Ezekiel’s Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones

"The hand of the Lord was upon me, and He brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley, and it was full of bones...And He said to me, 'Son of man, can these bones live?' And I answered, 'O Lord God, Thou knowest.'

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...'And I will put My Spirit within you, and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken and done it, ' declares the Lord."

(Ezekiel 37:1, 3, 10, 14 NASV) [Read Ezekiel 37:1-14]

Ezekiel's vision of the Valley of Dry Bones and the bones coming to life is the most read, taught and preached (so scholars tell us) of all of his visions. It is not hard for us to understand that the dry bones represent Israel scattered and in Exile, disheartened and without hope, the promised nation dead. Notice the themes that run through this passage. There is hope for all those who have lost hope. Like scattered Israel, dead Israel, God still is in charge. The prophet is faithful. God told him to command "the bones" to come together, and he did. Ever there must be a messenger to deliver God's vital message of hope. God's messengers (let us put ourselves in this postion) must not abandon hope because our hearers seem "dead" (like dry bones). Faithfulness in telling can release the power of God that will bring new life-and renewed hearing-to the poeple. And the theme of the Spirit of the Living God is paramount in this passage. "I will put My Spirit within you, and you will come to life!" (v.14). This was a promise for restored Israel; it was a promise for the gathered disciples as they prayed following Jesus' ascension; it was for the brnad new church which happened in a remarkable way on the day of Pentecost as recorded in Acts. It is for any of us who mourn the passing of a beloved one as we look forward to personal resurrection and restoration with the Lord. Dr. E.L. Allen in his exposition of Ezekiel (The Interpreter's Bible. Nashville; Abingdon, 1956, p. 270) states: "Had Ezekiel not obeyed the inner voice which bade him address those bones, there would have been no wind of the Spirit, no exceeding great army astir in the valley...There is no limit to what God may do; at any moment He may break in and transform our present situation; therefore, let us serve Him." And this is a wonderful lesson we can reap from the vision of the Valley of Dry Bones. "These bones gonna rise again!" declare the wonderful words of Ezekiel, of Christ who said "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, " and of the spiritual that we sing with faith, believing!

I cannot end this devotional on Ezekiel's vision of the valley of dry bones without urging that you get a copy of mountain poet Byrpm Jerbert Reece's poem in his book Ballad of the Bones and Other Poems (New York: Dutton, 1945; reprinted Atlanta: Cherokee Press, 1985) and read his inspired poem based on Ezekiel's vision. If you don't have the book, you should find a copy of it in your library. The poem is too long for me to repeat here, for it covers seven pages and 44 stanzas. I knew Reece personally and have long been a proponent of his excellent writing. Reece's poetic retelling of Ezekiel's vision is itself inspired and will life you as you read it. I quote part VII, the concluding stanzas of "Ballad of the Bones" here:

Ezekiel,

Behold the blood

Of My sons that fall

In the world's dark wood!

Now prophesy

To the troubled host

Whose bones are dry,

Whose hope is lost;

In the battle's shock,

In the ways they grope,

I am their Rock,

I am their Hope!

Their blood I see,

I hear their groans,

Yea, and I am He

That raised the bones!

Byron Herbert Reece (1917-1958)

To Ezekiel, to scattered Israel, to us, God still declares: "Yea, and I am He/That raised the bones!" Selah!

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Wednesday, October 6, 2010