Can These Bones Live?

Ezekiel 37:3 ~ "And he said to me, 'Son of man, can these bones live?' And I answered, 'O Lord God, you know.'"

Their sins had ruined them, idolatry was rampant in the land, and the rulers who should have turned the people back to God were steeped in the revelry of wickedness. The judgment of God had come and Israel was taken into captivity. Once again they languished under the weight of oppression and were bound over to serve another nation. In this condition, the people of God groaned against their circumstances and saw no hope of restoration. We read their lamentable cry in Ezekiel 37:11, "Son of man, 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.'"

God takes Ezekiel to see a valley of dry bones. It was a vast display of death as he gazed upon the desiccated remnants of a vast army. There is no knowing what brought an end to so many. Were these the victims of a great battle? Israel had fought many wars in their history. Could these be the bones of those who wandered in the wilderness during those 40 years with Moses until that whole generation had died? What we do know is that these bones were the subject of a question from God to the prophet: "Can these bones live?"

The first and obvious answer is: no. Bones, no matter how well preserved, cannot again reanimate and live. There is no natural function that can cause life to return to the desiccated body of anything. Yet, that is the wrong answer.

The second, and less obvious answer is: yes. Imagine Ezekiel talking to God and declaring or proclaiming life over the framework of these corpses. Like the false prophets who spoke their positive words to Ahab (see 2 Chronicles 18:12), Ezekiel could have spoken his positive words of affirmation over the valley of dry bones. But that is the wrong answer as well.

The only right answer was the one Ezekiel offered, "O Lord GOD, you know."

It is only the Lord God Almighty who has the power to restore life to those who are dead. Israel's nation had died--deceased in exile at the judgment of God. But, even from the days of Moses, when God called His people out of Egypt and provided them a land of their own, He made such promises to them. Consider what it says in Deuteronomy 30:4, "If your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there he will take you." This promise is made by God to the people in response to their repentance (read Deuteronomy 30). 

God has never and will never forsake His people. He may cause them to suffer under His hand of discipline, but He will restore. David understood that iniquity was the great culprit of his own suffering. Psalm 31:10 says, "For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away." And if sin is the cause of death (see James 1:15) then repentance is the road to restoration (see 1 John 1:9). 

Dear one, do you know yourself to be in the grip of sin? And now you sense that you are far away from God--cast off into an exile of separation and cut off from Him. Look to the example of Israel and know that God does not forsake His people. Your iniquity has separated you from God and He is calling you to repentance. Do as the dry bones did, and hear the word of the LORD.

Consider Acts 3:19, "Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out."

Or hear the words of Ezekiel 18:30, "Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin."

Our God is rich in mercy and will grant it to all who will humble themselves and respond to Him. He sent His Son, the Lord Jesus, who came to this world to take upon Himself the judgment for all our sins. He will not forsake any who turn to Him, seeking His grace--He will freely bestow it to all who call upon the name of the LORD.

In His Grace,
​Pastor Michael 

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