A.K.A. #4 - Ezekiel the Bone Rattler
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Grace Church holds a Meet & Greet for those who are newer to Grace Church on the 4th Sunday of each month. Our next Meet & Greet will be Sunday, June 22nd following the service in CJ's coffee shop. It is a great opportunity to meet the staff and leadership of Grace Church and learn a little more about the church. It also gives us an opportunity to learn a little about you! Contact Leslie Booher if you have any questions ([email protected]).
Sunday, June 22nd - Denny Shaver, Ryan Hickey, Oakley Reigler
Wednesday, June 25th - Hadlyn Pfund
Wednesday, June 25th - Hadlyn Pfund
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Our series this month is entitled ALSO KNOWN AS or A.K.A.
This abbreviation is meant to indicate an alternative name, nickname, alias, or stage name for a person, place, or thing.
Our series takes a look at five Old Testament characters. As the Apostle
This abbreviation is meant to indicate an alternative name, nickname, alias, or stage name for a person, place, or thing.
Our series takes a look at five Old Testament characters. As the Apostle
So far we've covered OG the giant king in week one. Week two was Jehu the Madman. Week three we learned about Jael the Terminator. From each Bible character there are lessons that can be applied to our lives. These lessons help us to be more like Jesus and make an impact in the lives of our friends and family.
Pastor Don shares the story of eating at a rib place with several other people and how they accumulated a pile of ribs on their table.
Do you like ribs? What kind? Where do you go to get them?
As they left the restaurant, one person looked at the big plate of rib bones and said, "I hope those things don't come back to life!"
Do you like ribs? What kind? Where do you go to get them?
As they left the restaurant, one person looked at the big plate of rib bones and said, "I hope those things don't come back to life!"
Our message today has to do with a whole bunch of bones that DID come back to life! Our text is found in the book of Ezekiel. To begin we'll look at chapter 1.
- Ezekiel was training to be a Temple priest in Jerusalem during the closing years of the Southern Kingdom of Judah.
- Ezekiel was the apprentice of the prophet Elijah and succeeded him as God's primary spokesman.
- The Babylonian Empire besieged and captured Jerusalem in 597 BC.
- Ezekiel was probably taken to Babylon with the first group of captives thus fulfilling what the prophet Jeremiah had predicted.
- Ezekiel was training to be a Temple priest in Jerusalem during the closing years of the Southern Kingdom of Judah.
- Ezekiel was the apprentice of the prophet Elijah and succeeded him as God's primary spokesman.
- The Babylonian Empire besieged and captured Jerusalem in 597 BC.
- Ezekiel was probably taken to Babylon with the first group of captives thus fulfilling what the prophet Jeremiah had predicted.
The book of Ezekiel records what happened five years later. Ezekiel was living in a village in Babylon when he received his call to be a prophet.
Ezekiel 1:1-3
Ezekiel 1:1-3
Ezekiel 1:1-3
BSB
1 In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was among the exiles by the River Kebar, the heavens opened and I saw visions of God.
2 On the fifth day of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin—
3 the word of the LORD came directly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Kebar. And there the LORD’s hand was upon him.
2 On the fifth day of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin—
3 the word of the LORD came directly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Kebar. And there the LORD’s hand was upon him.
BSB
Ezekiel was a "prophet of punishment" and a "prophet of promise," delivering messages about the impending destruction of Jerusalem and the hope for restoration.
His ministry was characterized by visions from the Lord, pronouncements of judgment, actions that communicated God's truths in unusual and creative styles, and promises of God's faithfulness and restoration.
His ministry was characterized by visions from the Lord, pronouncements of judgment, actions that communicated God's truths in unusual and creative styles, and promises of God's faithfulness and restoration.
This morning our text is found in Ezekiel 37:1-14 and is probably the most widely known passage from this book. It's called the Valley of Dry Bones.
The Jewish people that Ezekiel was speaking to had been defeated, destroyed, and were now dispersed in exile to Babylon.
But God often uses the dark, desperate, and disastrous times of life to rekindle our hope, refresh our lives, and renew our spirit.
But God often uses the dark, desperate, and disastrous times of life to rekindle our hope, refresh our lives, and renew our spirit.
We're going to listen to our passage for today as it is read to us.
Here are some tips as you listen:
1. Focus - on the imagery that is presented
2. Understand - that certain words carry a Jewish meaning that we might not be familiar with
3. Listen - to how Ezekiel explains the meaning of this passage
Ezekiel 37:1-14 [NKJV]
Here are some tips as you listen:
1. Focus - on the imagery that is presented
2. Understand - that certain words carry a Jewish meaning that we might not be familiar with
3. Listen - to how Ezekiel explains the meaning of this passage
Ezekiel 37:1-14 [NKJV]
Ezekiel 37:1-14
BSB
1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and He brought me out by His Spirit and set me down in the middle of the valley, and it was full of bones.
2 He led me all around among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, and indeed, they were very dry.
3 Then He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones come to life?” “O Lord GOD,” I replied, “only You know.”
4 And He said to me, “Prophesy concerning these bones and tell them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!
5 This is what the Lord GOD says to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you will come to life.
6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh grow upon you and cover you with skin. I will put breath within you so that you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”
7 So I prophesied as I had been commanded. And as I prophesied, there was suddenly a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to bone.
8 As I looked on, tendons appeared on them, flesh grew, and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them.
9 Then He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and tell the breath that this is what the Lord GOD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, so that they may live!”
10 So I prophesied as He had commanded me, and the breath entered them, and they came to life and stood on their feet—a vast army.
11 Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Look, they are saying, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope has perished; we are cut off.’
12 Therefore prophesy and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘O My people, I will open your graves and bring you up from them, and I will bring you back to the land of Israel.
13 Then you, My people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them.
14 I will put My Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken, and I will do it, declares the LORD.’”
2 He led me all around among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, and indeed, they were very dry.
3 Then He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones come to life?” “O Lord GOD,” I replied, “only You know.”
4 And He said to me, “Prophesy concerning these bones and tell them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!
5 This is what the Lord GOD says to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you will come to life.
6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh grow upon you and cover you with skin. I will put breath within you so that you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”
7 So I prophesied as I had been commanded. And as I prophesied, there was suddenly a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to bone.
8 As I looked on, tendons appeared on them, flesh grew, and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them.
9 Then He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and tell the breath that this is what the Lord GOD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, so that they may live!”
10 So I prophesied as He had commanded me, and the breath entered them, and they came to life and stood on their feet—a vast army.
11 Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Look, they are saying, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope has perished; we are cut off.’
12 Therefore prophesy and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘O My people, I will open your graves and bring you up from them, and I will bring you back to the land of Israel.
13 Then you, My people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them.
14 I will put My Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken, and I will do it, declares the LORD.’”
BSB
Ezekiel was given a vision by God and was directed to prophesy (or speak) to the bones. The message was intriguing - that God would make breath, or His Spirit, to enter the bones and they would come to life.
Ezekiel obeyed, and the bones came together with a whole lot of rattling and they were wrapped in a whole new skin suit. The result was an exceedingly great army.
The reviving of the dry bones signified God's plan for Israel's future national restoration and return from captivity.
Putting Breath, or God's Spirit, into the bones showed that the Lord would not only restore them physically, emotionally, and socially but also spiritually.
Ezekiel obeyed, and the bones came together with a whole lot of rattling and they were wrapped in a whole new skin suit. The result was an exceedingly great army.
The reviving of the dry bones signified God's plan for Israel's future national restoration and return from captivity.
Putting Breath, or God's Spirit, into the bones showed that the Lord would not only restore them physically, emotionally, and socially but also spiritually.
This story has resonated with Jews and Christians for 2,500 years because it reminds us that no situation is beyond the reach of God! Whether we're facing a sense of aloneness, spiritual bareness, broken relationships, loss of job, a death, divorce, or disease, or any other challenge - this visionary story of dry bones assures that there is hope and a future.
The issue isn't what we think or how we feel about the dark moments of life...but whether we trust God with the situation and with the solution!
The issue isn't what we think or how we feel about the dark moments of life...but whether we trust God with the situation and with the solution!
Here are four truths found in this passage. Knowing them and putting them into practice is the key to seeing God work in your life and experiencing the hope He has for you:
First—God acts on our behalf and according to His time schedule.
First—God acts on our behalf and according to His time schedule.
Second—God expects and blesses our willing obedience.
Third—God’s Word is the definitive source of our instruction.
Fourth—God’s Spirit is the giver of life and restoration.
