Have you ever felt as though your hope was lost or your spirit was dry and lifeless?
In Ezekiel 37, God reveals His power to bring life to the dead and hope to the hopeless through the vision of the dry bones.
Key Verse: “Thus says the Lord God to these bones: ‘Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live.’” – Ezekiel 37:5 (NKJV)
Background Context: Ezekiel 37 presents one of the most powerful and vivid visions in the Bible—the valley of dry bones. God takes Ezekiel to a valley full of dry bones, symbolizing the hopelessness and despair of Israel. Through this vision, God demonstrates His power to restore life, not only to the nation of Israel but also to all who trust in His life-giving power.
(Summarized and continued after scripture)
Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones
1The hand of the LORD was upon me, and He brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; and it was full of bones. 2He caused me to pass among them round about, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley; and lo, they were very dry. 3He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord GOD, You know.” 4Again He said to me, “Prophesy over these bones and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.’ 5“Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones, ‘Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life. 6‘I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you that you may come alive; and you will know that I am the LORD.’”
7So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8And I looked, and behold, sinews were on them, and flesh grew and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them. 9Then He said to me, “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 come to life.”’” 10So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.
The Vision Explained
11Then 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 has perished. We are completely cut off.’ 12“Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “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“Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your graves, My people. 14“I will put My Spirit within you and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken and done it,” declares the LORD.’”
Reunion of Judah and Israel
15The word of the LORD came again to me saying, 16“And you, son of man, take for yourself one stick and write on it, ‘For Judah and for the sons of Israel, his companions’; then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and all the house of Israel, his companions.’ 17“Then join them for yourself one to another into one stick, that they may become one in your hand. 18“When the sons of your people speak to you saying, ‘Will you not declare to us what you mean by these?’ 19say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel, his companions; and I will put them with it, with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they will be one in My hand.”’ 20“The sticks on which you write will be in your hand before their eyes. 21“Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I will take the sons of Israel from among the nations where they have gone, and I will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; 22and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king will be king for all of them; and they will no longer be two nations and no longer be divided into two kingdoms. 23“They will no longer defile themselves with their idols, or with their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions; but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. And they will be My people, and I will be their God.
The Davidic Kingdom
24“My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd; and they will walk in My ordinances and keep My statutes and observe them. 25“They will live on the land that I gave to Jacob My servant, in which your fathers lived; and they will live on it, they, and their sons and their sons’ sons, forever; and David My servant will be their prince forever. 26“I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will place them and multiply them, and will set My sanctuary in their midst forever. 27“My dwelling place also will be with them; and I will be their God, and they will be My people. 28“And the nations will know that I am the LORD who sanctifies Israel, when My sanctuary is in their midst forever.”’”
Reflection on Ezekiel 37:
- The Valley of Dry Bones: Ezekiel is brought to a valley filled with dry, scattered bones, representing the house of Israel in a state of hopelessness and despair (Ezekiel 37:1-2). These bones are very dry, signifying that the people have been in a state of death and separation from life for a long time.
- The Question of Hope: God asks Ezekiel, “Son of man, can these bones live?” (Ezekiel 37:3). This question highlights the apparent impossibility of life returning to these bones, yet it invites Ezekiel—and us—to consider the power of God to do the impossible.
- The Word of the Lord: God instructs Ezekiel to prophesy to the bones, declaring that God will bring them back to life (Ezekiel 37:4-6). As Ezekiel obeys, the bones begin to come together, forming skeletons, then muscles and flesh appear, but there is still no breath in them (Ezekiel 37:7-8). This illustrates that even when things start to come together in our lives, true life comes only through God’s Spirit.
- The Breath of Life: God commands Ezekiel to prophesy to the breath, and the breath enters the bodies, bringing them to life (Ezekiel 37:9-10). This breath represents the Spirit of God, who brings life and revival to what was once dead. This powerful act symbolizes the restoration of Israel and the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit in our lives today.
- The Promise of Restoration: God declares that He will open the graves of His people and bring them into the land of Israel, promising to put His Spirit within them so they will live (Ezekiel 37:12-14). This promise of restoration is not only for Israel but for all who trust in God’s power to revive and restore.
Summary Key Points:
- God’s Power to Restore: The vision of the dry bones reminds us that no situation is too hopeless for God to restore and revive.
- The Importance of God’s Spirit: True life and revival come only through the Spirit of God, who breathes life into what is dead.
- Obedience and Faith: Ezekiel’s obedience to God’s commands demonstrates the importance of faith and trust in God’s promises, even when the situation seems impossible.
- Hope for the Hopeless: God’s promise to restore Israel reflects His desire to bring hope and life to all who feel lost or abandoned.
Application: Reflect on areas of your life where you feel dry or hopeless. Do you believe that God can breathe new life into those areas? Trust in His power to restore and revive, and invite His Spirit to bring life where there has been death. Just as God brought the dry bones to life, He can restore hope, joy, and purpose in your life. Be open to His Spirit, and have faith that He can do the impossible.
Closing Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your power to bring life to what was dead and hope to the hopeless. We ask that You breathe Your Spirit into the dry and lifeless areas of our lives, restoring us and reviving us for Your purposes. Help us to trust in Your power and to have faith that You can do the impossible. May we live in the fullness of life that comes from Your Spirit, bringing glory to Your name. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.
John Golda
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