The Valley of Dry Bones (2 of 2)

In context

The Lord sets Ezekiel down in a valley full of very dry bones and asks, “Son of man, can these bones live?” Ezekiel answers, “Lord Yahweh, you know” (Ezekiel 37:1–3). As he prophesies, the bones come together, “bone to its bone,” flesh and skin cover them, breath comes into them, and they stand up, “an exceedingly great army” (37:7–10). The people had been saying, “Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost”; the Lord answers, “I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live” (37:11–14).

Ezekiel is told to join two sticks, one for Judah and one for Joseph and Ephraim, into one in his hand: the two kingdoms, divided since Rehoboam’s day, will be one nation again, with “one shepherd” (37:15–24; 1 Kings 12:19–20).

Then come words against Gog, of the land of Magog, who will come from the far north “in the latter days” and fall on the mountains of Israel (Ezekiel 38:2, 15–16; 39:1–5); Revelation names Gog and Magog too (Revelation 20:8), and Christians read these chapters in different ways. Parts are hard, with battle and death. They end, “I won’t hide my face from them any more, for I have poured out my Spirit on the house of Israel” (Ezekiel 39:29).