Category: Exile
Scriptures:
Ezekiel 37:1-37:14
Ezekiel 37:1-37:14
1 Yahweh’s hand was on me, and he brought me out in Yahweh’s Spirit, and set me down in the middle of the valley; and it was full of bones.
2 He caused me to pass by them all around: and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and behold, they were very dry.
3 He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I answered, “Lord Yahweh, you know.”
4 Again he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and tell them, ‘You dry bones, hear Yahweh’s word.
5 Thus says the Lord Yahweh to these bones: “Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and you will live.
6 I will lay sinews on you, and will bring up flesh on you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you will live. Then you will know that I am Yahweh.”’”
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. As I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, there was an earthquake. Then the bones came together, bone to its bone.
8 I saw, and, behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh came up, and skin covered them above; but there was no breath in them.
9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the wind, prophesy, son of man, and tell the wind, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “Come from the four winds, breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.”’”
10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up on their feet, an exceedingly great army.
11 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost. We are completely cut off.’
12 Therefore prophesy, and tell them, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “Behold, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, my people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel.
13 You will know that I am Yahweh, when I have opened your graves, and caused you to come up out of your graves, my people.
14 I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live. Then I will place you in your own land; and you will know that I, Yahweh, have spoken it and performed it,” says Yahweh.’”
Commentary
Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones (Ezekiel 37:1–14) came to him after God had directed him to prophesy the rebirth of Israel. God announced that Israel would be restored to her land in blessing under the leadership of “David, My servant [who] shall be king over them” (Ezekiel 37:24), clearly a reference to the future under Jesus Christ the Messiah, descendant of David (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6–7; Luke 1:31–33). Such a promise seemed impossible because of Israel’s condition at the time, having been deprived of her land, her king, and her temple. Israel had been divided and dispersed for so long that restoration seemed impossible.
God transported Ezekiel, (possibly in a vision), to a valley full of dry bones and told him to speak to the bones, telling them that God would make breath enter the bones and they would come to life, ( as in Genesis 2:7). Ezekiel obeyed, the bones came together, flesh developed, skin covered the flesh, breath entered the bodies, and they stood up in a vast army. This represented the whole nation of Israel that was then in captivity. Like unburied skeletons, the people were in a state of living death, and thought they were cut off forever.
The quickening of the dry bones signified God’s plan for Israel’s future restoration, and also showed that Israel’s new life depended on God’s power and not the circumstances. Putting “breath” by God’s Spirit into the bones showed that God would not only restore them physically but also spiritually. The Israelis living in the Holy Land today are not yet the fulfillment of this prophecy, but it will be fulfilled when God gathers believing Israelites to the land (Jeremiah 31:33; 33:14–16) and Christ returns to establish His Kingdom (Matthew 24:30–31).