Post by Cindy on Jun 23, 2015 9:43:14 GMT -5
Ezekiel, as the result of the activity of the Holy Spirit (Ezekiel 37:1), found himself in the middle of a valley filled with dead men’s bones. The bones were very dry (Ezekiel 37:2), that is, they had been dead a long time. This was no recent disaster but the product of a long process of decay and death. And the valley was full of these bones—there were very many. It was a total disaster not merely touching one or two people, but the whole nation.
The prophet must have been shocked at what he saw. He had seen nothing like this before, and revulsion must have filled his heart. But the vision was meant by God to do just this; it was meant to hit him hard. God let him take it all in as he led Ezekiel ‘to and fro among them’ (Ezekiel 37:2). Then God asked his servant a crucial question: ‘Can these bones live?’ (Ezekiel 37:3). Following the question came the command, ‘Prophesy to these bones’ (Ezekiel 37:4). Does history, sacred or secular, offer a more ridiculous picture than this? Here is the height of hopelessness! Did any preacher have such a dumb congregation as Ezekiel? Written over the scene in large letters is the word—‘IMPOSSIBILITY’.
The valley of dry bones speaks of the spiritual condition of the nation. And if we are to learn anything from this, we have to see that it also speaks of our nation. Do we see our people as God does? Can we see the true spiritual condition of Britain or America, or whatever our nation is, as spiritually dead? God caused the prophet to pass back and forth among bones—and we do this every day in the shops and on the streets of our towns and cities. Do we see? Do we feel the situation? Jesus did, and he wept over Jerusalem. Paul did, and his heart’s desire and prayer for his nation was that they should be saved. Consider how John Elias saw his homeland of Wales in 1841:
They walk in darkness, without knowing whither they go; and the ministry leaves them in that condition. Oh how sad! God, no doubt, is hiding himself! There is strength, light, and warmth wherever his gracious presence is found. Oh! that he would return to us, for his name’s sake! Oh! that he would turn to revive us! We have deserved this on account of our great iniquities, but he can visit us in his grace. Oh! that I might see one gracious and powerful divine visitation, in Anglesey, before I sleep in death.
No faith is needed to do the possible. Again and again, God asks people not to do what they can, but what they can’t. God’s dealing with us is not intended to show us how clever we are if only we would try, but rather the opposite, that no matter how hard we try, in the realm of the Spirit, we are helpless. We need to learn to trust God and realize that we can do all things—but only through Christ.
Ezekiel was in a position not of his own choosing. He had been led by the Spirit and not to green pastures but to a valley of death. He must have shuddered at the appalling sight of mile after mile of dry bones. Many in his position would have run away in despair, but not this man. His eyes were on God and his ears were open to the voice of God, so he prophesied, as he was commanded (Ezekiel 37:7).
If the world had viewed this amazing scene, it would probably have certified Ezekiel as insane and locked him away. If many religious people had seen it, they may well have accused the prophet of cheapening the gospel and bringing the church into disrepute. But this man was willing to become a fool for Christ’s sake. He did as he was told by God. He said to the dry bones, bones which had no ears, ‘Hear the word of the LORD.’ I wonder what we would have done? Or, more particularly, what we do now when we are facing souls that are spiritually dead?
Very often, to save face, we modify God’s commands. We may reason and rationalize, but, in reality, our situation is so desperate that it calls for nothing less than full obedience. We are always the losers by such actions and fail then to see what Ezekiel saw. He saw God working and he saw the impossible happening.
Before God began to work, he asked Ezekiel a very important question: ‘Can these bones live?’ The purpose of the question was to ascertain the prophet’s reaction to the situation and to see whether he had faith in God. If anyone else had asked the question, there could be little doubt that Ezekiel would have answered that the situation was hopeless. But it was God who was asking, so his answer was—‘O Sovereign LORD, you alone know’ (Ezek 37:3).
This man believed not only in a doctrine of divine sovereignty that was theoretical, but in a Sovereign God for whom nothing was actually impossible. The doctrine of God’s sovereignty should be a sweet and blessed comfort in a hopeless and terrible situation. Because of this, the prophet was not unduly pessimistic but neither was he unduly optimistic. He did not say, as he looked at the valley of dry bones, ‘We are going to see a great harvest of souls.’ In other words, he did not speak in the normal evangelical jargon used on the eve of a campaign. All he said was, ‘LORD, you alone know.’ He was, in effect, saying that if it can be done, and if it is to be done, then God must do it.
Notice that divine sovereignty is linked immediately to divine omniscience: ‘You alone know.’ God knows because God ordains and plans. And sometimes, to encourage his people, he reveals in advance to them what he is going to do. He did so for Ezekiel in chapter Ezekiel 36:25–28. The preacher and hymn-writer, Augustus Toplady, used to talk about his Saturday assurances, when, on occasions, God would show him on Saturday how he was going to bless his preaching on the Sunday. This is thrilling. It may be rare but it does happen.
Did Ezekiel reason in this way? God does not play with us. If he is showing me this terrible vision and causing me to feel as well as see the situation, it has to be for a purpose. So with trepidation, humility and a little confusion, but also with faith in God, he said—‘LORD, you alone know.’
It may be that the Lord is asking us a similar question today. The spiritual condition of our land is frightening, but is it past hope? Can these bones live today? Can our unbelieving relatives be saved? Can that foul-mouthed, blaspheming man at work come to Christ? Can those pleasant but spiritually lost neighbours who have no time for God be converted? Are we beginning, at last, to have a real concern and burden for lost souls? If so, is that not God’s doing, and isn’t it a ground for optimism rather than pessimism?
Is God telling us to witness to dry bones such as these, to tell them the gospel? And can we respond, as Ezekiel did, ‘So I prophesied as I was commanded’? (Ezekiel 37:7). It may be that we feel totally inadequate to meet the needs of today, but we could not be more inadequate than Ezekiel in the valley of dry bones. Our adequacy is no more the issue than the condition of the bones. What really matters is this: do we trust God to work?
Jeffery, P. (2004). Opening up Ezekiel's Visions. Opening Up Commentary
The prophet must have been shocked at what he saw. He had seen nothing like this before, and revulsion must have filled his heart. But the vision was meant by God to do just this; it was meant to hit him hard. God let him take it all in as he led Ezekiel ‘to and fro among them’ (Ezekiel 37:2). Then God asked his servant a crucial question: ‘Can these bones live?’ (Ezekiel 37:3). Following the question came the command, ‘Prophesy to these bones’ (Ezekiel 37:4). Does history, sacred or secular, offer a more ridiculous picture than this? Here is the height of hopelessness! Did any preacher have such a dumb congregation as Ezekiel? Written over the scene in large letters is the word—‘IMPOSSIBILITY’.
The valley of dry bones speaks of the spiritual condition of the nation. And if we are to learn anything from this, we have to see that it also speaks of our nation. Do we see our people as God does? Can we see the true spiritual condition of Britain or America, or whatever our nation is, as spiritually dead? God caused the prophet to pass back and forth among bones—and we do this every day in the shops and on the streets of our towns and cities. Do we see? Do we feel the situation? Jesus did, and he wept over Jerusalem. Paul did, and his heart’s desire and prayer for his nation was that they should be saved. Consider how John Elias saw his homeland of Wales in 1841:
They walk in darkness, without knowing whither they go; and the ministry leaves them in that condition. Oh how sad! God, no doubt, is hiding himself! There is strength, light, and warmth wherever his gracious presence is found. Oh! that he would return to us, for his name’s sake! Oh! that he would turn to revive us! We have deserved this on account of our great iniquities, but he can visit us in his grace. Oh! that I might see one gracious and powerful divine visitation, in Anglesey, before I sleep in death.
No faith is needed to do the possible. Again and again, God asks people not to do what they can, but what they can’t. God’s dealing with us is not intended to show us how clever we are if only we would try, but rather the opposite, that no matter how hard we try, in the realm of the Spirit, we are helpless. We need to learn to trust God and realize that we can do all things—but only through Christ.
Ezekiel was in a position not of his own choosing. He had been led by the Spirit and not to green pastures but to a valley of death. He must have shuddered at the appalling sight of mile after mile of dry bones. Many in his position would have run away in despair, but not this man. His eyes were on God and his ears were open to the voice of God, so he prophesied, as he was commanded (Ezekiel 37:7).
If the world had viewed this amazing scene, it would probably have certified Ezekiel as insane and locked him away. If many religious people had seen it, they may well have accused the prophet of cheapening the gospel and bringing the church into disrepute. But this man was willing to become a fool for Christ’s sake. He did as he was told by God. He said to the dry bones, bones which had no ears, ‘Hear the word of the LORD.’ I wonder what we would have done? Or, more particularly, what we do now when we are facing souls that are spiritually dead?
Very often, to save face, we modify God’s commands. We may reason and rationalize, but, in reality, our situation is so desperate that it calls for nothing less than full obedience. We are always the losers by such actions and fail then to see what Ezekiel saw. He saw God working and he saw the impossible happening.
Before God began to work, he asked Ezekiel a very important question: ‘Can these bones live?’ The purpose of the question was to ascertain the prophet’s reaction to the situation and to see whether he had faith in God. If anyone else had asked the question, there could be little doubt that Ezekiel would have answered that the situation was hopeless. But it was God who was asking, so his answer was—‘O Sovereign LORD, you alone know’ (Ezek 37:3).
This man believed not only in a doctrine of divine sovereignty that was theoretical, but in a Sovereign God for whom nothing was actually impossible. The doctrine of God’s sovereignty should be a sweet and blessed comfort in a hopeless and terrible situation. Because of this, the prophet was not unduly pessimistic but neither was he unduly optimistic. He did not say, as he looked at the valley of dry bones, ‘We are going to see a great harvest of souls.’ In other words, he did not speak in the normal evangelical jargon used on the eve of a campaign. All he said was, ‘LORD, you alone know.’ He was, in effect, saying that if it can be done, and if it is to be done, then God must do it.
Notice that divine sovereignty is linked immediately to divine omniscience: ‘You alone know.’ God knows because God ordains and plans. And sometimes, to encourage his people, he reveals in advance to them what he is going to do. He did so for Ezekiel in chapter Ezekiel 36:25–28. The preacher and hymn-writer, Augustus Toplady, used to talk about his Saturday assurances, when, on occasions, God would show him on Saturday how he was going to bless his preaching on the Sunday. This is thrilling. It may be rare but it does happen.
Did Ezekiel reason in this way? God does not play with us. If he is showing me this terrible vision and causing me to feel as well as see the situation, it has to be for a purpose. So with trepidation, humility and a little confusion, but also with faith in God, he said—‘LORD, you alone know.’
It may be that the Lord is asking us a similar question today. The spiritual condition of our land is frightening, but is it past hope? Can these bones live today? Can our unbelieving relatives be saved? Can that foul-mouthed, blaspheming man at work come to Christ? Can those pleasant but spiritually lost neighbours who have no time for God be converted? Are we beginning, at last, to have a real concern and burden for lost souls? If so, is that not God’s doing, and isn’t it a ground for optimism rather than pessimism?
Is God telling us to witness to dry bones such as these, to tell them the gospel? And can we respond, as Ezekiel did, ‘So I prophesied as I was commanded’? (Ezekiel 37:7). It may be that we feel totally inadequate to meet the needs of today, but we could not be more inadequate than Ezekiel in the valley of dry bones. Our adequacy is no more the issue than the condition of the bones. What really matters is this: do we trust God to work?
Jeffery, P. (2004). Opening up Ezekiel's Visions. Opening Up Commentary