Dry Bones: New Life, New Hope God s Presence Brings Life The Point God s powerful presence brings new life to exiled Israel and their broken relationship with God. Key Verse I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live Ezekiel 37:14a Summary Ezekiel experiences a valley of dry bones which symbolize the house of Israel. Instructed by the Lord, he prophesies to the bones and they come together and live. God promises to create new life and a restored relationship with Israel. Accompanying Text Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?. John 11:25-26 Contexts Linguistics The Hebrew word ruah occurs ten times in this passage. It is translated as breath, spirit or wind depending on the context of the word. 1 For instance, the NRSV translates ruah as spirit in verse 1 and breath in verse 6. The verb breathe in verse 9 comes from the Hebrew root nph which is also used when God breathed into the nostrils of the first human in Genesis 2:7. While God alone does this for the first human in Genesis, the four winds of God will breathe into the multitude in Ezekiel. 2 In the phrase we are cut off completely in verse 11, the nif al of gzr/grz depicts someone who is dead and buried, abandoned by both God and humanity. 3 The lesson today is filled with many vivid surprises, which are punctuated in the original Hebrew by the repeated use of the word lo (hnh in Hebrew). This word is not used in the NRSV translation, presumably for style purposes (Ezekiel 37:2, 5, 7, 8). 4 Geography/Setting The career of the prophet Ezekiel takes place in a community of exiles who had been deported from Judah in 598 BCE and now lived in Tel-abib on the Chebar canal, which was an offshoot of the Euphrates River. 5 The unnamed valley in today s reading presumably was located outside of this settlement. The exact location, or physical existence, of the valley is not important. Rather it is the spirit-induced experience of Ezekiel that truly matters. The present-day city of Tel Aviv, Israel, is named after this community of exiles. 2016-2017 Spirit and Truth Publishing All Rights Reserved 1
Ezekiel is the only book of the Hebrew Bible that presents the ministry of a prophet taking place in Babylon. The bitter reality of Exile permeates the entire book (see History and Cultural/Religion) and makes the message of Ezekiel 37 much more significant. 6 History For most of Ezekiel s life the people of Judah were merely pawns in the struggles between Babylon, Egypt, and the other great powers of the day. The Babylonians under King Nebuchadnezzar deported the royal family of Judah, as well as the political and religious elite from Jerusalem in 597 BCE. 7 Ezekiel was a part of this first wave of exiles that probably numbered several thousand. 8 Ezekiel s prophetic ministry began in 593 BCE with his first vision, after a few years in exile. His visions continue both before and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem (587/86 BCE). The vision in Ezekiel 37 took place after this cataclysmic event (see Ezekiel 33:21-22). Ezekiel s ministry persisted for quite some time into the Exile, until at least 573 BCE. 9 Culture/Religion The first chapter of the Book of Ezekiel states that he was thirty years old at the time of his first vision (Ezekiel 1:1), a priest from Jerusalem (Ezekiel 1:3), and that he was married (Ezekiel 24:15-18). As a member of the religious elite of Jerusalem, Ezekiel was very familiar with the Temple in Jerusalem as well as the culture surrounding it. 10 His separation from the Temple in 597 BCE and later news of its destruction in 587/86 BCE must have had a tremendous effect on Ezekiel s own identity. The transformation that Ezekiel makes from priest to prophet is a rare one. The priest is traditionally concerned with preserving the established order, while the prophet is often a messenger of the new, announcing judgment and calling for repentance. 11 So many bones would have been difficult for anyone, but for priestly Ezekiel it may have been more so, as contact with dead bodies would make him ritually unclean. 12 The capture and destruction of Jerusalem and the subsequent exile of many inhabitants of Judah had a profound effect on every aspect of the people of Israel s society and religion. The Temple in Jerusalem was considered to be the location of God s presence in and with Israel and its destruction was cataclysmic. 13 Thus the Exile put the loving relationship between God and Israel into question. It is no wonder that the whole house of Israel said we are cut off completely (Ezekiel 37:11). Literature The Book of Ezekiel is one of the most highly structured among the prophets in the Hebrew Bible and it can be broken down into three major sections. Today s passage is a part of the third section of the book which features oracles of salvation on behalf of Israel, following the prophesying of God s judgment. 14 Throughout the Book of Ezekiel the prophet differs from others in the Hebrew Bible due to his style of ministry. Ezekiel describes his actions in the first person singular and his persona plays a more significant role in his prophecy than those of other prophets (with the possible exception of Jeremiah). 15 The phrases the hand of the Lord came upon me and the variant the word of the Lord came to me mark the beginning of each new prophecy throughout Ezekiel 34-39. 16 Genre The story found in Ezekiel 37:1-14 is an example of a prophetic vision. This genre has been defined as a revelation that comes to a prophet by means of a visible or visualized experience. 17 Visions are apparitions of events or realities normally hidden from the human senses. One of the major types of prophetic visions are those that are based on a symbol, such as the valley of the dry bones brought to life. 18 These visions do not involve empirical, scientific, evidence and are not meant to be interpreted literally. 2016-2017 Spirit and Truth Publishing All Rights Reserved 2
Authorial Intention/Occasion Ezekiel 37:1-14 is a part of the prophet s message of hope and restoration. It fleshes out the shorter promise of God given in Ezekiel 36:26-27, which states that God s people will receive new hearts and the presence of God s spirit. 19 As found throughout the entire book, this passage is meant to emphasize God s glory and power. The whole house of Israel is as impotent and weak as a pile of bones; they are utterly dependent on the breath of God. 20 Ezekiel is clear that the deportation and destruction experienced by Israel is not a result of God s impotence. Remarkably, Ezekiel proclaims that events show God s power over Babylon as well as Judah. The Babylonians are merely one of God s tools. 21 Audience Ezekiel s original audience were exiles in Babylonia who struggled to make sense of their situation and keep their cultural and religious identity. It must have felt as though God had either completely abandoned the people or was too weak to help them. Common Misunderstandings Many interpreters have understood this vivid story literally as an example of physical, individual resurrection. This is not the intention of the prophet or the meaning of the story. There was no understanding or tradition of the resurrection of the dead at this point in Israel s history. Instead, the dry bones should be read metaphorically or symbolically as the whole house of Israel corporately. 22 The new life promised by God can be seen as a return from exile and a renewed covenant with God. More Information Read more about the Exile and its importance in Israel s history here: http://www.enterthebible.org/periods.aspx?rid=907. Explore trance experiences in the Bible here: http://www.bibleodyssey.org/passages/related-articles/trance-experiences-in-the-bible.aspx. Read an article that discusses the meaning of the dry bones: http://www.patheos.com/resources/additional-resources/what-about-dem-dry-bones-john-holbert- 04-04-2011. 2016-2017 Spirit and Truth Publishing All Rights Reserved 3
Connections Narrative Lectionary Connections Last Week (Daniel 3:1, 8-30) Last week, God s presence delivered three faithful friends from a fiery death. Ezekiel 37:1-14 amplifies this deliverance by including the entire people of Israel who will be given new life and a relationship with God. Next Week (Isaiah 55:1-11) Next week s lesson also emphasizes abundant, new life that comes from God s presence. Just as the breath/spirit/wind of God brings new life in Ezekiel 37:1-14, God s word will go out and accomplish God s purposes. Other Year 4 Connections Two connections with today s text can be found in the Gospel of John. Jesus and Nicodemus will have an important conversation regarding God s Spirit in John 3:1-21 in the lesson for 1/28/18. Just like the people of the whole house of Israel (Ezekiel 37:11), Lazarus will be completely at the mercy of God as Jesus raises him from death to life in John 11:38-44 (2/18/18). Other Bible Connections Using rich language and imagery, this passage clearly alludes to God s creation of humanity as depicted in Genesis 2:4-8. Just as God breathed into the first human, now God is breathing life into the house of Israel. Isaiah 26:19 also speaks of new life that comes out of death when God delivers God s people. In John 20:19-23 the resurrected Jesus appears to his disciples and breathes on them and them and says, Receive the Holy Spirit. (John 20:22). They receive a new relationship with God through his breath, just as Israel is promised new life through the breath of God in Ezekiel 37. Thematic Connections Called by God, Blessed to Serve Ezekiel the prophet has been called by God to prophesy to the bones, which brings about their retransformation into a living, breathing people. While the prophet is the one prophesying, it is abundantly clear that the power comes from God and that Ezekiel is merely an instrument of the Lord. He has been called by God and blessed so that he might serve. God s Presence Brings Life The bones scattered in this valley are lifeless until the breath of God revives them. Even then, they are dried up, and cut off completely (Ezekiel 37:11). God promises that they will be brought back to their homeland and that they will live with God s spirit within them. The contrast between the absence and presence of God is overwhelming. Liturgical/Seasonal Connections As the passage for Second Sunday of Advent, this story from Ezekiel will be read to people who are experiencing the hectic, commercial Christmas Season. As they run from a shopping trip to a Christmas office party, the congregation might feel dried up. The promises of this text could easily lend themselves to a call to worship or special benediction (especially Ezekiel 37:14). During Advent, when many in the Northern Hemisphere are in the midst of winter, the dry desert imagery seems unconnected to the natural world. However, as the earth tips away from the sun, the bleak desert may remind us of the bleak and frozen ground of winter. Hymns/ Music Some hymns deal specifically with the breath of God, including Breathe on Me, Breath of God, and O Living Breath of God. Some hymns deal with the Holy Spirit in ways that relate to the message of Ezekiel 37: O Spirit of Life, Gracious Spirit, Heed Our Pleading. 2016-2017 Spirit and Truth Publishing All Rights Reserved 4
Contexts & Connections #4-14 Ezekiel 37:1-14 Some Praise Songs reference the story of the dry bones from Ezekiel: These are the Days of Elijah by Robin Mark; Come Alive (Dry Bones) by Lauren Daigle and Michael Farren; Bones by Hillsong United, and Dry Bones by Gungor. Media Connections A famous spiritual song named Dem Bones or Dry Bones is inspired by the episode from today s lesson. It can be heard in many formats and settings. A quick Youtube search will yield a variety options; some of them do not make any reference to the biblical inspiration of the song. In chapter 16 of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, the lion Aslan breaks into the White Witch s castle and breathes on all of the captives she has turned to stone, giving them new life and liberating them from her power. 23 In The NeverEnding Story, a novel by Michael Ende, the realm of Fantasia has been reduced to a single grain of sand, which contains all that is needed to restore the entire kingdom. Bastian is the Ezekiel figure, calling Fantasia back into existence as Ezekiel prophesies to the bones. There are many artistic depictions of this vivid story, including a famous work by Gustav Dore (1866). See http://www.victorianweb.org/art/illustration/dore/bible/18.html. 1 Joseph Blenkinsopp, Ezekiel: Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching (Louisville, KY: John Knox Press, 1990), 173. 2 Moshe Greenberg, Anchor Bible: Ezekiel 21-37: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary (New York: Doubleday, 1997), 744. 3 Ibid., 745. 4 Ibid., 747. 5 Barry Bandstra, Book of Ezekiel in The Harper Collins Bible Dictionary ed. Mark Allan Powell (New York: HarperOne, 2011), 272. 6 Lena-Sofia Tiemeyer, Book of Ezekiel, in Dictionary of the Old Testament Prophets: A Compendium of Contemporary Biblical Scholarship ed. Mark J. Boda and J. Gordon McConville (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2012), 215. 7 Peter Ackroyd and Mark Allan Powell Exile, in Harper Collins Bible Dictionary, 268. 8 Blenkinsopp, 11. 9 Ibid., 4. 10 Ibid., 8. 11 Samuel E. Almada, Ezekiel 1-39, Global Bible Commentary, eds. Daniel M. Patte et al. (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2004), 236. 12 Tewoldemedhin Habtu, Ezekiel, Africa Bible Commentary, ed. Tokunboh Adeyemo (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010), 1001. 13 Jacqueline E. Lapsley, Ezekiel, in The New Interpreter s Bible One Volume Commentary ed. Beverly Roberts Gaventa and David Petersen (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2010), 456. 14 Yoshitaka Kobayashi, Book of Ezekiel, in The Anchor Bible Dictionary, ed. David Noel Freedman, Vol. 2 (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 711. 15 Tiemeyer, 218. 16 Almada, 236. 17 Ibid., 822. 18 Adela Yarbro Collins, Vision in Harper Collins Bible Dictionary, 1088. 19 Ibid., 474. 20 Tiemeyer, 220. 21 Ibid., 221. 22 John J. Collins. Introduction to the Hebrew Bible (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2004), 371. 23 C.S. Lewis, The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (New York: Collier Books, 1950), 164-174. 2016-2017 Spirit and Truth Publishing All Rights Reserved 5