Posted by Chester Morton / Wednesday, 18 January 2017 / No comments
Ezekiel's vision of the valley of dry bones
Introduction
As prophesied by the prophets of Yahweh, the Israelites were
taken into captivity. There was no hope that they were going to come back to
their homeland but God wanted to send a strong message of hope to them
indicating that it was possible for them to return home. This was the bases of
Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones.
The vision
God brought out Ezekiel in a vision into a valley of dry
bones. There were many bones and they were dry. God asked Ezekiel whether the bones
could live and he replied that only God knew. God told Ezekiel to prophesy to
the bones to receive breath, for sinews to enter them and flesh to cover them.
Ezekiel prophesied to the bones and there was a rattling noise and suddenly the
bones came together and flesh and skin covered them and they became human
bodies but there was no life in them.
For the second time, God asked Ezekiel to prophesy breath to
enter the fresh flesh. Ezekiel prophesied to the bodies and breath entered them
and they became living human beings.
God said to Ezekiel that the dry bones represented the whole
of Israel who were saying there was no hope for them and that their bones were
dry. God told Ezekiel to prophesy to Israel that they shall be raised from
their graves into which they had descended and shall be brought back to their
own land in Israel.
God told Ezekiel to take a stick and write “For Judah, and
the children of Israel associated with him”. Then he should take another stick
and write “For Joseph and all the house of Israel associated with him”. He
should now join both sticks together.
God told Ezekiel to do this before the people and when they
ask for the meaning, he should tell them that God was promising to bring back
the people of Israel from wherever they had been taken captives to, so that they
shall become not two separate nations like before, but rather become one nation
under one king, a king that shall come from the house of David.
God said he shall make a new everlasting covenant with them,
bless them and multiply them. Then establish a sanctuary among them forever. He
shall dwell with them, be their God and they to be his people, so that the
people will know he God was the one that sanctified them.
OTHER WAYS IN WHICH GOD
REVEALS HIS INTENTIONS TO CHRISTIANS TODAY
Dreams
One the ways in which God reveals his intentions to his
children this days is through their dreams. The children dream about a
situation and if they follow the instructions in the dreams they are saved.
Sermons
God also reveals his intentions in the sermons that the
children listen to. God can drop a revelation through a sermon and if
identified, Christians are saved. There are sermons in church, on radio and
television, through podcast etc.
Prophesies of men of God
In church and during other religious meetings, prophesies
come from God though the preacher. God reveals his intentions in these prophesy.
Quiet times
God also can reveal his intention during quiet times. The
particular verse or portion of the bible that a person reads can be a source of
warning from God or give an instruction on how to handle a matter.
Audible voice
God is still speaking in audible voice to some of his
children though this is rare in these days. Some have testified to hearing
audibly from God and if this is true, it testifies that God still reveals his
intentions to us through audible voice.
LESSONS FROM EZEKIEL’S
EXPERIENCE
No bad situations last forever
The people of Israel saw their condition as a never ending one but
the encounter between Ezekiel and God reveals that no bad situation is permanent.
In every situation there is hope
The experience also shows that in every situation, there is
hope for the future. Even in dead situations, God can steal show mercy and
redeem his people.
God forgives
Another revelation of Ezekiel’s experience is that God can
still forgive and have mercy on his people. Also his punishment is not to completely
destroy but to correct and to repair.
God loves his children
The experience reveals that God loves his children and would wish
that nothing happens to them if only they would obey. He punishes them with one
hand and pulls them toward his mercy with the other hand.
SAMPLE QUESTIONS
1. a. Give an account of Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of
dry bones
b. In which ways
does God reveal his intentions to Christians today?
2. a. What did God say to Ezekiel concerning the Israelites
who were taken to exile by 586 B.C.?
b. What three
lessons can be learned from God’s revelation?
