“Dry Bones”
A “Stand-Alone” Message for the final day of 2023
The hand of the Lord was upon me, and He brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; and it was full of bones. 2 He had me pass among them all around, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley; and behold, they were very dry. 3 Then He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “Lord God, You Yourself know.” 4 Again He said to me, “Prophesy over these bones and say to them, ‘You dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.’5 This is what the Lord God says to these bones: ‘Behold, I am going to make breath enter you so that you may come to life. 6 And I will attach tendons to you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin, and put breath in you so that you may come to life; and you will know that I am the Lord.’” 7 So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a loud noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 And I looked, and behold, tendons were on them, and flesh grew and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them. 9 Then He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘The Lord God says this: “Come from the four winds, breath, and breathe on these slain, so that they come to life.”’” 10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath entered them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army. 11 Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the entire house of Israel; behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope has perished. We are completely cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “Behold, I am going to 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. 13 Then you 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. 14 And I will put My Spirit within you and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken and done it,” declares the Lord.’” – Ezekiel 37:1-14 (NASB)
The BIG Idea:
God gives Ezekiel a message of forgiveness for those in Israel who will repent and reconcile to God. Although Israel had made a choice to not be faithful to God, God chose to be faithful to Israel. We serve a faithful, loving God who gives us many opportunities to follow God but allows us to choose for ourselves. In the end, the consequences of our choices are based of God’s goodness to us in the gift of free will. God will breathe new life into those who choose to follow God in this temporary life.
Israel was in a tough spot around 585 BCE.
Discouragement and disobedience to God will leave life dry.
ILLUSTRATION: 20th century Philosopher and Atheist Bertrand Russell
“I have nothing to hang onto but grim, unyielding despair.” – Bertrand Russell (1872-1970)
“Hopelessness” means “to have no hope.”
“HOPE” is defined in God’s Word as “The desire and search for a future good, difficult but not impossible to attain with God’s help.”
God’s people were distracted.
There is ALWAYS Hope for those who listen to and obey God’s Word.
Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living person. – Genesis 2:7 (NASB)
If we want to know the truth of a situation, we must acknowledge that it is better to get God’s view of it rather than our own.
Without the salvation of the Lord, there will NOT be any survivors.
Living without being connected to God is like being in a desolate desert.
For one who finds Me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord. – Proverbs 8:35 (NASB)
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; the one who believes in Me will live, even if he dies.” - John 11:25 (NASB)
Jesus said to him, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.” – John 14:6 (NASB)
We are reliant upon the righteousness of Jesus Christ and His life, death, and resurrection to save us.
What are your “dry bones?”
Ezekiel knew that Israel had to face the situation squarely.
Israel had to realize that they were not spectators of life.
Israel had to be filled with the fresh breath of God once again.
Although the Hebrews had been faithless, God remained faithful!
Dry Bones come alive when we:
No weapon that is formed against you will succeed; and you will condemn every tongue that accuses you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their vindication is from Me,” declares the Lord. – Isaiah 54:17 (NASB)
Questions for Reflection
Read Ezekiel 37:1–14. As you read, try to picture what Ezekiel is seeing. How does Scripture paint the scene? As you read it, what are your feelings?
Why is God’s question in 37:3 so important? Why do you sense it would have been important for Ezekiel to speak over the bones? How about breathing into them?
Read Ezekiel 37:15–28. In what ways do these verses speak to God’s desire to restore all of Israel to her proper standing? Do you find this strange, given the way the book of Ezekiel has expressed God’s anger with the Israelites? Why or why not?
How does God’s willingness to restore Israel even though she has abandoned God speak to the way God has restored believers to God’s self through Jesus Christ?
How might this passage encourage you to not become overwhelmed by fear or doubt?
How might it encourage you to try to see other members of the body of Christ as your family in Christ?
How does God’s Word share with us that “Dry Bones” come alive in our daily life?
The BIG Idea:
God gives Ezekiel a message of forgiveness for those in Israel who will repent and reconcile to God. Although Israel had made a choice to not be faithful to God, God chose to be faithful to Israel. We serve a faithful, loving God who gives us many opportunities to follow God but allows us to choose for ourselves. In the end, the consequences of our choices are based of God’s goodness to us in the gift of free will. God will breathe new life into those who choose to follow God in this temporary life.
Israel was in a tough spot around 585 BCE.
- The people of Israel were merely existing in Babylonian captivity.
Discouragement and disobedience to God will leave life dry.
ILLUSTRATION: 20th century Philosopher and Atheist Bertrand Russell
“I have nothing to hang onto but grim, unyielding despair.” – Bertrand Russell (1872-1970)
“Hopelessness” means “to have no hope.”
“HOPE” is defined in God’s Word as “The desire and search for a future good, difficult but not impossible to attain with God’s help.”
God’s people were distracted.
There is ALWAYS Hope for those who listen to and obey God’s Word.
Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living person. – Genesis 2:7 (NASB)
If we want to know the truth of a situation, we must acknowledge that it is better to get God’s view of it rather than our own.
Without the salvation of the Lord, there will NOT be any survivors.
Living without being connected to God is like being in a desolate desert.
For one who finds Me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord. – Proverbs 8:35 (NASB)
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; the one who believes in Me will live, even if he dies.” - John 11:25 (NASB)
Jesus said to him, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.” – John 14:6 (NASB)
We are reliant upon the righteousness of Jesus Christ and His life, death, and resurrection to save us.
What are your “dry bones?”
Ezekiel knew that Israel had to face the situation squarely.
Israel had to realize that they were not spectators of life.
Israel had to be filled with the fresh breath of God once again.
Although the Hebrews had been faithless, God remained faithful!
Dry Bones come alive when we:
- Admit our situation is hopeless without God.
- Understand we cannot reconcile ourselves to God without Jesus.
- Receive God’s gift of salvation.
- Be filled with God’s gift of the Holy Spirit to guide us daily.
No weapon that is formed against you will succeed; and you will condemn every tongue that accuses you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their vindication is from Me,” declares the Lord. – Isaiah 54:17 (NASB)
- Live out the faithful promises of God.
Questions for Reflection
Read Ezekiel 37:1–14. As you read, try to picture what Ezekiel is seeing. How does Scripture paint the scene? As you read it, what are your feelings?
Why is God’s question in 37:3 so important? Why do you sense it would have been important for Ezekiel to speak over the bones? How about breathing into them?
Read Ezekiel 37:15–28. In what ways do these verses speak to God’s desire to restore all of Israel to her proper standing? Do you find this strange, given the way the book of Ezekiel has expressed God’s anger with the Israelites? Why or why not?
How does God’s willingness to restore Israel even though she has abandoned God speak to the way God has restored believers to God’s self through Jesus Christ?
How might this passage encourage you to not become overwhelmed by fear or doubt?
How might it encourage you to try to see other members of the body of Christ as your family in Christ?
How does God’s Word share with us that “Dry Bones” come alive in our daily life?