Calling Dry Bones to Come Alive
Our situation differs greatly from that of Israel’s in the sixth century BC. Clearly, we are not in overt exile and captivity at the hands of Babylon. The book of Ezekiel is one of the longest books in the Bible. It is also one of the most bizarre in all the Bible. It seemingly becomes more and more incoherent as it progresses.
Ezekiel’s name is an interesting one. The prophets’ names, and generally most names in the Old Testament, are significant because of the story they tell and what they say about God and the person they are given to. Ezekiel’s name can be bro-ken down into two parts. The “el” at the end of his name is a clear reference to “God,” as one of His names. Together, Ezekiel’s name means “God has strengthened” or “the one whom God will strength-en.” [1]
Alike in their extremely bizarre nature, Ezekiel and the New Testament book of Revelation both describe heavenly things in earthly language. Just as John had difficulty describing what he was seeing in his visions, so too Ezekiel shares what the things he saw were “like.” Charles H. Dyer relates the difficulty of this book well, “For the average reader of the Bible the Book of Ezekiel is mostly a perplexing maze of incoherent visions—a kaleidoscope of whirling wheels and dry bones that defy interpretation.” [2]
Ezekiel was taken into Babylonian captivity during the second siege in 597 BC. Ezekiel was among the captives taken during the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar’s reign. The dating is very exacting in the book of Ezekiel because of the timeframes given in the first few verses of the first chapter: “In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the Chebar canal, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. On the fifth day of the month (it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin), the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the Chebar canal, and the hand of the Lord was upon him there” (Ezek 1:1-3).
Ezekiel was a contemporary of the prophet Jeremiah and Daniel, although he found himself in very different circumstances than either of those. Ezekiel spoke to Jews in Babylon, in captivity, while Jeremiah speaks to the Jews still in Israel. So, these prophetic books fit together because of their timeframes, but are vastly different in content. Ezekiel is filled with several perils and uses a lot of symbolism. There are many exotic visions that seeming-ly defy any interpretation, but there are explanations in the book if one knows where to look.
Throughout the book and in the visions that Ezekiel experiences, God refers to Ezekiel as “son of man.” Perhaps this sounds familiar? This is how Jesus referred to himself much of the time in the gospels of the New Testament. The first instance of this in Ezekiel is at his calling. The Lord spoke to Ezekiel saying, "Son of man, I send you to the people of Israel, to nations of rebels, who have rebelled against me…And whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house) they will know that a prophet has been among them” (Ezek 2:3, 5). Make no mistake, Ezekiel was providentially sent with other captives to minister to the Jews in captivity in Babylon.
We should address one of the most bizarre portions of Ezekiel that happens in the third chapter. Ezekiel is presented with a scroll that had writing on the front and back. Written on it were words of lamentation and mourning and woe (2:10). Ezekiel then recalls his strange encounter with the Lord and this scroll: “‘Son of man, eat whatever you find here. Eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.’ So I opened my mouth, and he gave me this scroll to eat. And he said to me, ‘Son of man, feed your belly with this scroll that I give you and fill your stomach with it.’ Then I ate it, and it was in my mouth as sweet as honey” (3:1-3). Ezekiel internalized this scroll from the Lord to take his message to the captive people of Israel.
However, even though Ezekiel will take his message to Israel, they will have hard hearts and refuse to listen to him (3:6, 7). Instead of returning to God, the people of Israel will choose to chase the gods of the nations, disregarding God’s Law. But God chooses a watchman to warn Israel of what is to come (3:16, 17). The Day of the Lord is coming to Israel, for “Behold, the day! Behold, it comes! Your doom has come; the rod has blossomed; pride has budded” (7:10).
Ezekiel would see even greater things, such as the Glory of the Lord leaving the temple in a vision (10:1-21). The people of Israel believed they were safe in Jerusalem because God would not judge the place where He resided. But, from Ezekiel’s account we learn that God will leave His place in the temple and judge the nation of Israel and the city of Jerusalem.
Ezekiel shares in the suffering of Jeremiah, for he himself suffered greatly during his ministry. God takes away Ezekiel’s voice for seven years (3:27; 33:22). Ezekiel can only speak when the Lord has words for him to share with the captives. Ezekiel is literally tied to the ground on one side for 390 days, and on the other for 40 days. Even Ezekiel’s wife dies. However, he is forbidden to mourn her loss because her death is a sign that Jerusalem will on day be destroyed, and Ezekiel’s response will mirror that of the Jews. He has experienced real pain and real hardship.
There is a great amount of new covenant language throughout the book of Ezekiel. God promises to give the Holy Spirit to dwell within the people, that His glory will be among them, that He will be the God and they will be His people. God will unite them under David’s throne, eventually under the Messiah King (11:16-21; 16:59-63; 31:31-34; 36:26-28; 37:15-28). God declares a new covenant with His people, a covenant that will restore them to Him.
This glimpse at God’s restoration of the nation of Israel is at the heart of Ezekiel’s book. While he prophesies great judgment over Israel for their idolatry and over the nations that led Israel into idolatry, Ezekiel still points to God who is faithful and will provide great blessing for His people. God has not and will not forget His people.
As discussed earlier, the book of Ezekiel contains multiple bizarre visions and dreams that the prophet experienced for the sake of the people of Israel. By far one of the strangest and most unconventional visions comes from Ezekiel 37, the valley of dry bones.
THE VALLEY OF DRY BONES
In one of the most interesting visions, Ezekiel is transported by the Spirit of the Lord and set down in the midst of a valley full of bones (37:1). One of the first things to note in this passage is its historical and cultural significance. In typical Jewish custom the account of this vision would be incredibly absurd. In Jewish culture bones would never be out and about in the open. [3] This is a very extreme illustration of what Ezekiel is witnessing.
Ezekiel notes that these bones were very dry from being left out in the sun to bake (37:2). God asks Ezekiel if life can be brought to these bones. Of course, to the human mind and eye no life could ever be brought to these dead, dry bones. But Ezekiel knows that God has much greater power than his own imagination. He answers “O Lord God, you know” (37:3).
And God commanded Ezekiel to preach to the dry bones. There is an amusing adage that quotes a pastor claiming he sometimes feels like he is preaching to a bunch of dry bones from his pulpit (ha!). You can only imagine how incredibly confusing this would have been to Ezekiel. But Ezekiel obeys and speaks the word of the Lord: “Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord” (37:5, 6).
The word for breath — rûah’ — is used seven times in Ezekiel 37. In other instances in Scripture this word is used to indicate the Spirit and God’s breath, one in the same. In Genesis the Spirit was “hovering over the face of the waters” (Gen 1:2). When God created man He breathed the breath of life into him. While this passage is not completely clear concerning its intentions, Dyer believes it to clarify one thing: “Whether God was referring to wind, physical breath, the principle of life, or the Holy Spirit is uncertain. However, the results were obvious. God gave life to these dead bones.” [4]
The bones that Ezekiel preached to came together, grew flesh and were given the breath of God; these bones came to life at the word of the Lord (37:7-10). The Lord then explained to Ezekiel what these bones signified: the very house of Israel. God’s people were dried up, but Ezekiel prophesied that God would raise them from their graves and bring them back to the land of Israel where they had been taken from (37:11-14).
God then echoes this restorative promise with a repetition of the new covenant He would establish in the house of David (37:24). God promises to bring the people of Israel back together and into the land (37:21). No longer would they be two separate kingdoms under two kings, but they would be one united kingdom as before (37:22). God promised to cleanse them of their idol worship and transgressions (37:23). He again claims that Israel shall be His people and He shall be their God (37:23).
This new covenant will be an everlasting covenant of peace. It will be a covenant that allows God to dwell with Israel once again, forevermore (37:26-27).
While Ezekiel’s prophetic writing might seem incredibly eccentric or unorthodox, the message of God to His people is the same: He urges them to repent and return to Him. If they do not, the Day of the Lord is coming upon them. But there would be ultimate restoration in Him alone. ◉
FOOTNOTES
יְחֶזְקֵאל / “whom God will strengthen,” Gesenius and Tregelles, “Ezekiel,” 345.
Charles H. Dyer, “Ezekiel,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 1225.
Ronald B. Allen, “Ezekiel,” unpublished class lecture for BE104N (Dallas Theological Seminary, Fall Semester, 2018).
Dyer, “Ezekiel,” 1228.