Eze.37:1-14, From Absolute Despair to Absolute Hope

Eze.37:1-14, From Absolute Despair to Absolute Hope(Hold onto Hope Amidst Despair)

1-14, 1.The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2.He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3.He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" I said, "Sovereign Lord, you alone know." 4.Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5.This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. 6.I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.' " 7.So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8.I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them 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 say to it, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.' " 10.So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet-a vast army. 11.Then he said to me: "Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.' 12.Therefore prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; 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 have done it, declares the Lord.' "

<Sermon> God revives the dry bones of despair into a mighty army of hope. Let us heed His word.

1. From absolute despair to absolute hope(1–10): Jesus’ death on the cross(absolute despair) → Resurrection (absolute hope) → Jesus' Second Coming(absolute bliss).
God leads Ezekiel into a valley of despair—a valley filled with bones. He makes him walk through it so that he might face reality squarely. The bones are utterly dry, representing a state of total death beyond the power of any human ability to revive. The vision of dry bones reveals a God who transforms despair into hope. God works by breaking through human absolute despair; this demonstrates His creative omnipotence. God guides Ezekiel to this valley of dry bones, which symbolize the total death of Israel—a people slaughtered and scattered by the Babylonian Empire. The people of Israel are currently in a state of utter despair. Verse 11 describes this situation in three ways: "Then He said to me, 'Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, "Our bones are dried up and our hope is lost; we are completely cut off."'" They are dried up, their hope is lost, and they are completely cut off (v. 11). The verbs here all signify that the situation is over. Jerusalem has been completely destroyed; it was a state of absolute despair. The Temple where God dwelt—the house of worship—has been burned to the ground. This vision was given amidst such total despair. It is a promise to the despairing people of Israel that God will grant them the hope of revival and restoration. It also reveals God’s determination to create a new people of the new covenant. To God’s question, “Can these dry bones live?” Ezekiel answers, “You know, Lord”(2-3). Indeed, this is a confession of faith acknowledging that nothing is impossible for God. Facing the reality of despair without losing heart, but instead looking to the Lord of hope—this is how we believers live. All restoration rests solely with God. God commands him to prophesy over all these bones (4). By bringing the dead to life through the proclamation of His word, God powerfully declares that human despair cannot limit His work of salvation. He is told to proclaim God’s word to dry bones that have neither ears nor life. He prophesied—performing the prophetic act of proclaiming God’s word—as commanded. Even when something seems impossible by human standards, miracles occur when we obey God’s word. The dry bones connected to one another; sinews formed, flesh appeared, and skin covered them (7). The dry bones became human beings complete with sinews, flesh, and skin. Yet, there was still no breath in them (8). Verses 5–8: 5. Say to them, "This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. 6. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you; I will cover you with skin and put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord." 7.So I prophesied as I was commanded.&as I prophesied, there was a noise, a rattling sound,&the bones came together—bone to bone. 8.I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.
Now, for the second time, God commands the prophet to prophesy—this time to the breath (the Spirit). V.8 describes prophesying over the dead, who were like corpses. V.9 says, "Breath, come from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live. Breath, breathe and bring them to life." Then the breath(the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit) entered the bones. The bones came to life and stood up on their feet—an exceedingly great army, a vast army(10). This calls to mind the scene at the beginning of time when God breathed the breath of life into the nostrils of Adam—who was merely a figure of clay—causing him to live(Gn.2:7). True, complete life begins only when the Spirit of God enters. When the Word is proclaimed and the Holy Spirit moves, the work of resurrection and new life takes place. Let us pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit, both as individuals and as a church. No matter how deep our despair, when the life-giving Word is proclaimed and the breath of the Holy Spirit blows upon us, we will be restored and rise up as God’s mighty army. *How can I, who have fallen into despair, rise up and stand tall again?

2. Live in Hope(12-14)/The dry bones represent the "whole house of Israel," who had fallen into despair. Yet, God delivers a remarkable message of hope. He promises to open their graves and lead them back to their homeland (12). Just as the dry bones became a vast army when the breath of life entered them, God would place His Spirit within these people—who were mired in utter despair—and bring them back to life. God grants new life to the despairing and establishes them as the people of the new covenant. Let us look to Jesus Christ. Jesus shed His blood and suffered a wretched death on the cross; it was a moment of despair. He was laid in Joseph’s tomb, and a massive stone sealed the entrance; it was a state of absolute hopelessness. Yet, Jesus rose again. His resurrection transformed absolute despair into absolute hope. Is there despair in your reality? Is there a sense of utter hopelessness? It is all right. Look to the cross of Jesus Christ; He resolved the despair caused by all our sins. Look to the resurrection of Jesus; He shattered the despair of death. He triumphed over the power of death and rose again. As believers, we trust in the death and resurrection of Jesus on the cross. That is the moment when absolute despair turns into absolute hope. Let us all, with one heart, fix our eyes on Jesus Christ, the author and perfecter of our faith. Let us believe as we contemplate His death and resurrection. I pray that you live by relying on God—our Lord Jesus, who is the source of absolute hope—even amidst absolute despair. *How will you nurture the seed of hope that the Lord has planted in you, even within a reality that feels like a grave of despair?

3. Believe in the New Exodus (12-14)/He will bring about restoration in the external realm as well. The hopeless captivity will end, and the people will return to their homeland. God will open the way, bring them out, and lead them back; the graves will be opened, and a new Exodus will be granted. By opening the graves and leading His people home, God will transform death into life and captives into free people, bringing about complete restoration. This comes solely through the Spirit of God. God’s faithful covenant, which transcends despair, will certainly be fulfilled in history. Proclaim this boldly. As members of the covenant community, may you—no matter what valley of despair you find yourself in—hold fast to the gospel assurance that complete life is restored when the Spirit of God comes upon you. Beloved, there are times in our lives, too, that resemble a valley of dry bones. We face situations that cause discouragement and frustration—relationships that seem beyond repair, a reality where hope has been severed by repeated failures, or a spiritual life that has lost its vitality. Amidst such circumstances, today’s message directs our gaze away from our situation or environment and toward the God who gives life even to dry bones. How did God bring life to the dry bones lying in the realm of death? It was through His Word and the breath of life (the Holy Spirit). You believe in Jesus’ death on the cross and His resurrection, by which He conquered the power of death, do you not? Absolute despair and death have been transformed into absolute hope in Jesus. I pray in the name of Jesus—who is the Resurrection and the Life—that the Spirit of God may fill each of us, bringing about a miraculous transformation where despair turns to hope and death turns to life.
Prayer: God of hope, thank You for saving those of us who had fallen into despair due to our transgressions and sins. I repent for the times I have lived like dry bones. Even when hope vanishes and I am plunged into despair, help me to hear Your voice as You bring about a new restoration. Clothe us with the flesh of the Word of Life and revive the breath of prayer within us, that we may stand as mighty warriors. O Holy Spirit, accomplish the wondrous work of transforming despair into hope and death into life. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
<Questions for Application> 1. Faced with the question, “Can these bones live?” (v. 3), in what area have I already concluded that it is impossible?
2. The bones connected to one another upon hearing the Word, yet they still lacked the breath of life (vv. 7–8). What area of ​​my life appears restored on the surface but still requires the life-giving breath of the Holy Spirit?
3. God commanded, “Prophesy to the breath” (v. 9). What is one “dry bone” situation—something I had given up on—that I need to pray over again while proclaiming God’s Word?
<Commitment> 1. I will entrust an area I had previously given up on back to God. Confessing, “Lord, You know,” I will pray again for the issue I had deemed impossible.
2. I will choose God’s Word over my circumstances. Even when things seem dry and stagnant, I will hold fast to the Word and obey one specific teaching in my actual life today.
3. I will live seeking the life-giving breath of the Holy Spirit. I will pray daily that the Holy Spirit breathes new life into my heart, my family, and my community, ensuring that restoration goes beyond mere outward appearances.