When dry bones breathe

Today: Ezekiel 37-39

Today's passage included an amazing picture of God's heart for His people. Instead of a lot of my commentary, I thought it would be good for us to re-read the illustration...and think about a few questions (I'll add a few of those at the end).

Here we go....

God, the Master, told

the dry bones,

"Watch this:

I'm bringing the breath of life to you

and you'll come to life.

I'll attach sinews to you, put meat on your bones, cover you with skin,

and breathe life into you.

You'll come alive and you'll realize that I am God!"
I prophesied just as I'd been commanded.

As I prophesied, there was a sound and, oh, rustling!

The bones moved and came together, bone to bone.

I kept watching.

Sinews formed, then muscles on the bones, then skin stretched over them.

But they had no breath in them.
He said to me,

"Prophesy to the breath. Prophesy, son of man. Tell the breath,

'God, the Master, says, Come from the four winds.

Come, breath.

Breathe on these slain bodies.

Breathe life!'"
So I prophesied, just as he commanded me.

The breath entered them and they came alive!

They stood up on their feet, a huge army.
Then God said to me,

"Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel.

Listen to what they're saying:

'Our bones are dried up,

our hope is gone,

there's nothing left of us.'
"Therefore, prophesy. Tell them, 'God, the Master, says:

I'll dig up your graves and bring you out alive—O my people!

Then I'll take you straight to the land of Israel.

When I dig up graves and bring you out as my people,

you'll realize that I am God.

I'll breathe my life into you and you'll live.

Then I'll lead you straight back to your land

and you'll realize that I am God.

I've said it and I'll do it.

God's Decree.'"

Questions to think about:

• What did the dry bones represent in this passage?
  
• What do you think dry bones represent today?
  
• Why would God want to breathe life into dry bones?
  
• What are things that make people's lives like dry bones?
  
• How does God breathe life...what does that look like?