Dry Bones Live

Dead Things Come Alive!

He said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to these bones and say, ‘Dry bones, listen to the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again! I will put flesh and muscles on you and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you, and you will come to life’” (Ezekiel 37:4-6 NLT).

Surveying the valley before him, Ezekiel saw the remains of a devastating battle of the past. Scattered bones filled the valley where the carrion creatures finished cleaning the carcasses. The bones were bleached and dried through months of desert sun and windswept sand. 

God’s instruction rang empty in ears of skepticism. Why would anyone prophesy to the dead? Who would seek an audience of dry bones in a desolate desert. However, in response to God’s command, the prophet Ezekiel began to proclaim the Word of the Lord to the valley of the dead. As he did, the bones began to reconnect while muscle and sinew began to form, pulling the long separated parts together. Bodies emerged from the scattered debris of death and new life blew across the valley as a fresh wind. Life breathed into still bodies and they responded with resurrection power. The dead began to live again! 

The illustrated vision of Ezekiel’s prophecy contained a prediction of God’s power of restoration to the nation of Israel. As sure as God fulfilled His promise to a wayward nation, He also promises new life to spiritual wastelands and valleys of broken dreams. The power of His Word and His Spirit brings new hope and resurrection of life to those who are dead in their sins. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10 NKJ). The fresh wind of the Spirit and the fire of Pentecost brings hope in our generation, “You shall live again!”


Theme passage:
“For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives” (Romans 6:4 NLT).