Dry Bones Will Be Revived (Ezekiel 37:1-6)

Dry Bones Will Be Revived (Ezekiel 37:1-6)

 

1. 여호와께서 권능으로 내게 임재하시고 그의 영으로 나를 데리고 가서 골짜기 가운데 두셨는데 거기 뼈가 가득하더라

1 The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones.

 

2. 나를 그 뼈 사방으로 지나가게 하시기로 본즉 그 골짜기 지면에 뼈가 심히 많고 아주 말랐더라

2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry.

 

3. 그가 내게 이르시되 인자야 이 뼈들이 능히 살 수 있겠느냐 하시기로 내가 대답하되 주 여호와여 주께서 아시나이다

3 He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”

 

4. 또 내게 이르시되 너는 이 모든 뼈에게 대언하여 이르기를 너희 마른 뼈들아 여호와의 말씀을 들을지어다

4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!

 

5. 주 여호와께서 이 뼈들에게 이같이 말씀하시기를 내가 생기를 너희에게 들어가게 하리니 너희가 살아나리라

5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.

 

6. 너희 위에 힘줄을 두고 살을 입히고 가죽으로 덮고 너희 속에 생기를 넣으리니 너희가 살아나리라 또 내가 여호와인 줄 너희가 알리라 하셨다 하라

6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”

 

 

1. Here is a funny story: An old grandpa from the countryside visited a shopping mall with his grandson for the first time in his life. He stood in front of an elevator, and looked around him in wonder. Just then, the elevator doors opened and an elderly woman stepped inside. A few moments later, the elevator doors opened again and out stepped and pretty young lady.

 

Seeing this, the grandpa was thoroughly shocked and grabbed his grandson’s arm and hurried toward his wife. Taken aback, the grandson inquired, “Grandpa! What’s wrong? What’s going on?” The grandpa urgently replied, “We need to find your grandma and put her in the machine too!” He had thought that the elevator was a machine that made old women young again.

 

2. Of course such a machine could never exist. However, today’s scripture tells us that bones that have been dead for decades, dried out, and brittle, can be brought back to life. This is even more impossible. Yet, the Lord said it, making it a symbolic prophesy.

 

God gave this word to Ezekiel when Israel and Judah had been defeated by Babylon and were living as prisoners, stripped of all their wealth and rights.

 

3. When Israel was obedient and worshipped the Lord, the nation was powerful, unwavering, and victorious against any enemy that threatened it. But when arrogance and idolatry took God’s place, Israel was run over and then taken over (586 BC). Israel’s revival was an impossible dream.

 

Israel had suffered abuse, hunger, and pain when God delivered this message of hope to Ezekiel.

 

A) The Vision of the Valley of Bones

 

1. In today’s scripture, God takes Ezekiel to a valley filled with the dried bones of people who died decades ago. God then asks Ezekiel, “Do you think these bones can live again?” Ezekiel doesn’t give a straight answer and merely replies, “Only you know, Lord.”

 

To this, God replies in verse 5 and 6, “I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”

 

Verses 7 through 10 continue:

 

“7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone.

8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them 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 it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’”

10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.”

 

2. From verse 11, God explains the meaning behind this miracle:

 

11 Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’

12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel.

13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them.

14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’”

 

This prophesy came true 70 years after Israel’s fall. The Persian empire defeats Babylon, and King Cyrus declares Israel’s freedom and allows them to return home. This miraculous moment is described in the book of Ezra chapter 1 as well as in history books.

 

B) The Promise of Unification and Revival

 

1. In the verses we read above, God proclaims that Israel, dead like the dry bones in the valley, will receive God’s breath, revive as a great army, and live again as a powerful nation.

 

The chapter continues with even more interesting prophesies. In verses 15 and 17, God promises that Israel will never again live as a nation divided into the north and south:

 

“15 The word of the Lord came to me:

16 “Son of man, take a stick of wood and write on it, ‘Belonging to Judah and the Israelites associated with him.’ Then take another stick of wood, and write on it, ‘Belonging to Joseph (that is, to Ephraim) and all the Israelites associated with him.’

17 Join them together into one stick so that they will become one in your hand.”

 

This prophesy has been fulfilled and has remained unchanged for the past 2400 years. Since their liberation, Israel has never been divided. We pray that the same happens for Korea soon.

 

C) The Eternal Reign of the New King David

 

1. Verses 22 through 25 are even more exciting:

 

22 I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. There will be one king over all of them and they will never again be two nations or be divided into two kingdoms.

23 They will no longer defile themselves with their idols and vile images or with any of their offenses, for I will save them from all their sinful backsliding, and I will cleanse them. They will be my people, and I will be their God.

24 “‘My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees.

25 They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where your ancestors lived. They and their children and their children’s children will live there forever, and David my servant will be their prince forever.

 

God proclaims that there will be a new king, David, and he will reign forever. It is crucial to note that when this prophesy was made, King David had already been dead for 400 years.

 

If God’s prophesy is true, does that mean David will rise from the dead and become king? Of course not. The Lord is speaking of the revival of David’s dynasty. Then does this mean David’s bloodline revived and ruled over Israel? Nope.

 

King Herod did reign during the Roman Era, but he was from Esau’s bloodline, not of Jacob’s and David’s. So, who is it God is speaking of in today’s scriptures? By now I am sure most of you know that the answer if Jesus. Jesus is a descendant of David’s blood and Jesus is, to this day, our King of Kings and eternal ruler who was resurrected from the dead. Hallelujah!

 

2. Many people believe that Jesus was born some 2000 years ago out of nowhere and without warning. But we know this is not true. The birth of Jesus Christ has been prophesized and mentioned hundreds of times in the Old Testament.

 

We are told why he will be sent, how he will be sent, how he will die, why he will die, and what will happen after his death. We rare think about why the Old and New Testament are named and divided as such, but we must remember that “testament” means, “something that serves as a sign or evidence of a specified fact, event, or quality.”

 

The Old Testament provides signs and evidence promising Jesus’ birth while the New Testament record’s Jesus’ birth, his life, his death, and the promise of his return. The Bible is an amazing book because nearly all of the promises and prophesies mentioned have been fulfilled. This is why the Bible is a Book of Wisdom. It is the book of God’s Word. It is the Book of Life.

 

Even just looking at today’s scripture alone, what had been prophesized seemed like an impossible fantasy at the time. But Israel actually did find freedom, it actually was revived with new life, and Jesus actually came and reigns as King today.

 

3. After then end of the Roman Era, Israel had been completely disseminated for 2000 years. Yet Israel rose again as an independent nation, just as God promised, on May 1, 1948 after World War II.

 

How amazing and astounding are these messages in the Bible? But why does Israel need to fall and rise again and again? Why is there a need for such prophesies in the first place? Verse 27 and 28 explain:

27 My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people.

28 Then the nations will know that I the Lord make Israel holy, when my sanctuary is among them forever.

 

Through these prophesies and their fulfillment, nations will recognize the power of the Lord and realize that He alone is the Living God.

 

Our lives were also like the dead, dried boned in the valley. But with the spirit of the Lord, the breath of life of the Holy Spirit, we have been revived and our lives have changed from curses to blessings, from despair to hope, and from death to Heaven. We were stained with sin and destined for Hell, but we were cleansed by the blood of Jesus and became God’s holy children.

 

Is there anyone here who is determined to start believing in Jesus today? Is there anyone who wants to become His child? Take the time today to repent and accept Him. Pray to Him saying, “God, you send your only son to die for me 2000 years ago and I never knew. I lived on my own accord. But I can now see that I am a sinner. I need Jesus. I choose to believe. Please give me faith!” Let Jesus and faith in Him enter your heart today.

 

Is there anyone here who thinks their soul is like the dried bones of the valley? Pray to Him saying, “Help me live my life again Lord. Pour the oil of the Holy Spirit upon me and let me life a new life in Jesus!” The living God will revive the dried bones of your spirit and give you new life. Hallelujah!