Introduction
A vision of the revival of the nation of Israel.
Verses
1The LORD’s hand was on me, and he brought me out in the LORD’s Spirit, and set me down in the middle of the valley; and it was full of bones.
2He caused me to pass by them all around: and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and behold, they were very dry.
4Again he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and tell them, ‘You dry bones, hear the LORD’s word.
5The Lord GOD says to these bones: “Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and you will live.
6I will lay sinews on you, and will bring up flesh on you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you will live. Then you will know that I am the LORD.” ’ ”
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.’ ”
15The LORD’s word came again to me, saying,
16“You, son of man, take one stick, and write on it, ‘For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions.’ Then take another stick, and write on it, ‘For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions.’
17Then join them for yourself to one another into one stick, that they may become one in your hand.
18“When the children of your people speak to you, saying, ‘Won’t you show us what you mean by these?’
19tell them, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his companions; and I will put them with it, with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they will be one in my hand.
20The sticks on which you write will be in your hand before their eyes.” ’
21Say to them, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Behold, I will take the children of Israel from amongst the nations, where they have gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land.
22I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. One king will be king to them all. They will no longer be two nations. They won’t be divided into two kingdoms any more at all.
23They won’t defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions; but I will save them out of all their dwelling places, in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. So they will be my people, and I will be their God.
24“ ‘ “My servant David will be king over them. They all will have one shepherd. They will also walk in my ordinances, and observe my statutes, and do them.
25They will dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob my servant, in which your fathers lived. They will dwell therein, they, and their children, and their children’s children, forever. David my servant will be their prince forever.
26Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them. It will be an everlasting covenant with them. I will place them, multiply them, and will set my sanctuary amongst them forever more.
27My tent also will be with them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
28The nations will know that I am the LORD who sanctifies Israel, when my sanctuary is amongst them forever more.” ’ ”
Questions
1. Who do the bones represent? What should Ezekiel prophesy because the bones are dried up and their hope is lost?
v 11 and 12 Then 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.’ Therefore 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.
2. What will the LORD's people know when he has caused them to come up out of their graves?
v 13 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.
3. What does the LORD say will happen when his servant David is king over them?
v 24 and 25 My servant David will be king over them. They all will have one shepherd. They will also walk in my ordinances, and observe my statutes, and do them. They will dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob my servant, in which your fathers lived. They will dwell therein, they, and their children, and their children’s children, forever ...
Summary Points
- v 1 to 10 The LORD causes Ezekiel to see a vision of a valley full of dry bones. He is told to prophesy and the bones come together and become bodies. He prophesies again and they come alive and become a great army
- v 11 to 14 Ezekiel is told the bones represent the whole house of Israel who will be brought back to the land of Israel
- v 15 to 23 The LORD tells Ezekiel to take two sticks, one for Judah and one for Ephraim, and join them together. This represents the two kingdoms which previously existed being brought back into the land as one nation with one king
- v 24 to 28 God's special king will rule them and they will live in peace. They will be the LORD's people and he will place his sanctuary amongst them
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