Key Theme: The Holy Spirit's Role in Discipleship
[Core Gospel Concepts: Holy Spirit]
CONTEXT: After the nation of Israel was divided, the people in both kingdoms had for generations been guilty of idol worship, injustice, and other kinds of rebellion against the Lord. At the time of today's story, the northern kingdom of Israel had already long ago been destroyed and scattered by the nation of Assyria. And more recently, God punished the southern kingdom of Judah by allowing their enemies, the Babylonians, to take them into exile. Ezekiel spoke to the people during this time of exile in Babylon when they were cut off from their homeland. He declared God's holy judgment on all those people who were clinging to the false hope of idols. He also declared hope for those who would humbly receive God's discipline and turn back to God in faith. God told them in Ezekiel 36 that he would cleanse them from all their idolatry and other sins and change their hearts from the inside, restoring them as his people. He then illustrated this change with a powerful vision in Ezekiel 37.
NEW HEART and SPIRIT:
In Ezekiel 36:26-28, God said to the Israelites, "I will give you a new heart, and put a new spirit within you. I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my laws. You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God." Then he further explained this promise through a vision that Ezekiel described in this way . . .
THE VISION:
The hand of the LORD was upon me, and I was carried away by the Spirit of the LORD to a valley filled with bones. He led me all around among the bones that covered the valley floor. They were scattered everywhere across the ground and were very dry.
Then he asked me, “Son of man, can these bones become living people again?” “O Sovereign LORD,” I replied, “You alone know the answer to that."
PROPHESY to the BONES:
Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, listen to the word of the LORD! He says to these bones, "Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again! I will put flesh and muscles on you and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’” So I spoke this message, just as he told me.
Suddenly as I spoke, there was a rattling noise all across the valley. The bones of each body came together and attached themselves as complete skeletons. Then as I watched, muscles and flesh formed over the bones. Then skin formed to cover their bodies, but they still had no breath in them.
PROPHESY to the WINDS:
Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the winds, son of man. Say, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come, O breath, from the four winds! Breathe into these dead bodies so they may live again.’ So I spoke the message as he commanded me, and breath came into their bodies. They all came to life and stood up on their feet—a great army.
PROPHESY to the PEOPLE:
Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones represent the people of Israel. They are saying, ‘We have become old, dry bones—all hope is gone. We are cut off! Our nation is finished.’ Therefore, prophesy to the people of Israel and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I will open your graves of exile and cause you to rise again. Then I will bring you back to the land of Israel. When this happens, O my people, you will know that I am the LORD. I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live again. I will return you to your own land, to your home. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken, and I have done what I said.’"
Optional Memory Verse: Ezekiel 36:26-28 "I will give you a new heart, and put a new spirit within you. I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God."