42 lines
2.2 KiB
Markdown
42 lines
2.2 KiB
Markdown
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title = "Ezekiel 37:1–14"
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date = "2023-06-19"
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### [Read the passage.](https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Ezekiel37.1-14)
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Ezekiel's vision of dry bones is one of the major texts in the Old Testament to
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deal with the topic of resurrection. However, like the other texts, it doesn't
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explain very much about it besides stating it will happen. Even still, there are
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some things we can learn from it.
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In the same way the Lord showed him a vision of Jerusalem, Ezekiel is shown a
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vision of a valley, or plain. All over this valley are many human bones, and
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Ezekiel emphasizes how dry they are. Bones are not particularly dry, normally.
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They are full of marrow and blood vessels, and while the outsides are hard,
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the insides are soft and spongy. Thus, we know these bones have been out in
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the open for a long time. How did they get there? Why weren't they buried? Does
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this vision represent a real future event, or is it a set-piece merely to convey
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God's message? Each of the possible answers have implications, but there seems
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to be no way to know for sure.
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More important in any case is what the Lord intends for us to know and learn
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from this vision. He tells Ezekiel to tell the dry bones to live again, and be
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covered in sinew and flesh once more. In Hebrew, there is only one word to mean
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"breath", "spirit", and "wind". Our English translations use context to decide
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which meaning to use, but I think it is useful to mentally overlay all three
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words in the verse whenever you see one of them.
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In the same way that God breathed life into Adam when he was created, the Lord
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breathes life into these previously dry bones. We are then told these people
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represent the house of Israel, and this vision is given to provide hope to those
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who think the Lord has punished them so severely that they can never recover.
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These bones were not buried, but the Lord will open up the graves of His people
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to bring out their dry bones and fill them up with His Spirit (breath/wind)
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so that they will live again. And because they live, He will put them back in
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the land He promised to them, where they shall be a memorial to His mighty and
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glorious Name.
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* * *
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Only You can create life and only You can defeat death.
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