Ezekiel 37:1 - It was full of bones

37:1

This is probably the most well known chapter section in Ezekiel, the valley of the dry bones. To better appreciate the chapter we should remind ourselves of the context. There has been a relentless depiction of the sins of Judah and Jerusalem. A clear proclamation and then enactment of the wrath of God on Judah’s sin. Ezekiel and the exiles are stuck in Babylon. We have then had a couple of chapters on the restoration of Israel. The key elements of this have been God Himself shepherding Israel, and the promise of a new heart for the people. There has also been the emphasis that God is doing this for the sake of His Name. We may tend to react against this latter aspect. We think it means that God is doing it for “self-centred” reasons, when we think He should be doing it to help us. The truth is that when we think of the wrath of God and God doing things for His name's sake we think of it in human terms. The wrath of a man (or woman), and someone doing something for their own sake is almost always not a pretty sight and lacking in virtue. With God things are different. His wrath is entirely righteous and just, and when He does things for the sake of His Name we benefit! The key message is that salvation is founded purely in God’s goodness, not in anything about us. So the vision starts with God showing Ezekiel a valley of dry bones.