How can Ezekiel 37:11 encourage us during personal or communal struggles today? Seeing Our Own Reflection in Ezekiel 37:11 “Then He said to me, ‘Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Look, they are saying, “Our bones are dried up, and our hope has perished; we are cut off.”’ Why This Verse Matters in the Middle of Struggle - God records Israel’s raw confession so we can voice ours without shame. - Scripture treats hopelessness as a real, felt condition—not an illusion—yet never as the last word. - Because the historical promise to Israel was literally fulfilled (return from exile, national rebirth), we can trust every promise God makes to His people today. Personal Struggles: Hope for “Dried-Up Bones” - Honest lament is safe with God (Psalm 42:11). - The same Lord who listened to Israel listens to you; He has not changed (Malachi 3:6). - Christ’s resurrection proves God specializes in impossible turnarounds (Matthew 28:6; John 11:25). - The Spirit who breathed life into the bones now lives in believers, guaranteeing power for renewal (Romans 8:11). Communal Struggles: Hope for “Cut-Off” Communities - Churches, families, or nations that feel beyond repair can remember Israel’s nationwide restoration. - God works through His Word proclaimed—Ezekiel had to prophesy before the bones rattled. Preach, read, and sing Scripture together. - The Spirit unites what sin has scattered (Ephesians 2:14-16). - God’s covenant faithfulness outlasts any collective failure (Lamentations 3:22-23). Key Truths Drawn from the Passage - Hopelessness voiced to God becomes the soil for hope received from God. - Restoration is both spoken (God’s Word) and breathed (God’s Spirit). Neither is optional. - God’s answer is resurrection, not mere improvement—He makes the dead live (Revelation 21:5). New-Testament Echoes That Reinforce the Message - Romans 15:4 — “For everything that was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope.” - 2 Corinthians 1:9-10 — God “raises the dead” and “will yet again deliver us.” - Colossians 1:27 — “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Putting Ezekiel 37:11 into Practice Today - Acknowledge present dryness—name it before the Lord. - Read Ezekiel 37 aloud, letting the promises enter your hearing as they did Israel’s. - Speak life over your situation using God’s own words; align your vocabulary with His. - Invite the Holy Spirit to breathe fresh strength; rely on Him, not mere self-effort. - Watch for tangible signs of God’s reviving work—relationships mended, zeal renewed, opportunities opened. Final Encouragement If Israel’s scattered, exiled nation could be revived, no personal valley or communal crisis is beyond the reach of the God who literally raises the dead. “Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him” (Psalm 42:11). |
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