Meditations on Dry Bones...

I am currently teaching through the Old Testament and I just began the 70 year exile. During this time a man named Ezekiel was visited by some very different messengers. Just imagine if you will, you are met by a creature that looks like this:

Ezekiel 1:5-14 5 Within it there were figures resembling four living beings. And this was their appearance: they had human form.6 Each of them had four faces and four wings.7 Their legs were straight and their feet were like a calf’s hoof, and they gleamed like burnished bronze.8 Under their wings on their four sides were human hands. As for the faces and wings of the four of them,9 their wings touched one another; their faces did not turn when they moved, each went straight forward.10 As for the form of their faces, each had the face of a man; all four had the face of a lion on the right and the face of a bull on the left, and all four had the face of an eagle.11 Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above; each had two touching another being, and two covering their bodies.12 And each went straight forward; wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go, without turning as they went.13 In the midst of the living beings there was something that looked like burning coals of fire, like torches darting back and forth among the living beings. The fire was bright, and lightning was flashing from the fire. 14 And the living beings ran to and fro like bolts of lightning.

Now, as you read this it sound like something supernatural (because it is) or something out of a movie (which it is not). But can you imagine, just seeing this before your very own eyes. You have been in captivity for years and you are visited by something like this? Well, it gets better - the creatures begin to speak:

Ezekiel 2:1-3:14 1 Then He said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet that I may speak with you!”2 As He spoke to me the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet; and I heard Him speaking to me.3 Then He said to me, “Son of man, I am sending you to the sons of Israel, to a rebellious people who have rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day.4 “I am sending you to them who are stubborn and obstinate children, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God .’5 “As for them, whether they listen or not--for they are a rebellious house--they will know that a prophet has been among them.6 “And you, son of man, neither fear them nor fear their words, though thistles and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions; neither fear their words nor be dismayed at their presence, for they are a rebellious house.

This does not sound like something ANYONE wants to be a part of. Why would someone want to go to a stiff-necked, stubborn group of people and tell them something? The message goes on:

Ezekiel 2:7-10 7 “But you shall speak My words to them whether they listen or not, for they are rebellious.8 “Now you, son of man, listen to what I am speaking to you; do not be rebellious like that rebellious house. Open your mouth and eat what I am giving you.”9 Then I looked, and behold, a hand was extended to me; and lo, a scroll was in it.10 When He spread it out before me, it was written on the front and back, and written on it were lamentations, mourning and woe. Ezekiel Chapter 3 1 Then He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.”2 So I opened my mouth, and He fed me this scroll.

At this point, I would be thinking "Really" and I would quickly check myself because I am having a conversation with this being - so "Really", I am going to think "Really"?

Ezekiel 3:3 3 He said to me, “Son of man, feed your stomach and fill your body with this scroll which I am giving you.” Then I ate it, and it was sweet as honey in my mouth.

Well that was a shocker.

Ezekiel 3:4-11 4 Then He said to me, “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them.5 “For you are not being sent to a people of unintelligible speech or difficult language, but to the house of Israel,6 nor to many peoples of unintelligible speech or difficult language, whose words you cannot understand. But I have sent you to them who should listen to you;7 yet the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, since they are not willing to listen to Me. Surely the whole house of Israel is stubborn and obstinate.8 “Behold, I have made your face as hard as their faces and your forehead as hard as their foreheads.9 “Like emery harder than flint I have made your forehead. Do not be afraid of them or be dismayed before them, though they are a rebellious house.”10 Moreover, He said to me, “Son of man, take into your heart all My words which I will speak to you and listen closely. 11 “Go to the exiles, to the sons of your people, and speak to them and tell them, whether they listen or not, ‘Thus says the Lord God .’”

It almost seems like God is telling Ezekiel "You can't come up with an excuse to not do as I ask". Literally, the people aren't stupid, they don't speak a difficult language and they are his people. But then God tells Ezekiel, "Um, but they won't listen to you". How encouraging is this. So you may ask, what did Ezekiel tell his people?

Ezekiel 18:4 4 “Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will die.

This sounds encouraging.

Ezekiel 18:19-23 19 “Yet you say, ‘Why should the son not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity?’ When the son has practiced justice and righteousness and has observed all My statutes and done them, he shall surely live. 20 “The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son’s iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself. 21 “But if the wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed and observes all My statutes and practices justice and righteousness, he shall surely live; he shall not die.22 “All his transgressions which he has committed will not be remembered against him; because of his righteousness which he has practiced, he will live. 23 “Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” declares the Lord God , “rather than that he should turn from his ways and live?

Well, here we have it - some people needed to be told that their parent's faith does not save them, indicating everyone is responsible for their own faith and there is an opportunity for change through "turning from all his sins which he has committed and observe all God's statutes and practice justice and righteousness". Sounds great! Israel did not really agree with this process thought. Jaw dropping isn't it? I mean how many of us would ACTUALLY question God's word? [Enter sarcasm here]

Ezekiel 18:29-31 29 “But the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ Are My ways not right, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are not right? 30 “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, each according to his conduct,” declares the Lord God . “Repent and turn away from all your transgressions, so that iniquity may not become a stumbling block to you.31 “Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why will you die, O house of Israel?32 “For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord God . “Therefore, repent and live.”

The next few chapters in Ezekiel speak about the judgment of God's people and surrounding nations. Then right after God declares his judgments - God steps in.

Ezekiel 36:16-32 16 Then the word of the Lord came to me saying,17 “Son of man, when the house of Israel was living in their own land, they defiled it by their ways and their deeds; their way before Me was like the uncleanness of a woman in her impurity.18 “Therefore I poured out My wrath on them for the blood which they had shed on the land, because they had defiled it with their idols.19 “Also I scattered them among the nations and they were dispersed throughout the lands. According to their ways and their deeds I judged them.20 “When they came to the nations where they went, they profaned My holy name, because it was said of them, ‘These are the people of the Lord ; yet they have come out of His land.’ 21 “But I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations where they went. 22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God , “It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went.23 “I will vindicate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord ,” declares the Lord God , “when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight.24 “For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land.25 “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.26 “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.27 “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.28 “You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God.29 “Moreover, I will save you from all your uncleanness; and I will call for the grain and multiply it, and I will not bring a famine on you.30 “I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the produce of the field, so that you will not receive again the disgrace of famine among the nations.31 “Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and your abominations. 32 “I am not doing this for your sake,” declares the Lord God , “let it be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel!”

Notice God doesn't save His people for their sake - that means he doesn't save you for your sake; but why does he save - "For His Holy Name". He will not let His name be stepped on nor ridiculed. He will clean His name for His Name's sake - so there is no "bad" thing to say about God. In fact, he tells them to be "Ashamed and confounded for their ways". So what do we see here? We see that God tells us in Chapter 18 that it is OUR responsibility that we sinned and it is OUR responsibility o live rightly. Then God makes it clear we cannot do this, and no other nation, culture, worlview or thought process can make, do or partially live rightly in His eyes. Which is why He must reach into your life and rip out your stubborn, unrepentant heart and put in a heart of flesh that is living. That is His doing - not yours. The reason being, it brings Glory to His name. If you could do it, you would be stealing His Glory. That is why Ezekiel gives us this example in the very next chapter:

Ezekiel 37:3-14 3 He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God , You know.”4 Again He said to me, “Prophesy over these bones and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord .’5 “Thus says the Lord God to these bones, ‘Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life. 6 ‘I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you that you may come alive; and you will know that I am the Lord .’” 7 So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone.8 And I looked, and behold, sinews were on them, and flesh grew and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them.9 Then He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God , “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they come to life.”’” 10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army. 11 Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel; behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope has perished. We are completely cut off.’12 “Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God , “Behold, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, My people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel.13 “Then you will know that I am the Lord , when I have opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your graves, My people. 14 “I will put My Spirit within you and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord , have spoken and done it,” declares the Lord .’”

Do you see this now? God asked, "Can the bones live" and Ezekiel answered "Oh Lord God You Know" and God says, preach/Prophesy over the dead bones and they will come to life. So Ezekiel does this and they came to life. What does this mean? The people of Israel were dead, like dry bones - incapable of singing praises, loving, living or doing anything to or for God. They were like dry dead, hopeless bones to God. But God stepped in and gave life and those dead bones came to life. So let me ask you this, are you dry bones or are you a living being? If you have not repented of your sins, then you have not tasted of the Word of God. You may have read it or heard it - but you have not tasted it.Praise God for His interference in our hostile lives, hating Him and living apart for Him. Thank God for giving us the opportunity to hear His word. I want to leave you with this:

Romans 10:8-20 ”8 But what does it say? “The word is near you , in your mouth and in your heart ”--that is, the word of faith which we are preaching,9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed .”12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him;13 for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved .” 14 How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? 15 How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things ! 16 However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, “Lord , who has believed our report ?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. 18 But I say, surely they have never heard, have they? Indeed they have; “Their voice has gone out into all the earth , And their words to the ends of the world .” 19 But I say, surely Israel did not know, did they? First Moses says, “I will make you jealous by that which is not a nation , By a nation without understanding will I anger you .” 20 And Isaiah is very bold and says, “I was found by those who did not seek Me , I became manifest to those who did not ask for Me .” 21 But as for Israel He says, “All the day long I have stretched out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people .”

Let us not be a people who do not accept God's stretch out hands. Praise the Glory of His Grace, Judson

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