Ezekiel 37:7-14: a reflection

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.’”

In one of the most striking visions of the Bible, Ezekiel is set down in a valley full of dry bones, and told to prophesy over them. The people had said, Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are completely cut off. Their situation seemed dead, hopeless, beyond recovery. But as Ezekiel prophesies, the bones come together, flesh covers them, and the breath of God enters them, and they live, an exceedingly great army. What was utterly dead and hopeless, God brought to life; the dry bones lived again. Where the people saw only death and lost hope, God brought life and restoration.

Notice what God did with what was dead and hopeless: he brought it to life. The bones were dry, long dead, utterly beyond recovery by any human power; the people had given up all hope, saying they were cut off. But God brought the dead bones to life, restoring what seemed beyond restoration, breathing his own Spirit into them. What was hopeless to human eyes was not hopeless to God; where the people saw only death and despair, God brought life. God's power to give life is not limited by how dead or hopeless a thing seems; he can bring life to the driest bones, hope to the most hopeless situation. The deadness was not the last word; God's life-giving power was.

That is worth taking to heart, for God can bring life and hope to what seems dead and beyond hope. We can look at situations in our lives that seem utterly dead, hopeless, beyond recovery, and conclude, as the people did, that our hope is lost, that we are cut off; but God brought the dry bones to life, and his life-giving power is not limited by how hopeless a thing seems. What is dead to us is not beyond God's power to revive. When you face a situation that seems dead and beyond hope, do not conclude that hope is lost; God can bring life to the driest bones. Take hope that God can bring life and hope to what seems dead and beyond recovery, as he raised the dry bones to life and restored the hope of those who thought themselves cut off; for God's power to give life is not limited by how dead or hopeless a thing appears, and he can breathe life into the driest bones and hope into the most hopeless situation.

Lord, in one of the most striking visions of the Bible, Ezekiel is set down in a valley full of dry bones, and told to prophesy over them. The people had said, our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are completely cut off. Their situation seemed dead, hopeless, beyond recovery. But as Ezekiel prophesies, the bones come together, flesh covers them, and your breath enters them, and they live, an exceedingly great army. What was utterly dead and hopeless, you brought to life. Show me what you did with what was dead and hopeless: you brought it to life. The bones were dry, long dead, utterly beyond recovery by any human power; the people had given up all hope. But you brought the dead bones to life, restoring what seemed beyond restoration, breathing your own Spirit into them. What was hopeless to human eyes was not hopeless to you. Your power to give life is not limited by how dead or hopeless a thing seems. The deadness was not the last word; your life-giving power was. Take that to my heart, for you can bring life and hope to what seems dead and beyond hope. I can look at situations in my life that seem utterly dead, hopeless, beyond recovery, and conclude, as the people did, that my hope is lost; but you brought the dry bones to life. What is dead to me is not beyond your power to revive. When I face a situation that seems dead and beyond hope, keep me from concluding that hope is lost; you can bring life to the driest bones, Lord. Help me take hope that you can bring life to what seems dead and beyond recovery, as you raised the dry bones and restored the hope of those who thought themselves cut off.