Valley of Dry Bones

One day Yahweh was speaking with Ezekiel, His faithful prophet to Israel. He brought him out and set him down in the middle of a valley. This valley was full of dry bones. There was no sinew, no flesh, no skin on them. They were very dry.

Yahweh said, "Can these bones live?" Ezekiel replied, "Yahweh, God, you know."

Then He asked Ezekiel to prophesy (be His mouthpiece) over the bones saying, "Hear the word of Yahweh, 'Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live,' and you shall know that I am Yahweh."

So Ezekiel prophesied as he was commanded. And as he prophesied, there was a sound, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone into bone. Then he prophesied that the breath of God would enter the slain and give them life. Then they lived, and stood on their feet, and there was an exceedingly great army.

Then Yahweh said, "These bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are clean cut off.' "

This amazing scene is found in Ezekiel 37:1–14. The Lord "Yahweh" loves His people with 

a covenant faithfulness and a loyal love and He will not abandon them. Though the context is speaking directly to the restoration of the house of Israel, we can observe powerful and practical insight into the reviving and renewing nature of the Word of God.

Since Paul writes to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16, 17, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work," what do we learn about the Word of God? How do we prioritize the proclamation of the Truth? When the Word of God is preached, what effect does it have on our souls?

In chapter 4:2 Paul charges Timothy to "Preach the Word!" Essentially, be the mouthpiece of God and proclaim the gospel of the grace of God! Preach the powerful message that delivers us from the dominion of darkness and transfers us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in Whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Col 1:13, 14)!

Psalm 19:7–9 says, 

"The law of the Lord is perfect,

reviving the soul;

the testimony of the Lord is sure,

making wise the simple;

8 the precepts of the Lord are right,

rejoicing the heart;

the commandment of the Lord is pure,

enlightening the eyes;

9 the fear of the Lord is clean, 

enduring forever;

the rules of the Lord are true,

and righteous altogether."

John 8:31, 32 say, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." Christ is speaking of Truth and its freeing power over sin. Committing sin is bondage to sin (v. 34) but abiding in Truth is freedom from that bondage.

May the Word of God have its reviving, renewing, freeing, restoring, rejoicing, enlightening, enduring and righteous effect in us each day! May we preach the Word of God to ourselves and to others that our dry bones may receive life!