1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,
2 And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.
3 And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.
4 Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.
5 Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:
6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.
8 And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.
9 Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.
10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.
11 Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.
12 Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.
13 And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves,
14 And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.
15 The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,
16 Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and for all the house of Israel his companions:
17 And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand.
18 And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these?
19 Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand.
20 And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes.
21 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:
22 And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all.
23 Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.
24 And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.
25 And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever.
26 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.
27 My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
28 And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.
Chapter 37 of the Book of Ezekiel is a profound and deeply symbolic passage that presents two significant visions: The Valley of Dry Bones and The Two Sticks. These visions, as presented by the prophet Ezekiel, deliver powerful messages of hope, restoration, resurrection, and unity, which are central themes in this chapter. They serve as a testament to God's omnipotence and His promise to restore Israel, both physically and spiritually.
Ezekiel 37 begins with a vision wherein the Spirit of the Lord transports Ezekiel to a valley full of dry bones. The bones, scattered and desolate, symbolize the state of Israel during the Babylonian exile. The Israelites, dispersed and in despair, felt as if they were dead, with no hope for restoration. God asks Ezekiel, "Can these bones live?" This question can be interpreted as God challenging the prophet to trust in His divine ability to restore life where there is none.
In obedience, Ezekiel prophesies as commanded, and the bones come together, bone to bone. Flesh, sinews, and skin cover the bones, but there is still no life in them. Then, Ezekiel is instructed to prophesy to the breath, or the wind, which represents the Spirit of God. As he does so, the bodies come to life and stand on their feet as a vast army.
This dramatic vision symbolizes the promise of God to restore Israel. The dry bones represent the Israelites in exile, feeling devoid of life and hope. But God, in His divine power and mercy, promises to open their graves and bring them back to life. This resurrection is not just physical but also spiritual. It signifies a renewal of their covenant relationship with God, who promises to put His Spirit in them so they can live and know that He is the Lord.
The second part of Ezekiel 37 presents the vision of the Two Sticks. Here, Ezekiel is instructed to take two sticks, one representing Judah and the other representing Joseph (the stick of Ephraim), symbolizing the two divided kingdoms of Israel. He is then ordered to join them together into one stick in his hand.
This act of uniting the two sticks is a prophetic sign of the future reunification of the divided kingdoms into one nation under one king. God promises that He will gather the Israelites from among the nations, bring them back to their land, and make them one nation with one king. This king, as later verses suggest, will be David, not in a literal sense, but referring to the future Messianic King, Jesus Christ. This unified nation will live in the land God gave to Jacob, observe His laws and decrees, and have a covenant of peace with Him.
The vision of the two sticks, therefore, signifies unity and restoration. It provides a message of hope to the divided and exiled Israelites that they will be reunited as one nation under the rule of a just and righteous king. It also reaffirms God's covenant with Israel, promising them a peaceful and prosperous future in the land He promised to their ancestors.
Ezekiel 37, with its vivid imagery and profound symbolism, carries significant theological implications. The vision of the dry bones highlights God's power over life and death. It underscores the belief in resurrection, both physical and spiritual. It also emphasizes God's willingness and ability to restore His people, even when they feel devoid of life and hope. This message of resurrection and restoration is not just for the Israelites in exile but also for all people who find themselves in a spiritual "valley of dry bones".
The vision of the two sticks, on the other hand, emphasizes God's intention for unity among His people. It shows that God is not only concerned with restoring His people but also with uniting them under one king and one covenant. This vision provides hope for the future, a future where divisions will cease, and unity will prevail.
Furthermore, the promise of a future king from David's line points to the Messianic hope embedded in the Old Testament, which is fulfilled in the New Testament through Jesus Christ. This king will not only rule the unified nation of Israel but also shepherd them, signifying a leadership marked by care, guidance, and protection.
In conclusion, Ezekiel 37 is a powerful chapter that uses vivid and dramatic imagery to convey messages of hope, restoration, resurrection, and unity. Through the visions of the dry bones and the two sticks, God assures His people of His omnipotence and His unyielding commitment to fulfill His promises. Despite the despair and desolation, God offers a message of hope and a promise of a future where life is restored, divisions are healed, and a righteous king rules. No matter how lifeless or divided we may feel, Ezekiel 37 reassures us that with God, there is always hope for resurrection and unity.
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