Ezekiel prophesied as Judah began Babylonian exile, nearly 600 years before Jesus’ birth. In Ezekiel 37, he had a vision like something out of a horror movie. Put down in a valley full of very dry bones, the Spirit of the LORD commanded him to prophesy over them. “Behold, there was a sound…a rattling, and the bones came together” (37:7). They were covered with “sinews”, “flesh”, and “skin” – “but there was no breath in them” (37:8). Creepy, right?
Those bones represented the state of the people: dry, dead, and hopeless. While what we face is not as severe, can’t we still relate? We are worried about our health, our loved ones, and our jobs. We are worried about how long social distancing will last and about what might happen if it is ended too soon. It has been hard – and we don’t know when it will end.
As awful as things were for Judah, God gave them hope. “Prophesy to the breath”, God told Ezekiel. When he did, “the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet” (37:9-10). In Hebrew and Greek, the word translated as “breath” is the same used for “Spirit”. So, isn’t what God said next interesting? “Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the LORD” (37:12-14).
Resurrection and the Spirit spoke hope into Judah’s hopelessness. On this side of the cross of Christ, they mean even more for us. Because Jesus has already risen, He offers all of us who put our faith in Him the same. Death to what is killing us and leaving us dry. New life as we are united with Him in baptism. Forgiveness of all we have done wrong. The gift of the Holy Spirit to help us live a new, fruitful, more abundant life now and eternal life to come.
Even though we’re in such difficult times, we don’t have to be dry, lifeless, hopeless. Jesus has risen from the dead, so we can know that God is the LORD. No matter what happens in the world around us, He has put the Spirit within us – and we shall live.
Are you ready to learn more about how to live a Spirit-led life? Check our our new sermon series, “Living Water: Never Be Thirsty Again”.