How does Ezekiel 37:6 illustrate God's power to restore life and hope? Ezekiel’s vision: bones in the dust Ezekiel stands in a valley littered with “very dry” bones—symbolizing Israel’s utter hopelessness (37:11). Humanly speaking, nothing could be done; the scene shouts finality and defeat. The promise stated in Ezekiel 37:6 “ ‘I will attach tendons to you, make flesh grow upon you, and cover you with skin. I will put breath within you so that you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’ ” Four acts of divine restoration Each verb unveils a specific facet of God’s power: • Attach tendons – God re-connects what is hopelessly scattered. • Make flesh grow – He supplies substance where nothing exists. • Cover with skin – He completes what He starts, giving wholeness and dignity. • Put breath within – He imparts life itself, echoing Genesis 2:7: “Then the LORD God…breathed the breath of life into his nostrils”. The progression moves from structure to life, showing that only God can restore completely, from the inside out. “Then you will know that I am the LORD” Restoration is never merely for comfort; it is revelation. • Power proves His identity (Exodus 6:7). • Knowledge of Him brings hope that endures (Psalm 46:10). When God revives what is dead, His people recognize His sovereignty afresh. Scripture echoes of God’s life-giving breath • Psalm 104:30—“You send forth Your Spirit…You renew the face of the earth.” • John 11:43-44—Jesus calls Lazarus from the tomb, displaying the same authoritative voice. • Ephesians 2:4-5—God “made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our trespasses.” Across both Testaments, breath equals Spirit, and Spirit means life. From national restoration to personal resurrection • For Israel—The prophecy guarantees a literal regathering and future resurrection (Daniel 12:2; Romans 11:26). • For the Church—It prefigures the believer’s resurrection and the new birth now enjoyed through the Spirit (1 Peter 1:3). Living in the light of His restoring power – No situation is beyond God’s reach; dryness is His canvas. – His process may be step-by-step (tendons, flesh, skin, breath), but He finishes what He begins (Philippians 1:6). – Hope rests not in circumstances but in the proven character of “the LORD who raises the dead” (2 Corinthians 1:9). |
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