Ezekiel describes his vision in chapter 37, of a valley of dry bones that were not buried, but scattered, picked clean and destroyed. They were dismembered bone chips. There was no skin on those bones for protection. We can't live without skin, it keeps boundaries. It's also a barrier that allows for absorption. Neither was there a spine or backbone. They weren't standing for anything in that dry desert. Muscle was long gone from those bones indicating perhaps, a lack of spiritual strength. And most importantly, there was no breath, or spirit, God's Spirit.
How did this happen? Long before Ezekiel had this vision, God told him to eat 'this book', eat the Word of God. We are consuming all the time - feeding on something. When we feed on God's Word - feast on it, we are nourished. This dead jumble of bones, or army as some commentators call them, had starved themselves to death.
Instead of digesting God's Word, there is the temptation to eat 'bad food' or just fill up on junk food. We have access to plenty of stories, teachings and prophesies in the bible that are true and pertinent to the world we live in today. We live in a devastated world. Where are God's people in these times? We don't ignore the chaos, but believe in resurrection for Egypt, Syria, Japan, Libya, Afganistan, Ivory Coast and the list goes on and on. Ezekiel saw a picture of resurrection power. And this is the kind of power we need today.
Excerpts from Harley's sermon 4.10.11 Ezekiel 37:1-14
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