What does "I will cause breath to enter you" reveal about God's sovereignty? The Setting: A Valley of Dry Bones Ezekiel 37 drops us in a landscape littered with bones—no hint of life, no pulse, no hope. Into that desolation the Lord speaks: “Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: ‘I will cause breath to enter you, and you will live.’” (Ezekiel 37:5) The Phrase in Focus: “I will cause breath to enter you” • “I will” – God Himself initiates; no outside help required. • “cause” – sovereign authority in action, not suggestion. • “breath” – Hebrew ruach (breath, wind, Spirit); the very force that animates life. • “enter you” – a deliberate, personal impartation. • “and you will live” – guaranteed result from the sovereign decree. What This Reveals about God’s Sovereignty • Ultimate Source of Life – Genesis 2:7: “Then the LORD God formed man… and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.” – Job 33:4: “The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” God alone authors life—physical and spiritual. • Power Over Death and Decay – Psalm 104:29-30: when He withdraws breath, creatures perish; when He sends it, they are created. – Revelation 11:11: God’s breath revives two slain witnesses. Nothing is too dead for Him to resurrect. • Sovereign Initiative, Not Human Merit – The bones did nothing; all action begins with “I will.” – Romans 4:17: God “gives life to the dead and calls into being things that do not yet exist.” Salvation and revival are by His grace, not our effort. • Absolute Authority Over Nations – In context, the bones picture Israel in exile. God alone determines their national future (Ezekiel 37:11-14). – Daniel 4:35: “He does as He pleases… No one can restrain His hand.” History bends to His will. • Guarantee of Fulfilled Promises – John 11:43-44: Jesus’ word alone raises Lazarus. – John 20:22: Jesus breathes on the disciples, signaling new-creation life. When God speaks life, life happens—every time. Connecting Threads Across Scripture • Creation: Life begins with God’s breath (Genesis 2:7). • Redemption: New birth comes by the Spirit’s work (John 3:5-8). • Resurrection: Final victory when God “will transform our lowly bodies” (Philippians 3:21). From first breath to final resurrection, sovereignty pulses through His plan. Living Implications for Us Today • Hope in Hopeless Places – No circumstance is beyond His reach. • Dependence, Not Self-Reliance – We look to the One who alone can breathe life. • Confidence in the Gospel – The same sovereign breath still raises souls from spiritual death (Ephesians 2:1-5). • Anticipation of Resurrection – Our future rests on His unbreakable promise: “Because I live, you also will live” (John 14:19). |
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