Jesus’ Words Breathe Life into Us
Therefore, prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. (Ezekiel 37:12)
There’s a saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” So, picture a valley with dry bones. What can dry bones do? Nothing. They cannot resurrect themselves. The Lord brought Ezekiel to a valley full of dry human bones. It’s an ugly picture as is the reality of the despair that it makes clear.
We cannot guess the meaning of the dry bones. The Lord tells us in Ez. 37: 11 that: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’”
The Israelites had been carried off to Babylon as captives. The Lord was in their midst and said to Ezekiel what He had heard them conclude. “We are indeed cut off” and “We are never getting back to Jerusalem.” They have utterly despaired of God as they can’t bring themselves back to their former lives.
But as we read on, we see another picture, not a perception. This picture is reality and an incredibly comforting reality. As we look at these dry bones, they become living flesh by Ezekiel proclaiming God’s word to them and the Spirit of Life flows through the words and pours His life into them.
When we hear God’s Word, Jesus lives to pour His Spirit of Life into us to revive us. For the Lord says to Israel: I will put my breath in you and you will come to life.” (Ez. 37:14)
So, as our text says, he opens our graves of despair and brings us up from them. Jesus, once dead in the grave, is risen. He lives to be faithful to his promise to pour out his Spirit of Life into us. That’s a picture worth a thousand words.
Prayer: Lord of Life, I am a sinner when I despair of you keeping you promises to me. Then you came to save sinners. Come to me now through your Word. Lead me to anticipate that you will breathe your Spirit of life into me and revive me to trust in your promises. You live to carry them out personally to me. Amen.