What is the meaning of Ezekiel 37:4? And He said to me God Himself initiates the entire vision. Ezekiel does not dream this up; the Lord speaks first, underscoring divine authority and reliability (2 Timothy 3:16–17; Exodus 4:12). • When God speaks, His servants listen—this is the pattern from Genesis onward. • The command is personal: “to me.” God deals directly with individuals before He works through them for others (Isaiah 6:8). Prophesy concerning these bones The Lord commands Ezekiel to proclaim His message to a scene of utter hopelessness—a valley filled with dry, scattered bones. • Prophecy here means declaring God’s word, not predicting Ezekiel’s own ideas (Jeremiah 1:7–10). • Speaking to lifeless bones illustrates that the power for change rests entirely with God (Romans 4:17). • The bones represent Israel in exile, literally cut off from land, temple, and kingdom (Ezekiel 37:11), yet God plans real national restoration. and tell them God wants the prophet to address the bones directly. Silence will not do; truth must be verbalized (Isaiah 58:1; Matthew 10:27). • Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ (Romans 10:17). • The wording stresses responsibility: Ezekiel must relay the message exactly as given (Deuteronomy 18:18). Dry bones Their condition is emphasized—they are not merely bones; they are “very dry” (Ezekiel 37:2). No moisture, no marrow, no chance of spontaneous recovery. • Symbolizes complete spiritual and national death (Psalm 22:15). • Mirrors humanity’s state apart from Christ: “dead in your trespasses” (Ephesians 2:1). • Sets the stage for God’s unmistakable intervention. hear the word of the LORD! The command pivots from death to life. Hearing God’s word is the channel through which resurrection power flows (John 5:24; Hebrews 4:12). • The word brings faith and obedience, even to things that appear beyond hope (Isaiah 55:3, 11). • In context, Israel will be regathered to the land, revived physically, and renewed spiritually—a literal fulfillment already begun in history and climaxed in the coming Messianic kingdom (Ezekiel 37:21–28; Romans 11:26). summary Ezekiel 37:4 showcases God’s sovereign initiative, the necessity of proclaiming His word, and the life-giving power that word carries—even over situations that seem irreversibly dead. Dry bones can live because the Lord commands it, the prophet obeys, and the word accomplishes what He pleases. |
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