The prophet Ezekiel talks about raising “dry bones” in the desert
Estimated reading time: 13 minutes
Overview of Ezekiel’s Prophetic Book
Today, I want to apologize for the length of this edition. My excuse is that explaining Ezekiel 37 is both important and complex and needs extra attention to get all that it has to offer. As we dive into the book of Ezekiel, we’re going to explore one of the strangest prophesies ever recorded in scripture. To understand its meaning, we need to first review an overall summary of the book. Christianity.com provides a pretty good one, so let’s use it: ((https://www.christianity.com/wiki/bible/what-is-the-significance-of-the-valley-of-dry-bones-in-ezekiel.html))
- Chapters 1-3: It begins with God commissioning Ezekiel to deliver a message to His people with the caveat, “5 And whether they listen or fail to listen—for they are a rebellious people—they will know that a prophet has been among them.” (Chapter 2:5 NIV).
- Chapters 4-7: Ezekiel then warns the kingdom of Judah of the coming judgment.
- Chapters 8-11: Ezekiel then sees visions of the Lord’s glory departing from the Temple.
- Chapters 12-24: He continues by exhorting the people of Judah to repent.
- Chapters 25-32: Then, he prophecies against the other nations of the world.
- Chapters 33-39: After Jerusalem’s fall, Ezekiel speaks of the nation’s travails and future restoration, which includes a mysterious vision called the “valley of dry bones.”
- Finally, in Chapter 40, Ezekiel describes a Temple being built that can only be used during the Millennial Period following the Tribulation (See Discovery #14).
Usually, scholars interpret Ezekiel’s prophesies in the context of when he wrote them – right after the exile when the Jews are mourning the loss of their identity, their possessions, and their homeland. This interpretation is often supported by the fact that Ezekiel is addressing Judah, not the tribe, but the Southern Kingdom, which included only Judah and Benjamin. Israel, The Northern Kingdom (which included the remaining 10 tribes) is not addressed – presumably because, by the time of the exile, they were “lost”. — having been carried away by their defeat at the hands of the Assyrians.
Interpreting Ezekiel’s Vision
I believe that the vision God gave Ezekiel was not rooted in their present condition, but in the condition, they’d find themselves far in the future (where the 10 tribes would still be lost). With that in mind, let’s have a little fun and see if we can make sense of Ezekiel’s vision:
- Suppose that the “coming judgment” he was talking about was the judgment that God will deliver during the Tribulation – not on them, but on the world.
- Suppose that the “Lord’s glory departing from the Temple” comes as a result of the antichrist entering the 3rd Temple and declaring himself to be God (The Abomination of Desolation).
- But God’s people are not ready for this battle. So, Ezekiel “exhorts the people of Judah to repent” because they need to purify themselves for what is about to come (The 2nd Half of the Tribulation – where things get really bad).
- Ezekiel “prophecies against the other nations” because they will all fall into the temptations of the antichrist and, as a result, reap the wrath of God.
- Suppose the “fall of Jerusalem” refers to the Jews’ failure to recognize their Messiah (Jesus) and, as a result, all the trials that failure cost them over the years (e.g., the loss of the Temple, their land, and years of persecution). Yet, Ezekiel predicts a future “restoration” of the Jews coming out of this period.
- Then, right in the midst of this restoration, Ezekiel inserts a wild tale of a whole valley of very dry bones coming to life and rising up to form an army. This is the point where the vision becomes confusing for many Biblical scholars. Allow me to take a slight diversion to explore one popular interpretation and comment on where I think it goes wrong.
Continuing with the same Christianity.com article, here’s how this vision is usually interpreted:
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Traditional Interpretation* |
My Revised Version |
| Time of the Vision | After the exile | During the Tribulation and Millennium |
| Spirit of the Vision |
Depressed because of losing their land and identity. |
Hope for the future (Ezekiel’s view), but also despair, anger, and fear. (Israel’s view). |
| The First Point made in the article: |
Hope in Despair: The vision of the dry bones represents a situation of utter hopelessness and despair. The bones are described as “very dry,” indicating that they have been dead for a long time. Yet, through the power of God’s word and Spirit, these bones are brought back to life. This teaches us that no matter how dire our circumstances, there is always hope with God. |
Taken in the context of Ezekiel’s vision, it makes more sense to me that the “hope and despair” comes from the Jews lamenting their “lost” and long-awaited Messiah. At the time of the vision, so many Jews died waiting for their Messiah to come! The fact that the bones are “very dry,” indicates this condition has been going on for a very long time (~2,000 years). This is a prophetic vision so Ezekiel seeing the despair of the Jews from what it will look like far into the future. |
| The Second Point: |
God’s Power to Revive: The vision demonstrates God’s power to revive and restore what is dead or lost. Just as the dry bones are brought back to life, God can breathe new life into dead or struggling areas of our lives, whether that be relationships, dreams, or spiritual vitality. |
True, but what “new life” is God breathing into these dry bones and for what purpose? Perhaps it is the resurrection power of Jesus! Are these bones really are going to rise from the dead in a literal sense! I think so! But, who will rise, and why? If this is something that will actually happen, what a sight it will be! Hundreds, maybe thousands of people being resurrected all at once! |
| The Third Point: |
Restoration of Israel: In its historical context, the vision was a message to the people of Israel who were in exile and felt as though their nation was dead. God promises to restore Israel, bringing the people back to their land and reviving their national identity. This lesson is about God’s faithfulness to His promises and His ability to restore and renew. |
Here’s where I think the scholars get it wrong. The article says that this resurrection is a symbolic “Restoration of Israel” I agree that is a good thought, but does it fit with the story Ezekiel is laying out? I don’t think so. Before Israel can be restored and bring “the people back to their land,” they must Recognize the Messiah they missed. If Jesus is the one doing the restoration of the dry bones (which is Israel), those being raised cannot help but recognize Him. Ezekiel is talking about a time when God will take out His wrath on the nations of the world, and Jerusalem will fall as the antichrist desecrates the Temple. It seems to me that a key part of that plan involves raising up 144,000 Jews to fight the antichrist and defend the honor of their God and Savior (as presented in Revelation Chapter 7). |
| The Forth Point: |
Unity and Reconciliation: The vision ends with the once-scattered bones forming a vast, united army. This can be seen as a symbol of unity and reconciliation, reminding us that God desires His people to be united and that He has the power to bring together what has been divided or broken. |
For what purpose is this unity required? During the Tribulation, the world is in crisis, and the antichrist has declared war on all God-fearing people. However, the call to “Unity and Reconciliation” is much more than just a “symbol”; it is a call to God’s people that they are at war! They must put away their differences and unite with their God to destroy Satan. I believe that the resurrection of the dry bones is an actual resurrection of the 144,000 Jews (as mentioned in Revelation 7) where they meet Jesus in the sky and immediately recognize Him, reconcile with Him, and unite with Him to defeat the antichrist (This is not the same as the Rapture where all Christians are raised to meet Christ in the air and then are sent to heaven to wait out the Tribulation). In doing so, Jesus accomplishes another miracle – He brings together and restores the 10 tribes lost because of the exile, as each one is called out in Revelation 7. |
| The Fifth Point: |
Resurrection and Eternal Life: On a broader level, the vision of the dry bones is seen as a foreshadowing of the resurrection of the dead and the promise of eternal life through Jesus Christ. It reinforces the resurrection and the hope of life beyond death. |
The raising of the dry bones would bring new meaning to the concept of “Resurrection and Eternal Life” But in this new context, it shows the level of love and commitment both God and Jesus have for their “Chosen People.” When the whole world is “going to hell,” Jesus calls on His people (the Jews) to help! They have a long history of struggling with the devil. They have a long history of suffering for their faith. They, more than any other people throughout history, can face the demons of hell with Jesus and not waver. |
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Conclusion |
Much of the vision of Ezekiel has already taken place. The rest is merely symbolic.
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All of the vision of Ezekiel is yet to take place and none of it is symbolic. |
* Taken from the article, this represents one of the most common interpretation of Ezekiel 39.
Breaking Down Ezekiel 37
Let’s take a closer look at Ezekiel’s words – particularly in Chapter 37 (for this, I referred to an article in KnowingScripture.com). ((https://knowingscripture.com/articles/dry-bones-and-the-resurrection-of-the-dead-ezekiel-37-1-14))
In Ezekiel 37:11 it says, “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel.” (NIV) followed by “Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.” Why? Some say it is because Israel has been scattered and 10 tribes lost, so there is no hope of ever regaining the land promised to them. But God always has a way! Ezekiel gives four promises here that are all wrapped up together:
- I will open your graves and raise you from your graves (37:12).
- And I will bring you into the land of Israel (37:12, 14).
- And you shall know that I am Yahweh (37:13, 14)
- And I will put my Spirit within you (37:14).
The article says that these verses point to “God’s promise… to bring Israel out of captivity and back into the Promised Land.” Then they go on to say that this promise was fulfilled when “King Cyrus of Persia defeated the Babylonians in 539 B.C. and decreed the following year (538 B.C.) that the Jews could return to the land (Ezra 1:1-4; 2 Chronicles 35:22-23)” Really? Suppose there was another interpretation. Imagine for a minute that God’s plan to bring His people back to the Promised Land involves an actual, physical resurrection of all 12 tribes of Israel for a holy purpose. This didn’t happen in 539 B.C. because (at that time) there were 10 tribes that had been lost as a result of the exile! This raising up of these dry bones will accomplish the miracle of truly uniting Israel. Further proof of the timing comes from Chapters 40-44 where Ezekiel describes a Temple that is significantly larger than any temple ever built by the Jews. If the building of this temple follows right on the heels of God reuniting His People, then it could not have taken place during the time of King Cyrus. It must refer to a Temple that is built after the Tribulation (The Millenium).
The article goes on to say, “This vision is about more than just a return to the land, as there was a Spiritual component to the “life” of which God spoke. This is seen in that God promised to put His Spirit within His people—“I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live” (37:14 NIV).” But that’s not all. In the previous chapter, Ezekiel wrote that God “will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. (36: 26 NKJV). Is this not reminiscent of Paul’s claim in Romans about His people (the Jews), “Part of Israel has been made stubborn, but that will change when many who are not Jews have come to God. 26 And that is how all Israel will be saved.” (Romans 11: 25b-26 NCV) By “stubborn” Paul meant their hearts had been hardened yet, Ezekiel gives them the hope that their “heart of stone” will one day be replaced with “a new heart” of flesh. When the dry bones in the valley are resurrected, Jesus will reveal Himself and give His people a new heart to see Him and serve Him.
The article also makes it clear that this resurrection is not just spiritual; it also “foreshadows a future bodily resurrection” in a manner that seems symbolic of Jesus’ own resurrection. As Ezekiel 37:12 (AMPC) says, “Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves.” Then, in the very next section, Ezekiel talks about “two sticks” being united. It is clear that these sticks are the ten lost tribes finally being reunited with the two surviving tribes of Israel – something that, to this day, has not been accomplished. At this amazing resurrection, Ezekiel says (37:21 AMPC) “Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the nations to which they have gone, and will ]gather them from every side and bring them into their own land.” I believe this is exactly what God does in Revelation 7 where He calls “one hundred forty-four thousand from every tribe of the people of Israel.” (Rev 7:4 NCV) The miracle that occurs both here and in Ezekiel is the bringing together of all Israel (including the ten lost tribes) to battle the antichrist.
Biblical Examples of Raising the Dead
The concept of the dead rising back to life is not new to either the Old or New Testaments. We certainly know about Lazarus and Jesus in the New Testament, but are there any other mentions in the Old Testament besides the one in Ezekiel? Here’s just a couple to chew on:
- Your people have died, but they will live again;their bodies will rise from death. Isaiah 26:19 NCV
- 12 The sins of Israel are on record, stored away, waiting for punishment.
14 Will I save them from the place of the dead? Will I rescue them from death? Hosea 13: 12,14 NCV - 25 I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth.
26 And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God;
27 I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me! Job 19: 25-27 NIV
Summing it all up
If one looks at the prophesies of Ezekiel in this new light, I believe the conclusions are obvious. In the End Times, after the antichrist has declared himself to be god in the holy Temple built by the Jews to honor their God, God will respond by raising up 144,000 warriors to avenge His honor. They will consist of Jews who died in faith waiting for a Messiah they did not recognize to come. Some have been dead for ~2,000 years, and their bones are very dry. But when Jesus raises them from their graves and restores their bodies, they will be called to battle and die in defense of God’s honor. THIS is how the Jews will be redeemed! (See blog post: Discovery #12) This is a new vision from what is usually taught about Ezekiel’s prophesy. But it is one that I think makes more sense and is consistent with both Old and New Testament scripture.
What do you think?
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