Submitted by Lara
Cook
And he said to me, “Son of man, can these
bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these
bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones:
Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.” Ezekiel 37:3-5
Israel was in ruins.
Their enemy, Babylon, had defeated the nation and there was nothing left
of the army but a valley of dry bones, with survivors in captivity. Ezekiel wanted to see revival in the land but
the people wanted no part of repentance.
God gave Ezekiel a vision so he would know that revival would one day
come to Israel. This vision seemed impossible at this point in Israel’s history
because of her present condition: dead, both physically and spiritually. Ezekiel
was given the vision of dry bones as a sign.
The verses above tell the story of Ezekiel’s vision that
came to him when God took him to the valley of dry bones. This vision was symbolic of Israel being
restored through the leadership of David as king. In his vision, Ezekiel found himself in a
valley full of dry bones, where God told him to speak to the bones. He was
asked to tell the bones that God would breathe life into them and they would
come to life.
First the bones came together, then muscle and flesh. But the bodies were not alive until God
breathed His spirit into each one and they were revived. This act symbolized God’s plan to restore
Israel and showed that Israel’s revival solely depended on God’s power alone.
Without the breath of His spirit they were still dead.
There are so many days that I feel like a broken heap of dry
bones with a dead heart. The enemy is so
good at making us feel defeated and hopeless.
Those are the times that I can do nothing in my power but wait – wait
for the breath of the Holy Spirit to breathe life and renewal into my heart and
soul. Only by His life-giving power can
restoration, healing, and renewal come.
When we lay in a heap of sin and transgressions, bitterness, anger, etc…
He comes to us with hope. Because of
Him, we can have hope when revival seems impossible.
I am thankful that God is able to resurrect my dry bones and
dead heart the way He did in Ezekiel’s vision.
He can revive us when we are dead in sin or just plain defeated by the
enemy. Just when there is no hope and no end in sight, we can be assured that
the breath of God will come to us like a sweet cool breeze, flowing over us and
through us, to bring us back to life.
Scripture to Claim:
I will put my Spirit in you and you will live,
and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have
spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.
Ezekiel 37:14