Day 4 – Speaking Life Into Dry Bones
“Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!” –Ezekiel 37:4 NKJV
Gustave Doré engraving "The Vision of The Valley of The Dry Bones" - 1866
Ezekiel's vision of the dry bones is one of the most surprising examples of the power of life in the tongue.
Think of this, these corpses would have been rotting there, exposed to the elements for years. Their cause was long since forgotten, their families had mourned and moved on, their commanders had accepted defeat, their carcasses had been picked over by scavengers and opportunistic carnivores. Not just bones, but DRY bones. It is the ultimate picture of failure and defeat. It is not unlike many situations in our lives.
It represents the hopes and dreams that you've long since given up on, the relationships that you've abandoned, the expectations you watched fall to pieces.
What is your valley of dry bones?
Maybe you got so tired of getting your hopes up and then feeling the pain of disappointment they you've forsaken the very idea of restoration.
Ezekiel, as he looked down at this awful sight knew how it felt to struggle in faith. God tried to stir him: “And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” God might be asking you a similar question today: Can this marriage live? Can this prodigal child live? Can this buried talent live? Can this negative bank account live? Let His inquiry pierce your soul today.
Ezekiel's answer wasn't as inspiring as we might hope: “So I answered, “O Lord GOD, You know.”” While true, God did know the answer to His own question, Ezekiel's response did not carry the power of life. God takes it to the next step and command Ezekiel to prophesy even though his heart was shaky. Valuable lesson here: