Looked at, from every vantage, a bleaker scene could not have been located anywhere on earth. Was this carnage from an ancient battle? Did barbarian invaders massacre an entire nation? Only remnants of what was once life remained, laying dry and bleached white in the unrelenting glare of the sun. Bones in themselves speak of death, but these bones conveyed far more. Not mere bones, but dry bones, in fact, the prophet writes they were very dry bones. By His Spirit the Lord brought Ezekiel, placed him in the middle of this valley full of bones and explained, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel (Eze 37:11) and asked, Son of man, can these bones live (Eze 37:3)? By Ezekiel’s response, it appears even he remained uncertain of hope for his people in their current situation. O Sovereign LORD, you alone know.
Ezekiel, born and raised in Judah, along with the rest of the nation fell under God’s judgment through Nebuchadnezzar because of their sins. The King relocated the people to Babylon as captives leaving them with no hope of ever seeing their homeland again. There Ezekiel, a priest, continued ministering to the people who believed no way of escaping their plight would ever exist. The Psalmist described their despondency. By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion. Upon the willows in the midst of it we hung our harps. How can we sing the LORD’S song in a foreign land? (Ps 137:1, 2, 4)
In this valley of dry bones, God affirmed to the prophet His power to bring life back to the deadest of dead circumstances. The Lord command Ezekiel to prophecy life and breath into the very dry bones. Then he watched the Lord draw the scattered bones together, make tendons appear, flesh and skin grow, and then saw breath bring life. A vast living army stood to their feet. The message of hope for Israel, I will put My Spirit in you, and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land (v14).
This lesson teaches us today of God’s character, His love, His willingness to forgive and His ability to restore us from the worst of situations. What do you see when you look at your life?—a green pasture, a fruitful garden, or a valley of very dry bones screaming hopeless. Do you hear Satan mocking “Might as well give up. Nothing God can do about this one. Your troubles are worse than death.” Or, do you hear the whisper of the Holy Spirit, “These bones will live again.” With Christ, no hopeless situation exists; only people who have grown hopeless about their condition, their marriage, their children, their finances, or sin in their life. Christ can also change that.
You might be saying, “The best doctors told me, ‘no known treatment.’” A woman hemorrhaged twelve years suffering under doctors’ treatments but they found no cure. The bills drained her finances. Then she came to Jesus and touched the tassel of His robe, and God’s power healed her. You might be saying, “My young child is suffering terribly. Something torments him and nothing has helped.” A father brought his troubled son to Jesus after the disciples could not cure him. Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, cured the boy, and gave him back to his father. Or you say, “Our daughter is out of control; she mutilates herself; and she does whatever she pleases.” A demoniac lived in the tombs, people tried restraining him, but he snapped any chain or shackle. Day and night, he shrieked out in his torment. Then Jesus stopped by, cast out the unclean spirit, and when residents came to see Jesus, they also saw the former wild man sitting, dressed and in his right mind, listening to Jesus.
“Well for me, it’s too late. Maybe, last week things could have been different.” Four days after Lazarus died and the funeral director sealed the tomb, Jesus arrived. Note what He did not say, “Oh! I’m so sorry I’m too late.” Instead, where have you laid him. . . Remove the stone. . . Lazarus, come forth. For Christ, the clock or calendar never reaches past His help. No life ever becomes so damaged it is beyond God’s ability. No situation is too far-gone, for which He cannot bring structure and life—like scattered very dry bones coming together. Jesus demonstrated no less than 37 times in the Gospels His power to resolve any circumstance.
“Ok, but that was for then! Jesus doesn’t work this way now.” My question to you—“Who says?” God’s word declared Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Heb 13:8). Maybe your situation appears as the deadest of dead and you have slipped into state of hopelessness. Ask yourself, in what or whom I am hoping—your abilities, your parents, a lottery ticket, a friend, or even your pastor. In impossible situations, only hope in God brings change. God waits to work in your situation. Put your hope in Him.
Sustaining Word for the Week: The Lord told Ezekiel to prophecy to the dead bones. Now because of Christ’s finished work, you can take your harp off the willows, begin praising Christ, and watch God restore life to your deadest of dead circumstances.