In the book of Ezekiel, God brought Ezekiel to the valley full of dry bones.
The vision of dry bones symbolizes exiled Israelites.
They were under God’s judgment because of idolatry and disobedience.
They were warned first, but did not listen. Therefore, God sent them away to make them surrender.
God warns and instructs us many times, giving us many chances to get right with Him. But if we refuse to listen, repent, and wholly change our ways, there will be a day when He will send us away to “exile.”
When we are exiled, we will be stripped of everything. We will not come out of it until our flesh is “stripped” and becomes dry bones. When you are in a dry bone stage, that’s when you will surrender. God knows exactly how to make us surrender.
That’s when God will come and “rebuild” you and your life when you think you have no hope or future.
In the book of Ezekiel, chapter 37, God came to the dry bones with Ezekiel.
Instead of delivering the message to dry bones himself, He utilized the prophet Ezekiel to deliver God’s message to dry bones.
God often utilizes His appointed servants to deliver His message. People who listen and correct themselves will come alive, and God will rebuild them. If not, they will remain lifeless.
Ezekiel 37:4-5 God speaking to Ezekiel. “Tell them to listen to what the Eternal Lord says to them: ‘Dry bones, I will breathe breath into you, and you will come alive. I will attach muscles and tendons to you, cause flesh to grow over them, and cover you with skin. I will breathe breath into you, and you will come alive. After this happens, you will know that I am the Eternal.”
Many Christians do not know God. God wants us to know and love Him, but we can’t love Him if we don’t know Him. So what does He do? He will send us away to exile and strip off our flesh. Staying in the exiled state does not make us know Him, but in order for us to know Him, we need to be restored and come alive from our exiled state.
Ezekiel 37:13-14 “Pay attention, My people! I am going to open your graves and bring you back to life! I will carry you straight back to the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Eternal One. I will breathe My Spirit into you, and you will be alive once again. I will place you back in your own land. After that, you will know I, the Eternal, have done what I said I would do.
You can know Him voluntarily; being sent away to exile is unnecessary.
May we all get out of our self-centeredness.
Senior Pastor Yoojin Kim