Ezekiel: For His Gloryഉദാഹരണം

The first part of today’s chapter contains one of Ezekiel’s best-known prophecies (vv. 1–14). The second part contains another sign-act about Israel’s future reunification (vv. 15–28). 

The prophecy opens with a ghastly scene: thousands upon thousands of dry bones scattered over a valley floor. God asks the prophet to wander among the bones, and then He asks a strange question: ‘Can these bones live?’ (v. 3). Ezekiel knows God can do it, but does He want to? Ezekiel doesn’t have to wonder very long because God asks him to prophecy the word of the Lord. Then, miraculously, tendons and flesh appear over the bones to form a cadaver. But there’s no life in them until God breathes His breath, His spirit, into the bones (vv. 1–10). 

Thus this resurrection takes two steps: first, the formation of a lifeless corpse; second, the infusion of breath to make a living being. The same two steps happened in the creation of Adam. In other words, God needs to exert His creative powers again. The exiles feel like the bleached bones; their hopes have died. Yet God will resurrect Israel; His Spirit will breathe new life; He will bring His people back into the Promised Land (vv. 11–14). 

The sign-act illustrates how Israel will be one nation again (vv. 15–28). The joining together of the two sticks represents the southern (Judah) and northern (Ephraim) kingdoms reunified. Currently splintered and dispersed among the nations, they will be united under one Davidic king and one covenant, worshipping one God in one sanctuary (vv. 24–28). Again God’s initiative is emphasized (‘I am’ occurs once and ‘I will’ six times in vv. 19–23). 

There will also be an internal overhaul of God’s people (vv. 23–24, 28; cf. 36:25–27). They will be God’s cleansed, holy people, now obedient to God’s laws. The covenant blessings will flow because it will be a new, eternal covenant (vv. 26–28). 

Reflection

Thank God that we are cleansed, Spirit-filled, and with a new heart that can obey God. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead has breathed life into us (Rom. 8:11). God’s powerful word (the gospel of Jesus) has brought us back from the dead. We are to live according to the Spirit (Rom. 8:4–5) and to put to death the misdeeds of the body (Rom. 8:13).