Ezekiel 37:1-3
After reading chapter 36 and seeing the reversal of the judgment and God bringing Israel back, you might conclude that 'it would be as if they were brought back from the dead.' Chapter 37 is a vision that serves as another way of looking at this future for Israel. Ezekiel was brought 'in the Spirit', which indicates he entered some trance state we can't explain. The point we can understand is he didn't physically go anywhere. He was 'brought out' and 'set down' in a valley. The Hebrew indicates a broad, flat valley. Ezekiel apparently did a kind of flyover to see all it's size, breadth and content. It was many bones and they were very dry.
- They were out in the open, like a battle where no one was left to bury the dead.
- The valley is a picture of desolation and devastation.
- Bones (the dead) out in the open defiled the land.
- This was a hopeless sight.
- It was a lifeless sight.
God asked Ezekiel if these bones could live. Ezekiel knew of the prophets and their experiences of raising the dead. But those were all stories of people who had just died. How could life be restored in these bones? This would be a full on resurrection, only God could do such a thing.
Some believe this valley is the valley by the river Chebar spoken of as a 'plain' in Ezekiel 3:22.
Ezekiel 37:4-10
Ezekiel was to prophesy over this mess. It was lifeless, hopeless; it would feel like a wasted effort. It's in obedience that he prophesies as directed. The breath God would cause to enter them was the 'ruach' breath of life; thought to be the animating force of a living being. The bones were not just animated, which would be kind of freaky, but they were recreated with musculature and flesh.
As he prophesied, Ezekiel heard the rattle of bones come together. He saw the sinews and flesh restores and skin cover them. At first there was no breath, no animation. Then he prophesied for the breath to come and it did. They lived and were an exceedingly great army.
Ezekiel 37:11-14
The bones are all of Israel. They were defeated, many killed, many exiled and others scattered. Very few were left in the land. The collective idea and tone of the words of Israel is that of this great army. They had become dead and lifeless bones. They had lost all hope. However, this is when God does some of His best work. Ezekiel was to prophesy life to them. The nation would be resurrected; the land once again populated. God would breath His Spirit in them. This is the life animating ruach. He promised them they would be restored into the land.
The people in the valley with Ezekiel, in exile, in the valley there are the bones of the nation. With Jerusalem fallen, they were without hope, their life gone. This vision was to restore their sense of remaining a nation to be resurrected again and returned to the land.
On May 14, 1948 the nation was reborn. Since then, the Jews continue to come home. This is the beginning of the fulfilment of these chapters.
Ezekiel 37:15-20
Ezekiel symbolizes the unifying of the nation by using two separate sticks and symbolically joining them to become one. The one stick is Judah, the southern kingdom while the other is Israel, the northern kingdom. They had been separated since the death of Solomon. The stick would 'become one in your hand'. Ezekiel's hand portrays the hand of God who would bring them together.
Ezekiel 37:21-23
Not only would the nation be unified in the coming days. The Lord promised to gather them up, bring them home and make them one. The unification was not as much boundaries and geography as the rejoining of the tribes as one people under their God. In coming home, they would be different from when they left. They would no longer defile themselves with idols, detestable things or other transgressions. The idols were false gods, demons of which they worshiped when they bowed to idols. The worship of these false gods led them to other things the Lord found detestable. The Lord would deliver, cleanse, make them His people and He would be their God.
Ezekiel 37:24-28
In chapter 34 we saw that there were many irresponsible shepherds in Israel. They were chastened for this. In the day to come, the Son of David, the messiah would come and rule righteously and justly. He would be their shepherd, care for them, provide for them and keep them safe. The Shepherd Jesus is a stark contrast to sinful men attempting to shepherd themselves. Linked to Shepherd Jesus is dwelling in the land and dwelling in peace. This is covenant language and this peace and dwelling would be forever. The Sanctuary of God would be in the midst of the people. The tabernacle of God would be in their midst. In this day, the millennial kingdom, all the nations would know the Lord sanctifies Israel and dwells there. Forever!
©2020 Doug Ford
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