Ezekiel, in his vision, perceives the boundless love and promise of the Lord God, who is going to restore and revive the people who are forsaken and scattered among the various nations of the world.
In his vision the hand of the Lord God came upon Ezekiel and took him out and set him down in the midst of a vale that was full of bones. It was awesome.
The working of the Spirit of God in Ezekiel and Philip.
What the Spirit of God does to Ezekiel can be seen in Acts 8:29 and 39 when the Spirit of God takes Philip to the eunuch to preach the Word of life.
God directed Ezekiel through the valley, where he observed a multitude of dry bones scattered everywhere.
God asked the prophet whether the dry bones could come to life, and the prophet meekly replied that only God knew the answer. The prophet recognized his own incapacity as a mere man. This indicates that with God’s power, he could easily bring the dry bones back to life.
The Lord God commanded him to prophesy to the dry bones. Ezekiel obeyed God and wanted the dry bones to hear the word of the Lord. God promised the bones that He would breathe life into them, and they would come alive.
God said that He would put tendons on them, bring flesh upon them, cover them with skin, and put breath in them so that they would live and realize that He is the Lord.
Ezekiel prophesied as he had been commanded.
When he was prophesying, he heard a noise and a sudden rattling as the bones joined together, bone to bone.
The imagery of bones joining, being covered with tendons, flesh, and skin, but lacking spirit, shows that the physical and spiritual restoration and revival of Israel will take place in five stages. Despite the sinews and flesh appearing on the bones and the skin covering them, they remained without breath (spirit).
In John 6:63, Jesus says:
It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The Words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
That is when the Israelites believe that Jesus Christ was crucified for their sins; the love of God will be poured out in their hearts by the Holy Spirit, and they will be saved.
God told him to prophesy to the breath and say that the Lord God commanded the breath to come from the four winds and breathe on the slain so that they might live.
He prophesied as God had commanded him, and breath came into the bones. They lived, stood upon their feet, and became an exceedingly great army.
In John 20:22, it is written
22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
Just as Ezekiel prophesied and breath (spirit) came into the bones, bringing them to life and forming a great army, Jesus breathed on His disciples, giving them the Holy Spirit and empowering them for their mission.
Lord God said He would open their graves, cause them to come up from their graves, and bring them into the land of Israel.
God said He would put His Spirit in the people, and they would live. He would place them in their own land, and then they would know that He, the Lord, had spoken and performed it.
The dry bones stand for the people of Israel who had lost hope when they were scattered into various parts of the world as well as the Gentiles who are called in Jesus Christ.
The bones that are being joined together, the bones that are being covered with tendons, and the bones that are being covered with flesh represent the physical and national restoration of Israel and the Gentiles who are chosen in Jesus Christ.
The resurrection of Lazarus and Hebrews 4:12 can be likened to Ezekiel’s vision of the dry bones, as they all illustrate the Power of God’s Word and His ability to bring life from death.
Power of God’s Word
The transformation from dry bones to living beings symbolizes life emerging from death.
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12
The penetrating power of God’s word brings spiritual life to those who are spiritually dead.
In Ezekiel, God’s command brings life to a valley of dry bones, symbolizing the restoration of Israel. In John, Jesus’ command raises Lazarus from the dead, demonstrating His authority over life and death.
Hebrews 4:12 emphasizes that God’s word is alive and powerful.
The Lord God is going to open their graves.
The opening of the graves of the Israelites and Gentiles by the Lord God indicates their deliverance from Babylonian captivity and enslavement of their sins.
And God will set them free and take them to their land, akin to a resurrection from a state of national death.
This act of restoration will be a clear demonstration of God’s power and faithfulness. The people will recognize God’s sovereignty and His fulfillment of promises.
I will settle you in your own land” indicates the fulfillment of God’s covenant promises to the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) about the land of Israel.
It assures the people of God’s commitment to His covenant, providing them with hope and a future.
It is not just a physical return to the land but a spiritual renewal.
The Holy Spirit will bring new life and vitality, transforming the people from within.
They will have a deeper relationship with God, where the Spirit’s indwelling will empower and sustain them.
