Did you know that sometimes God Himself leads us through the valley? He took Ezekiel to a valley. Oh, my goodness! It wasn’t a valley of beautiful streams and lush green grass either. Ezekiel 37:1 says, “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.” Wow! I would certainly be very glad to know that it was the Spirit of the Lord that brought me to view such a place. Bones. A valley of dry bones.
However, in Ezekiel’s “valley vision,” we can learn some important lessons. First of all, God caused Ezekiel to take a very good look at the bones. Whatever the reason, Ezekiel knew that these bones were “very dry.” They didn’t have a spark of life left in them for sure. He also knew that there were a lot of them!(v.2) Then, God asked Ezekiel a question. He asked in verse three, “son of man, can these bones live?” Ezekiel knew one thing – only God knew the answer to that question. It wasn’t up to him whether these bones lived or not. He couldn’t do anything within himself to cause a miracle like that. So, he answered God, “O Lord God, You know.”
This faith in God’s “all knowing” character took Ezekiel to the next step. The step of obedience. Now, God simply told him what would happen and what to do. Ezekiel didn’t question. He didn’t say, “Well, if you will just show me one set of bones coming together, I’ll believe you for the rest.” God said – Ezekiel did.
Amazingly, following his obedience, Ezekiel began to witness results. First, he heard God bringing the bones together. Such a rattling – can you imagine? He heard from God, he believed God, he obeyed God, and then he began to see - to witness the muscle, flesh, and skin coming up over them – but they were still quiet, for there was no breath in them. Then, at the Word of God, breath came into them, and they LIVED. God performed the miracle and left him with some awesome words, “I will put My Spirit in you and you shall live . . .” v.14
While we know this was a vision for the nation of Israel receiving its life again, we also can take hope! Many times we look at the dead dry bones of our situations and wonder – “can these bones live?” Truly, sometimes only God knows. It is important that we trust Him and allow Him to do His work. If we try putting the bones back together ourselves, they won’t be put together as He desires. It would be like wiring them together with things that will rust and decay – temporal, earthly, fleshly “fixes.” When God puts them back together, it isn’t a temporary “band-aid” it’s a true healing! It is the continued faith walk – the continued trust, continued obedience that finds the wonder of results only God can perform. The breath of God’s Word breathing His life into our lives, situations, and circumstances causes our “dead bones” to live.
It isn’t what we can do, but what He can do within us, through us, and for us. “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.” Zech.4:6b
Written by: Janene A. Dubbeld/FGG
Take It With You
A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
Ezekiel 36:26,27
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