“God’s Spirit Brings Life”

Ezekiel

1 The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. 2 Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. 3 And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

So I answered, “O Lord God, You know.”

4 Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. 6 I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.”’”

7 So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.

9 Also He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.”’” 10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.

These were the children of Israel, who were redeemed from slavery by God. But with the passage of time they wandered from God and eventually died.

God described to Ezekiel how hard these people were in their sins. Their hearts were as hard as diamond. And God told Ezekiel how they will mock and deride him when he speaks the words of God to them. Nevertheless Ezekiel was told to speak to them and warn them of God’s coming judgment.

Just see God’s great love. It’s amazing that He still reached out to them though their hearts were so hard.

God wanted Ezekiel to understand the people he was going to deal with. God showed Ezekiel the valley of dry bones, which were the house of Israel in His sight.

Yet God said that though they were in that condition He still wanted to restore them to life. So God asked Ezekiel whether these bones could live. There was no hint of life among the bones. Ezekiel answered that only God knew whether they could live. One would expect him to answer that there was no chance, because it was absolute death. But Ezekiel humbled himself before God and acknowledged that God knew whether the dry bones could live.

Ezekiel did not walk according to man’s wisdom. When God commanded him to prophesy over the bones – speak and preach to them – he obeyed and spoke exactly as God commanded him. He didn’t add his own ‘wisdom’ to it.

So too we might have no hope for someone because of their sins, yet God knows whether they could come back to God and live.

Maybe you find your heart today as hard as a diamond and God’s word doesn’t seem to penetrate, yet God knows whether that heart can become soft again.

The sin of disobedience is exactly as the sin of witchcraft. And the house of Israel was a prime example. When you continually disobey, your heart become as hard and dry as a witch’s.

God knows us intimately. He knows our hearts.

As Ezekiel obeyed God and prophesied, the bones stirred and came together – each bone to its matching bone – and they were clothed with flesh and skin. However they were still dead, because there was no spirit in them.

Then God commanded Ezekiel to prophesy to the spirit to enter them and bring life to them. There was something necessary to make their condition different from what it was before.

Note that the rattling and the noise of the bones did not constitute life. Many Christians mistake the noise and rattling for life. They speak and preach but do not bring life to others, for they themselves are dead. They make a lot of noise, but have no life.

However when God’s spirit entered them there was life in them.

Maybe you’re still living a life on your own, a dry bone, not joined to the other members of the body of Christ. You must come together to the other members of the body of Christ, and have God’s Spirit enter into you.

Jesus brings life where there is no life, and hope where there is no hope. Here God brought life and hope where previously there was only despair.

God has no joy in a person being destroyed because of his sin.

The same Jesus who raised Lazarus from the dead is the same Jesus who is able to give you new life and transform you into a new creation even if you have given up on yourself. He can change the heart full of hate and bitterness to experience love and forgiveness towards others. The heart full of lust and vile passions He can fill with purity and cleanliness.

While God works in the lives of those around you, does it not worry you that you are left out? Cry out to God that He won’t pass you by. Cry out that He would change your life too and make you upright and trustworthy.

This great army raised to life by God go out as one and fight the good fight. They do not fight each other but the enemy. They do not criticize each other and backstab each other.

Those who look on and do not join the fight themselves are those who criticize and find fault with those who are in God’s work. They are just spectators.

You need to get up and join God’s army yourself. Work in harmony with each other. Allow God’s spirit to enter into you and change you, so that you can fight together with God’s people against the enemy.