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“The Valley Of Dry Bones”

Ezekiel 37

23 Different Groups Taken Into Captivity

• 606 BC• 597 BC• 586 BC (Jerusalem destroyed)

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Background

• Ezekiel had to show Israel that Jerusalem would be destroyed

• After the fall of Jerusalem he had to help them overcome their despair

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Background

• The book falls into 3 parts:• 1. Prophecies before the siege of

Jerusalem 1-24• 2. Prophecies during the siege of

Jerusalem 25-32

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Background

• 3. Messages after the fall of Jerusalem 33-48

• The vision of the dry bones in chapter 37 was a vision of their restoration

6I. There Is Hope Even For Old Dry Bones (Vs. 1-10)

• 1. God takes Ezekiel to a valley filled with dry bones

• 2. Ezekiel is told to preach to the bones

• 3. In a wonderful scene, life returns to the bones

7I. There Is Hope Even For Old Dry Bones (Vs. 1-10)

• -Noise and shaking• -Bones are joined into skeletons

– ligaments bind the bones – muscle covers the bones – then skin

• Now the valley is filled with corpses

8I. There Is Hope Even For Old Dry Bones (Vs. 1-10)

• -The breath of God comes into the bodies and the army stands

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II. The Explanation (Vs. 11-14)

• 1. The dry bones were “the whole house of Israel” (37:11) now in captivity & filled with despair

• 2. God could give them new life and restore them to their land

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II. The Explanation (Vs. 11-14)

• 3. They needed to keep their faith in God

• Ezek. 39:25-28

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III. The Fulfillment

• The prophecy found its fulfillment in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah

• The return was in 3 stages:Zerubabel; Ezra; Nehemiah

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Lessons

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1. There Is Hope For Us

• We are always in the minority• Sin abounds in the world• Some Christians refuse to walk

with God• There is still hope for the

faithful!

142. God’s children often face overwhelming odds and problems• Then there is discouragement,

uncertainty about the future, etc• To offset these problems, God

supplies all that we need to do the best we can

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Phil. 4:19

• But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

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3. Only God Can Offer Freedom

• To Israel• The Israelites were slaves and

had no way to deliver themselves

• Only God could free them to return to their homeland

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Is. 41:10

• Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness

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3. Only God Can Offer Freedom

• To people today• Freedom from the bondage of

sin• Help for the saved to live a

faithful life

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Heb. 13:5-6 (NKJV)

• Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say:

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“ The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

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Rom. 8:31

• What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

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3. Only God Can Offer Freedom

• We can give up in despair or deny the reality of our problems.

• Or we can face the problems, do our part, and rely on God for the rest

234. God’s Power Is Often Exerted Through Human Agency

• Ezekiel was told to speak out – to preach the message God gave him to preach

• Today God uses Christians to make known His will to the world

243. God’s Power Is Often Exerted Through Human Agency

• The lost are shown the way of salvation

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Is. 55:10-11

• For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

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• [11] So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

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Rom. 1:16

• For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

284. God’s Power Is Often Exerted Through Human Agency

• The word of God is the most powerful force on earth!

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Heb. 4:12

• For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

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1 Pet. 1:24-25

• For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

315. We Are Also Reminded Of The Great Resurrection Of The Last Day• Jn. 5:28-29• Marvel not at this: for the hour is

coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation

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1 Cor. 15:51-53

• Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound,

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• and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

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References

• Ezekiel: Prophet In Exile, Truth For The World

• Outlined Commentary on Ezekiel by Bob Winton