So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.
(Ezekiel 37:9-10, NASB)
The Valley of Dry Bones. It's a great section of Scripture to be studying this time of year. It screams Halloween.
Ezekiel is shown a vision of a valley of bones - just bones - that have been left unburied and have become dry. God instructs Ezekiel to prophesy to the bones. Now, I don't know about you, but I've always wondered if the prophets were at all uncomfortable with their jobs. We know that Jonah was. He so detested the people God told him to prophesy to, that he went as far as he could the other direction. For him, "as far as he could" turned out to be not very far because he ended up in the belly of fish that spit him up on the shores, having received time to repent and allowing him to go where he was supposed to go in the first place. But I digress.
Ezekiel's vision didn't even have him speaking to people. He was told to prophesy to bones. Ezekiel was faithful. In his vision he called out to the bones and they began to rattle. They came together with layers of life until finally they appeared to be bodies. Yet, something remained missing.
So God told Ezekiel to call the breath back into these bones, and God breathed on them.
God explained to Ezekiel what he had just seen. The bones represent God's people, and they are without hope. Their divided nation would come back together, and God would live among them again.
Indeed, God can do miracles where there appears to be no hope, a word I need to hear today.
For anyone who feels like they are in a valley of dry bones today, pray with me:
Breathe on me, Lord. Amen.
This post is a prompt from Five Minute Friday and was written in approximately five minutes. For more information, visit fiveminutefriday.com.
What a timely message! I'm going to read that passage in Ezekiel again and think about what you said here. "Lord, breathe on me."
ReplyDeleteYes, this definitely is timely - thanks, Amie! This also reminds me that sometimes we are called to do things that don't make sense. Then, later we are able to see God's hand, making good. Karen (FMF #7)
ReplyDeleteFYI, you are my 200th comment. I wish I could give you some kind of prize. So, instead, I'll just say thanks. =)
DeleteAmie
Can't help but wonder at times if I would be more of a Jonah then an Ezekiel but I'm working on it! God bless - Loretta x
ReplyDeleteNestled in among the stones,
ReplyDeletenestled there in death
lie the multitude of bones
awaiting Holy Breath.
Nestled in the grim dry dust,
the echoes of past screams,
lie the hopes now turned to rust
the corpses of the dreams
that animated dancing hearts
once in the long ago,
abandoned now to barren parts
where the wild winds blow.
But there is rumour in the land
of Holy Air and Mighty Hand.
I've been reading scriptures for a Bible Study in the old testament too. It is so interesting as you say:
ReplyDeleteThe bones represent God's people, and they are without hope. Their divided nation would come back together, and God would live among them again.
I'm reading about the division of kingdoms, changing of kings, etc. God is a part of all of history even these crazy seeming stories of bones coming to life. May we always seek God even when he asks us to do cracy things!
Jennifer FMF #23
I've always been intrigued by this section of scripture and now I want to study it some more. It can definitely be applied to our world today. Thank you for your post. I saw your link on Five Minute Friday.
ReplyDeleteWe don't have to look far to see/find things, situations, and people that seem or feel hopeless. I am so glad to know the God of all hope. I need to reflect and remember that often!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the timely and encouraging message.
ReplyDelete(Visiting from FMF #332)