Lesson #14Reading: Ezekiel 37
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The Valley of Dry Bones Ezekiel was given a strange vision. It is recordedin Ezekiel chapter 37. There are three separate stages.
1. Ezekiel saw an open valley with an enormous number of very dry bones.
2. Ezekiel had to prophesy to these bones and, with a great noise, the bonescame together, until there were many complete skeletons. As Ezekiel continuedwatching, the bones became covered with muscles, flesh and skin. But theywere still dead bodies.
3. God now told Ezekiel to prophesy to the wind so that the bodies wouldbe filled with breath. Ezekiel did so, and as the breath entered them, sothey stood up - and were an ENORMOUS ARMY.
So, what is it all about? Ezekiel was told:
"Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold theysay, Our bones are dried and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts"(Ezekiel 37:11).
So Stage 1: Dry Bones MEANS Israel without hope (scattered throughout theworld and persecuted).
God continues to say in verse 12:
"Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to comeup out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel."
So Stage 2: Bones coming together and being given bodies MEANS God bringingback His scattered people to the land of Israel.
Lastly, referring to giving them breath, God said (verse 14):
"(I) shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live. and I shall placeyou in your own land: then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken itand performed it."
So Stage 3: Lifeless bodies are given breath MEANS God giving His Spiritto Israel so that they recognise He is in control.
Stage 1This has already taken place. Israel has been scatteredand in despair, fulfilling prophecies like Deuteronomy 28:65-67:
"And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall thesole of thy foot have rest: but the LORD shall give thee there a tremblingheart and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind: and thy life shall hang indoubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have noneassurance of thy life: in the morning thou shalt say, Would God it wereeven! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning! for the fearof thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyeswhich thou shalt see."
Stage 2It is only recently that the people of Israel havebeen going back to their land. In 1917 the Balfour Declaration was signed.This was a promise that the British would make the land of Palestine (nowcalled Israel) a national home for the Jews.
When Hitler came to power in Germany he set out to destroy all Jews andover 6 million were killed in terrible circumstances. Because of their sufferingsthey were filled with a great longing to go back to Israel and to have acountry of their own where they would be free from persecution.
In 1948, after fierce battles, Israel declared itself a nation. Againstall the odds, Israel has survived. Why? Because God said they would - rememberverse 12 of Ezekiel 37!
Also Jeremiah prophesied this:
"For I am with thee saith the Lord, to save thee: though I make a fullend of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make afull end of thee ... " (Jeremiah 30:11)
"He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherddoth his flock. For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him fromthe hand of him that was stronger than he." (Jeremiah 31:10-11)
So stage 2 is being fulfilled now, this century!
What about that third stage?Does the nation of Israel recognise that God isin control? Sadly, no. The time will come, though, when the nation of Israelwill have a change of heart. Zechariah chapter 14 shows us why! Read verses1 to 4.
The time is coming when all nations will be gathered against Israel. Fromwhat is happening in the world today this cannot be far away.
Just when everything seems hopeless for Israel a wonderful thing will happen.Zechariah 14:3 says:
"Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, aswhen He fought in the day of battle."
The next verse shows us how God will help them - He will send Jesus back!
"And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives ..."
Just imagine how the Jews will feel when they realise what has happened.Jesus Christ, whom they crucified, has come back from heaven, and savedthem! At last they will recognise and accept him. It is the prophet Zechariahwho again tells us:
"... they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shallmourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son" (12:10).
So Israel have to change. They have to recognise their own sin as a nationin putting Jesus to death and accept him back as their leader. Ezekiel chapter37 also mentions the fact that "Israel will be cleansed" (verse23). Look at Ezekiel chapter 36, where the same message is given.
Stage 1 Israel scattered and punished for their wickedness (Ezekiel 36:16-20)
Stage 2 God regathers Israel (Ezekiel 36:21-24)
Stage 3 Israel is changed (Ezekiel 36:25-28)
Establishing God's Kingdomon earth againAfter the Jews have repented, Jesus will reignfrom Jerusalem. When Jesus is King and God's laws are in the earth, it willbe a different world. But how will this time of peace be brought about?
All through human history, nations have gone their own ways. They have pleasedthemselves and ignored God. They still do! When the Lord Jesus Christ isestablished in Jerusalem, he will command all nations to "fear God,and give glory to him" (as Revelation 14:7 says). Those nations whichaccept the Lord will be richly blessed in His Kingdom.
But the Lord Jesus Christ will have the power to punish any nation thatrebels against him. Zechariah chapter 14 tells us that any nation whichrefuses to go up to Jerusalem to worship once a year will have no rain.And if a nation, like Egypt, which normally has very little rain, refusesto obey, they will be smitten by a plague.
So it will be a time of peace and happiness for the whole world. There aremany beautiful pictures of this time in the Bible. One of them is givento us in Isaiah 11:6,9:
"The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall liedown with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together;and a little child shall lead them ... They shall not hurt nor destroy inall my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of theLord, as the waters cover the sea."
Do not forget the Kingdom is not just for the people of Israel. Gentiles(non-Jews) can also have a place in that Kingdom, by God's grace, if theyaccept Jesus and follow in his footsteps.
When the Apostle Paul was writing to the Romans, who were Gentiles, he usedthe picture of an olive tree to show that Gentiles can join in that whichhas been promised to the Jews.
Read about it for yourself in Romans 11 (especially verses 13-25) and notethe warnings which he gives!
Chapters to read: Ezekiel 36; Zechariah 14; Romans 11
A verse to learn: Psalm 72:8
"He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river untothe ends of the earth."