and to reveal what He is going to do. After all, God is love and He loves relationship.
It was full of bones.
A lot of death takes place in the Jezreel valley. Perhaps that’s why in Greek the name is Armageddon. And it’s referenced for future battles in Revelation 16. Yet there’s a promise in verse 14 of this chapter that we’re not going to get to today. For now, we’re focusing on the Spirit and Obedience. Let’s return to Ezekiel 37.
Ezekiel 37:4-6
Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
Yes, God could have just done it himself, but he wanted Ezekiel to speak and watch to see what the words of the Lord through him would do.
What could happen if we would listen well enough to hear Him? I want to be so sold out to the Lord there is nothing He can’t do through and within me. Don’t you?
Ezekiel 37:7
So I prophesied as I was commanded.
In case it wasn’t obvious, because obedience never is obvious, I love this sentence. “He said ‘Prophesy’ … So I prophesied as I was commanded.” Oh is it ever a blessing to obey. Do what He tells you to do and you will see.