4/15/10 Ezekiel and the Valley of Bones

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 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 He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" I said, "Sovereign LORD, you alone know." 4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. 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.' "

(Valley of Dry Bones-www.ibiblio.org)

     There is a threefold resurrection indicated here.  To Ezekiel it indicates the resurrection of his country that was as good as dead- to be able to withstand onslaughts of future enemies (like Gog).  For Christians, it is also an indication of what God does with us on earth- to make us alive to God when we were dead in our sins.  It also is an indication of the resurrection of the dead at the end of history.  The point though, is to remember what God is able to do.  He is able to make alive and thriving what was dead and gone.
     Those who have given up on hope for the Church need to remember these verses.  Those who have given up hope for our country and the economy need to hear this.  Those who feel they are sick and without hope, or are poor and without hope (especially on this tax day), need to remember there is always hope with the Lord. 

Music to this: http://ingeb.org/spiritua/demdrybo.html

 
Prayer:  Thank you for the hope you offer us Lord.  Help me to live in that hope today.