Ezekiel; 37:1-14. The hand of the LORD came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. 3 He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?” I answered, “O Lord GOD, you know.”
Though an ancient writing this poses a serious set of questions for us today: “Can these bones live?”
This was a vision. Not a physical place, yet it was a place of reality. God’s spirit helped Ezekiel to look at the situation in which he found himself, his nation was totally disheartened. Clearly through that vision, reality is seen. God reminds the prophet that despite the circumstances he can and will bring renewed life.
Sometimes we can make the places where we met with God, places of escape: Places to take time out. Relax just for a moment.
Someone commented a few years ago (People) Work at their play. Play at their work and pretend at their worship.
Do we go from worship and feel that little has changed? Do all the burdens of life simply return when we turn the key in the door at home? Does our gathering really change the way we live and work and think and act? Does it give us life? This is a real question.
Life is short, life is fragile, but more importantly, life without the life of God can be a pointless exercise.
If we feel a sense of despair and grief then we can identify with the people who Ezekiel is talking about. The whole house, the people of God, feel that their bones are dead and dried up; there is no life left, and they are surrounded by nothing but despair. The symbols of their religion no longer hold the life they once did. As the hymn says, “Change and decay in all around I see.”
What can change the situation?
If you ever watched that TV series called “Minder” The title song said, “If you want to I’ll change the situation.” It was an enforcer’s action, but violence never changes the situation for the better.
God’s Spirit speaks to Ezekiel and says “speak to the disenchanted people.”
1] He reminds Ezekiel to hear the word of God.
The word has content. It’s content from the beginning of the Old testament until the book of Revelation is that Jesus came and lived and died to win salvation for humanity.
a]. This coming recognised that humanity was in need of being saved. We are sinful. The bones are indeed dead. They contain no life.
b]. It also reminds us that God considered that humanity was worthy of being saved.
Have you ever wondered what would have happened if God had not decided humanity was worth saving. And it wouldn’t have been hard to go that way, the inhumanity that we often see does make you think.
In recent weeks we have seen unimaginable acts of violence, even against children.
God’s word is that Jesus came to destroy that kind of pain. And his cross is the symbol of victory that new life and new hope are available to each one of us.
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