DAY 334

FROM RIGOR MORTIS TO RESURRECTION

Ezekiel 37, 38 & 39 and 2 Peter 2

Today we come to a rather famous chapter of Ezekiel and the Valley of the Dry Bones. I say famous because it has been put to music a few times, them bones them bones, them dry bones—you can listen to one version here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlMUVErOwk8

As we read the chapter we read that Ezekiel had a vision and saw bones, and there were very many and they were very dry. The sight must have been terrifying. And then the Lord asks him, “Can these bones live.” In a moment of brilliance Ezekiel responds, “O Lord GOD you know. And God does. The scene unfolds, with bones rattling together, and sinews and muscle and skin growing right before his eyes—it is something out of a Sci-Fi movie. Next the very breath of God, the ruach, that we read about back on day one or two is breathed into these lifeless yet now skin covered corpses…and they come to life.

We must remember that the image is meant as a metaphor. In verse 11 we explicitly are told that these bones are the whole House of Israel—and into this House, God will put his very Spirit upon them (verse 14).

The text then moves in verses 15-28 to speak of unity. The prophecy then is about the restoration of Israel through the Promise of the Father.

So who are these Spirit infused people? The answer is those who are following the Son of God…it is clear that in Jesus Christ we have been grafted into Abraham’s family, i.e. the House of Israel. And, we who follow Christ have the very Spirit of God within us for no one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3). So the resurrected bodies from the Valley of Bones…one of those skeletons is, metaphorically speaking,YOU!