Ez37:1-14 The Dry Bones (4/5)

# The Dry Bones
## Ezekiel 37:1-14 (4/5)
[Brad Helmink](https://unsplash.com/photos/8EFA86nI6yg "caption")

---

# What happens when all **hope** has gone?

[###](#/outline "secret")

>>>
+ sometimes it has been too **long**
  + I'm **set** in my ways
+ the **hurt** is too severe
  + I can't **forgive**
+ I've **invested** too much in my dreams
  + I can't yield **control**
+ when all **hope** of change is lost?

---

| 1. What must I change? | [ch16:](# "ref") *Princess* [(identity)](# "ref") |
| --- | --- |
| 2. Who will help me? | [ch34:](# "ref") *Shepherds* [(leadership)](# "ref") |
| 3. How do I change? | [ch36:](# "ref") *Wanderers* [(God's work)](# "ref") |
| 4. **Am I beyond hope?** | [ch37:](# "ref") *Dry Bones* [(new life)](# "ref") |
| 5. If others won't change? | [ch33:](# "ref") *Watchman* [(missions)](# "ref") |

[Bad Pyrmont, Germany.  Sebastian Unrau](https://unsplash.com/photos/sp-p7uuT0tw "caption")

>>>
+ orphan ⇒ **princess** 
  + ⇒ harlot ⇒ betrothed
+ as **shepherds** derelict in duty
  + as **sheep** disappointed
  + as **strong** sheep pushing weak
  + remember our **Good Shepherd**
+ **heals** us of our idols (if we let Him)
  + new **heart**, His Spirit dwell
  + so we may be **humble**
  + godly **grief** ⇒ repentance
+ when **hope** has perished

---

## The Dry Bones [(Ez37)](# "ref")
1. When **Hope** Has Perished [(v1-3,11)](# "ref")
2. Coming Out of the **Grave** [(v4-8,12-13)](# "ref")
3. The **Breath** of Life [(v9-10,14)](# "ref")

>>>
+ 
+ Creator can do the **impossible**
+

---

He brought me out in the **Spirit** and 
set me down in the middle of the **valley**; 
it was full of **bones**.

[2](# "ref")
... and behold, they were very **dry**.

[Ezekiel 37:1-2 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Kota Garut, Indonesia. Dikaseva](https://unsplash.com/photos/zvf7cZ0PC20 "caption")

>>>
+ very **many**: as after **battle**, defeated
+ bones: **strength**, numbers
  + totality / essence of **self**
+ "dried": no **water**, no life

---

A **joyful heart** is good medicine, 
But a **broken spirit** dries up the bones.

[Proverbs 17:22](# "ref")

---

These bones are the whole house of **Israel**. 
Behold, they say, 
‘Our bones are **dried up**, and our **hope** is lost; 
we are indeed **cut off**.’

[Ezekiel 37:11 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Dominik Martin](https://unsplash.com/photos/YuVzPOBuuf0 "caption")

>>>
+ "cut off":

---

And he said to me, 
“Son of man, can these bones **live**?”

And I answered, 
“O Lord God, **you** know.”

[Ezekiel 37:3 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Geetanjal Khanna](https://unsplash.com/photos/8CwoHpZe3qE "caption")

---

# How do I **cope** with a **hopeless** situation?

>>>
+ "Oh Lord, You know"

---

## The Dry Bones [(Ez37)](# "ref")
1. When Hope Has Perished [(v1-3,11)](# "ref")
2. **Coming Out of the Grave** [(v4-8,12-13)](# "ref")
3. The Breath of Life [(v9-10,14)](# "ref")

---

Prophesy over these bones and say to them, 
‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.’

[Ezekiel 37:4 (ESV) (p.1/3)](# "ref")
[Montreal, CA. Marc-Olivier Jodoin](https://unsplash.com/photos/TStNU7H4UEE "caption")

>>>
+ **voice** of the Lord has power

---

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.”

[Ezekiel 37:6 (ESV) (p.2/3)](# "ref")

>>>
+ **purpose** of giving us new life:
+ to **know** He is the LORD

---

And as I prophesied, there was a **sound**, 
and behold, a **rattling**, 
and the bones came **together**, bone to its bone.

[8](# "ref")
And I looked, and behold, 
there were **sinews** on them, 
and **flesh** had come upon them, 
and **skin** had covered them.

[Ezekiel 37:7-8 (ESV) (p.3/3)](# "ref")

---

Behold, I will open your **graves** 
and **raise** you from your graves, O my people. 
And I will bring you into the **land** of Israel.

[13](# "ref")
And you shall **know** that I am the Lord, 
when I open your graves, 
and raise you from your graves, O my people.

[Ezekiel 37:12-13 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Milada Vigerova](https://unsplash.com/photos/pHR_S0PeOF0 "caption")

>>>
+ "grave": not Sheol, but **tomb**

---

An hour is coming when all who are 
in the **tombs** will hear his **voice**  
[29](# "ref")
and come out,

those who have done **good** 
to the resurrection of **life**,

and those who have done **evil** 
to the resurrection of **judgment**.

[John 5:28-29](# "ref")
[Neil Thomas](https://unsplash.com/photos/bSYRuzEaT5k "caption")

---

# What **grave** am I stuck in?

>>>
+ **habitual** sins
  + secret **shame**
+ remember God's **power**: life + death
+ **calls** us out of grave
  + leave old life of sin behind

---

## The Dry Bones [(Ez37)](# "ref")
1. When Hope Has Perished [(v1-3,11)](# "ref")
2. Coming Out of the Grave [(v4-8,12-13)](# "ref")
3. **The Breath of Life** [(v9-10,14)](# "ref")

---

But there was **no breath** in them.

[Ezekiel 37:8b (ESV)](# "ref")

>>>
+ **two** stages
+ out of **grave**: rescued from sin
+ have **flesh**, semblance of humanity
+ but no breath of **life**
  + a bit like **zombie**

---

“Come from the four winds, **O breath**, 
and breathe on these slain, that they may **live**.”

[10](# "ref")
So I **prophesied** as he commanded me, 
and the **breath** came into them, 
and they **lived** and stood on their feet, 
an exceedingly great **army**.

[Ezekiel 37:9-10 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Western Wall, Jerusalem. Toa Heftiba](https://unsplash.com/photos/Y1BdWi52y14 "caption")

>>>
+ not enough to be **rescued**
  + still **empty**
+ need to be **filled** w/Christ's **life**
+ ask Jesus to be **Saviour**
  + but also **Lord**?
  + whole life **dedicated**
  + **follow** / disciple? 
+ Jesus gives **illustration**:

---

When an **unclean spirit** 
has gone **out** of a person, 
it passes through **waterless** places seeking rest,

and finding **none** it says, 
‘I will **return** to my house from which I came.’

[25](# "ref")
And when it comes, 
it finds the house **swept** and put in **order**.

[Luke 11:24-25 (ESV) (p.1/2)](# "ref")
[Hirzel, Switzerland. Ricardo Gomez Angel](https://unsplash.com/photos/iTwmi4p4Q_c "caption")

>>>
+ **rescued** by God
+ back to **normal**
+ **resume** pursuing my life goals

---

Then it goes and brings 
**seven** other spirits **more** evil than itself, 
and they enter and **dwell** there.

And the **last** state of that person 
is **worse** than the first.

[Luke 11:26 (ESV) (p.2/2)](# "ref")

>>>
+ get **sucked** right back
  + into old **habits**
+ even **worse** than before!

---

And I will put my **Spirit** within you, 
and you shall **live**, 
and I will place you in your own **land**.

Then you shall **know** that I am the Lord; 
I have **spoken**, and I will **do** it, 
declares the Lord.”

[Ezekiel 37:14 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Iceland. Davide Cantelli](https://unsplash.com/photos/H3giJcTw__w "caption")

>>>
+ firm **assurance** God's promise
  + **Spirit** empowering us
  + **life** from death
  + **home** / identity: land, Adam
+ ch37b: **reconcile** Israel+Judah
  + vertical ⇒ **horizontal**

---

For God, who said, 
“Let **light** shine out of darkness,”

has **shone** in our hearts 
to give the **light** of the knowledge 
of the **glory** of God 
in the face of Jesus Christ.

[2 Corinthians 4:6 (ESV)](# "ref")

>>>
+ authority as **Creator**
+ **light** reveals God's **glory**:
  + and our **unworthiness**
+ e.g. dim restaurant vs **searchlight**
+ **knowing**: experiential, not theoretical
  + through **Jesus**: God revealed
+ power to **change** us:
  + **heart** ⇒ values / priorities
  + ⇒ actions ⇒ **habits**

---

But you are a **chosen** race, a **royal** priesthood, 
a **holy** nation, a people for his **own** possession,

that you may **proclaim** the excellencies of him 
who called you **out of darkness** 
into his **marvelous light**.

[2 Peter 2:9-10 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Chuckanut Mountain, US.  Patrick Fore](https://unsplash.com/photos/74TufExdP3Y "caption")

>>>
+ we've **experienced** the change
+ now we can **proclaim** His excellencies

---

# Have I **experienced** God's power to change?
# Will I **proclaim** it?

>>>
+ **old-timer** Chr: get to know **new** Chr
  + **story** of transformation
+ still have non-Chr **friends**
  + welcome their **questions**
+ but need to **have** the ball first
  + before can **pass** the ball on

---