Context No. 2744 of 4322 · Ezekiel

Ezekiel 37:7-14: in context

7So 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. 8I saw, and, behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh came up, and skin covered them above; but there was no breath in them. 9Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the wind, prophesy, son of man, and tell the wind, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Come from the four winds, breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.”’” 10So 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. 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 is lost. We are completely cut off.’ 12Therefore prophesy, and tell them, ‘The Lord GOD says: “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. 13You 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. 14I 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, the LORD, have spoken it and performed it,” says the LORD.’”

This is the vision of the valley of dry bones. Ezekiel prophesies as commanded, and with a rattling noise the bones come together, bone to bone, sinew and flesh and skin covering them. Yet there is no breath in them until he calls to the wind, and then the breath enters, and they stand up, a vast army on their feet.

God explains the vision exactly to the despair it answers. These bones are the whole house of Israel, who say, our bones are dried up, our hope is lost, we are cut off. To that flat hopelessness God does not offer encouragement; he offers resurrection. I will open your graves, put my Spirit in you, and you will live. And notice the two stages: the body is reassembled, but it is still a corpse until God's own breath enters. Restored circumstances without God's Spirit are only tidy death.

Where have I decided that something in me is too dead for God, and does his promise to breathe on dry bones reach even there?

Sources

Ezekiel 37:11: "Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost. We are completely cut off."
John 11:25: "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will still live, even if he dies."
Romans 8:11: "He... will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you."