Ezekiel 37

As we continue in Ezek. 34-39 and the restoration of Israel we come to this most amazing prophecy.  It is another of those “graphic” messages as the valley of dry bones and the two sticks illustrate just how far God will go in the promised restoration of Israel.

·        37:1-14: Israel’s restoration requires a resurrection.  She is dead as a nation, and yet she is raised to life by God.  The resurrection happens in two stages.  First there is a physical raising as the bones come together (v5-8).  Then she is given life spiritually by the breath of God (v9-10).  This is what Ezek. 36 spelled out: God brings about a physical nation, the regathering to the land; then He places His Spirit in them.  Notice as well that these things come about by the preaching of the prophet.  It is the preaching of the Word of God, the gospel, that imparts righteousness and quickens those dead spiritually (Rom. 1:16-17; 1 Cor. 1:18-25; 2 Tim. 3:14-17).  These New Covenant passages ring true as well for the future nation that will be given life through the covenant of peace established by God.  And let us be very clear: this is not the supposed “new Israel”, the Church, in which this is happening.  This is a resurrection of Israel, the Nation that lives in their own land (v14).

·        37:15-28: The emphasis on a future, literal Israel is continued in this second great message of hope.  The perpetual division between Ephraim and Judah, between the Northern Kingdom and the Southern, will end completely.  God judged Solomon for his idolatry by dividing the nation (predicted by God in 1 Kings 11:26-40; carried out in 1 Kings 12).  But the division of the northern ten and southern two tribes was evident in David’s reign (2 Sam. 2:4-7; 19:40-20:2).  And before that the selection of Shiloh (in Ephraim) as the first capital and resting place of the Ark of the Covenant resulted in some rivalry (Ps. 78:56-72).  But in the future there will be one, undivided nation with one King (v24-25), one covenant of peace for all (v26a) and one sanctuary (v26b-27).  When this happens it will be an undeniable statement to the nations that God was at work in Israel (v28).

What we read here rings true for believers today.  There is no life in Christ unless it is resurrection life because we were not simply in a coma or in a world of hurt but we were DEAD in trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1).  Furthermore, there is no life apart from Christ!  In other words, for us dead people to be quickened and made alive, Someone had to defeat death, to destroy its power.  “But now Christ is risen from the dead and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.  For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.” (1 Cor. 15:20-22).  “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Gal. 2:20)