37:1 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.
37:2 He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the
valley, and they were very dry.
37:3 He said to me, "Mortal, can these bones live?" I answered, "O
Lord GOD, you know."
37:4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them:
O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.
37:5 Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: I will cause breath to
enter you, and you shall live.
37:6 I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon
you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall
live; and you shall know that I am the LORD."
37:7 So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied,
suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together,
bone to its bone.
37:8 I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come
upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in
them.
37:9 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal,
and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four
winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live."
37:10 I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into
them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude.
37:11 Then he said to me, "Mortal, these bones are the whole house
of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost;
we are cut off completely.'
37:12 Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: I
am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O
my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel.
37:13 And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your
graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people.
37:14 I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I
will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the
LORD, have spoken and will act," says the LORD.
I read this feeling a bit dry for my preaching. But here is the breathe being breathed into me through my faith in my call... Just what I needed on a monday morning. Nancy-Wi
There is an excellent article on this text in the February 26-March 6 issue of the Christian Century by Carig Barnes titled, "Resurrection Hopes." It was well worth the read. PH in OH
I talked to a doctor about the criteria for declaring one person dead and his answere was that after certain test it could be determined that there was no longer any hope for meaningful purposeful existance then that person is declared
dead. dosen't that hold true to relationships that have gone sour, Marriages that have failed, or persons that lost all hope and contemplate suicide.
As we look out at our congregations there are many
who are walking dead in some form each Sunday and in need of a resurrection experience. Though things seem hopelessly dead Jesus can bring new life in relationships, New life to a dead marriage, new life to a dead spirit, new life to those who have already died to meaningful existance.
Harold in Alabama
P.S. Think I'll go this way Sunday.
Sorry folks ... this may be slightly off the topic. I am preparing to lead worship for the closing of one of the small congregations in our parish.
Does anyone "out there" have any ideas for appropriate rituals, or do you know where I could find liturgies especially prepared for the closing of a congregation? I have access to the material in OCCASIONAL SERVICES - A COMPANION TO LBW.
Mark (Wellington, New Zealand)
To Mark in Wellington New Zeland,
The United Methodist book of worship has an order of worship for the leave taking of a church building and an order for the disbanding of a congregation PP, 648-50 I'm sad to say I may be using this service also in the near future. For the past few weeks I have been preaching to one person.
at my small church. Make it aa service of celebration not a funeral service. The prayer begins : This congregation ___________________was organized as part of Christ's Holy Church. It was God.s gift for a season. We are thankful for the many ways it has served the mission given to it by Jesus Christ. It has accomplished its purpose. We declare that it is no longer a United Methodist congregation and is now disbanded. But Christ's Holy Church is of God. and will be preserved to the end of time, for the conduct of worship and the due administration of God's word and Sacraments, the maintenance of Christian fellowship and discipline, the edification of believers, and the conversion of the world. We remain a part of Christ's ongoing church as we scatter into other congregations we shall be one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory and we feast at his heavenly banquet. Hope this might help some.
Harold in Alabama
"Mortal, can these bones live?"
Three ways to answer this question:
1. No, God! I'm not stupid yaknow! I know from the way you made us, that these bones cannot live.
2. Heck yeah, God! You made Adam from dust, so you must be able to raise these bones to life!
3. "O Lord GOD, you know."
Which answer did God really want to hear?
Pastor Andy
I like the three ways of asking the answer. I agree Harold many among us are the walking dead. I too see that especially among those who have lost all relatives or a life time partner. Not much meat in this but then the week is moving fast. Nancy-Wi
Was Ezekiel the first one called to preach the christian message? No doubt our OT friends will say I am Christ-izing the text. And I say so what if it serves the gospel. However, Isn't this the message we christians are called to proclaim. "hope for the hopeless". The ultimate hopeless situation is death to the point of bare bones, and God is telling Ezekiel preach to the bones that I will breath life into them. Now I know this has to do with, The new Israel after the distruction of the temple after the exile but doesn't this also speak to Ny after 9'll. Doesn't this speak to the family of my parish whose house burned down last week, the morning family after the death of their loved one has died, the kid who flunked out of school, the broken relationship. Hope where none is even hoped for. Hope where none was even imagined.
I'm planning to connect this story with the Gospel reading for the day. In every impossible situation, when it appears all hope and life is gone, the Breath of God, the transforming power of Christ, the Holy Spirit, come and breathe miraculous new life into the midst of human hopelessness. It is only the promise of the resurrection, both in its ultimate form and in its many "mini-resurrections" in our lives every day, that gives us hope in the face of the most hopeless death. Remember, too, this is the first Sunday after the 6 month anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001. What will happen with the valley of dry bones more commonly known as "Ground Zero"?
Roger in Ohio
To Kiwi Mark:
Heard a great answer to the "death" of a church recently. The church session finally admitted that the church was dying and chose to prepare for it. They planned on making their death as useful as possible to the community they had served for so long, so they contacted local storefront and household churches which might be able to use their building. They planned for their death to lead to the nurture and growth of a new congregation, more suitable and more necessary to their community. In offering their church, however, they found many people who didn't even know their church existed or what kind of ministry they offered. Within weeks, that "dying" church had dozens of new members.
Two lessons to take from this. First, why should a church not be able to choose to die with dignity and the satisfaction of a mission well served, just as we would hope that a person might? Second, in continuing their mission, even in death, that church was able to revitalize themselves and gain a new connection with the community they thought they had lost.
God's blessings on you and your parish.
zombiewoof68
I used this passage last night during our weekly Lenten Healing & Communion Service. I have always offerred Christ-centered words for healing before ... but this text, this, "The Lord Will Act" text speaks to many of us who have some cut-off, hopeless, dried up rattling around within our souls & our lives! Ultimately, this passage is also about bringing glory to God -- God's plan, God's timing, God voice and breathe. Powerful stuff.
Just a note to those struggling with churches that seem somewhat like this valley of the bones. My first appointment was a 3-point charge which is now a 2-pt charge. One of the churches closed the year after I left. One of the most healing things we were able to do is to begin to talk about it -- the dying of the church -- openly and honestly. In order to celebrate all that they had done. All of the lives that they had touched and changed. And the God presence that been with them for so long. To close their doors was very painful, but I think most were able to do so without feeling guilty or that God had abandoned them or that they had abandoned God. But gosh, talk about uncomfortable -- the first time I started talking out loud at an Admin. Board meeting about what and when and how we were going to move toward dying with dignity. God's blessings to all of you dealing with that in your ministries today. RevAmy
There are, to my mind, two "spark plugs" in this text. The first is the end of verse 6: "and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the LORD."
It is not enough just to LIVE; we must live and KNOW God and KNOW that God is in charge of the whole sordid (from our pespective) mess. In fact, most often it is living without this knowledge that leads to a live full of dry bones in the first place.
The second "spark plug" is the last line in the pericope: "then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken and will act." The refleshing and reviving of dead, dry bones was the result of God speaking; it occurs in the middle of Zeke's God-dictated message. The "breath" (don't we all know that "breath" "wind" and "spirit" are all the same word in Hebrew?) of God rattles the bones and they join together. The sinews, flesh, and skin are added, then "breath/wind/spirit" enters and they live. God has spoken. Now God is saying "I will act." How will God act? Through the living people who were raised to life from dry bones.
"You will live and know..." that "I have spoken and will act." When you know that your life is exclusively the result of the grace of a living and loving God, how can you not give yourself to the world of dry bones as an agent of that God?
Pastor Andy
Many thanks to those who have responded with suggestions and encouragement re. the closing of one of my small congregations.
Blessings to you all ... Mark (NZ)
I think I am going to equate the term "ground zero" to the other "ground zero's of life" Those times when we need the spirit to breath into us new life. My sept 11 sermon talked about God moving from Chaos to order. Now with this one I think I will talk about God moving us from despair, emptyness (dry bones) to hope and sustaining presence through Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. Nancy-Wi
Dear PH in OH, Could you please give us a "reader's digest" version of that article that is in Christian Century? I don't have access to the magazine, and I would welcome hearing the high points. Thanks, Brent.
For Eric
This is the sermon in outline form that I delivered on 1/6/02. Although it uses other texts (Acts) it may speak to some of the things you've discussed under John 11. Best wishes.
It’s More Than Dry Bones & Pillow Talk.
Acts 16:6-15 – Paul’s Macedonian Call & Response
Matthew 2:13-15 – Joseph’s dream & flight to Egypt
Ezekiel 37:1-14 – Valley of Dry Bones
I. Nature of Dreams and Dreamers
a. Dreams – rarely static
i. Full action
ii. Moving
iii. Fast paced
b. Dreamers – Often our Heroes
i. Those who dreamed dreams
ii. Those who followed dreams
iii. Those who envisioned something new and pursued it
iv. The inventors who saw improvements
1. Contacts
a. Invented yrs ago.
b. Made soft, & disposable
c. New ones have slight etching on “outside” to help wearer know which side is which.
d. There was a dreamer who found a way to do this, and has made a mint.
c. Heroes of Faith are those who saw visions, dreamed dreams, and pursued them
II. Joseph – Earth father of Jesus
a. Dreamed of impending danger
b. Fled to Egypt
c. Acted to protect family
d. Saw the opportunity, need, reality, and moved passed the past.
III. Paul – Macedonian Call
a. Sleeping in Troas
i. Holy Spirit prevented Paul & others from preaching in Asia/Galatia
b. Has dream/vision of man from Macedonia calling
i. “Come over to Macedonia & help us.”
c. “At once” got ready and left for Macedonia
i. To preach the gospel to those in eastern Greece and northern coasts of Aegean Sea
d. Meet Lydia, a worshipper of God
i. She and her whole household are baptized
ii. Beginning of Church at Philippi
IV. Ezekiel – Dry bones
a. Taken to valley of dry Bones – Land of the Dead
b. Prophesies over the Bones
i. You know the song.
ii. Foot Bone connected to Ankle Bone
iii. Ankle Bone connected Leg Bone
iv. Leg to Knee
v. Knee to Thigh
vi. Thigh ………
c. What happens next?
i. Dry skeletons rattling around?
ii. Dead remains just rearranged?
iii. NO
d. God breathes
i. Holy Spirit moves
ii. Bones become flesh
iii. Great Army of Lord is formed
1. Army to stand for God
2. To unite the nation
3. To ACT for God
V. What about your visions and dreams?
a. Pillow Talk?
i. Only something you whisper to self or spouse?
ii. Never believe any hope of fulfillment?
iii.
b. Dry Bones?
i. Disjointed, disconnected, parts?
ii. Dried ideas?
iii. Body-less forms?
iv.
c. Why not act?
i. Like the three heroes above.
1. What if they had chosen not to pursue or respond to God’s visions and dreams?
VI. Word of hope and Call.
a. If God calls, if He gives the vision and dream – He will give the breath to bring life.
b. Joel 2:28-32
c. Isaiah 40:30
d. Mount your wings!
e. Soar where God leads you to soar!
f. There is a New Year dawning. Act Now!
Steve in NC
I asked a good friend who is a Rabbi about this text and his reply was this:
I have not much to add to the valley of the dry bones, except to remember what an incredibly moving account it is, and to tell you that we read it every year as the haftorah on Israel's independence day, when we see the return of the Jewish people to Israel after the crematoria in Europe as a veritable enlivening of dry bones, and their return to their ancestral land. There is a discussion in the Talmud about whether this story in Ezekiel is parable or actually happend, and one of the rabbis jumps up, says that not only did they come alive, but that they married and had children in the land of israel and produces a pair of tefillin that his great great grandfather used , and that he was one of their descendants! pretty cool!
Hope this helps any who are using this text this week.
RevSophia
Does anybody know where to find the word/music/guitar chords for "Them Bones", (the African-American spiritual already spoken of on this forum)?
Pastor Andy
Mark, you may find some very useful rituals in a book called Praying our Goodbyes" by Joyce Rupp. There are excellent prayers in it. If you can't get the book in time let me know at revncarmichael@yahoo.com and I will try to send you a couple of ideas. Nancy-Wi
The Scripture that comes to mind for me when I read these verses is "Bone of my Bone Flesh of My Flesh" The old testament is riddled with the relationship between God and Israel likened unto a husband and wife. For example, Israel is called the the bride of God. With that thought in mind it speaks to the oneness between israel and God. And the rebuilding process of the house of Israel is parralleled with the quickening of God's spirit simultaneously within their hearts and minds. Ezekiel is attacking the God is dead mentality. Now what do I mean by that, Israel believed that God was no longer with them because of the bondage they were under. It is much likened unto the mindset of the hebrew children in bondage in Egypt. They had forgotten God. To rebuild the nation, meant to remember the covenental relationship between God and israel. A covenant of At-one-ment, married, bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh. Okay, i know its late i was just really rambling. LOL loved all of your thoughts, keep it up.
Pastor Andy. I looked for those words today. Did not find them yet. I'll post them here if I do. Brent.
I'm working on an application here.
What about "Who are you? Are you the scattered bones? Are you the corpse? Are you the animated bones? Or are you the resurrected child of God, walking eternally with God?"
Any thoughts are appreciated.
Craig in Miami
Andy, I can't locate the words. Anybody know any more of them? I have some old folk song books but with out a title or more words I am at a loss. Nancy-Wi
I haven't looked carefully through all of the posts this week -- no time -- but if the words you are looking for are from the old spiritual about "'dem bones", try www.textweek.com, and look under the Ezekiel reading. I remember seeing it listed there.
SueCan
"Dry Bones" -- an African-American Spiritual
The famous African-American spiritual "Dry Bones" derives from Ezekiel's valley full of bones vision.
Ezekiel cried them dry bones.
Now hear the word of the Lord
Ezekiel connected them dry bones.
Now hear the word of the Lord.
Your toe bone connected to your foot bone.
Your foot bone connected to your ankle bone.
Your ankle bone connected to your leg bone.
Your leg bone connected to your thigh bone.
Your thigh bone connected to your hip bone.
Your hip bone connected to your back bone.
Your back bone connected to your shoulder bone.
Your shoulder bone connected to your neck bone.
Your neck bone connected to your head bone.
Now hear the word of the Lord.
Them bones gonna walk around.
Now hear the word of the Lord.
Ask and ye shall receive.
Pastor Andy - the response God most wants to hear is our honest response, and if that includes some doubt, then I believe God can handle that. Denying doubt facilitates shallow "gotta believe it or I'll go to hell" theology; honest doubt causes us to seek, and where we seek, Jesus promises that we will find. It was during my "doubting Thomas" sermon 5 years ago that a brother hollered out that I was from the devil for saying doubt is a part of faith, so you can see where I've given this a lot of thought. I still doubt (haha) that God wants us to parrot what we think he'd like us to say before we're sure we believe.
Of course, on the other hand, there's the AA exhortation, "fake it till ya make it!"
OK - sermonette over.
Sally
zombiewoof:
what a great story! Further proof that all it takes is simple invitation.
I have another positive thought for folks: I served a circuit, where in one of the churches (where a murdered, dismembered body was found in the graveyard) we were praising God to have 8 in worship, some extended family members happened to decide to visit. This was the text that I preached and the two women who were visiting liked it. They decided that, even though they were already members of another church (of a denom that doesn't recognize women clergy), they wanted to join us for Easter sunrise. I sang "Morning is Broken" and the one woman felt the breeze and decided that the Holy Spirit was moving - the breath of God. They changed their morning plans and brought some more visitors to the 10 AM service. Attendance, when I had to leave, was running around 12-15 - and having just been called back to sing at a funeral there, I learned that their attendance is up in the 20's and they had a Christmas concert shceduled for the upcoming Sunday!!! They had new carpet, a Sunday school, and a new lease on life. And they were STILL a very small-membership church.
Sally in GA
Dear Folks:
The TRAGIC matter (yes, I meant the yelling or emPHAsis bit there) with this reading is the inclusive language problem. "Mortal" is only one sense of the phrase (bar nasha) as in Ezekiel (a mortal), and misses the messianic pointing-ahead of 'Son of Man'.
Clearly, when Jesus understands himself and refers to himself frequently as 'the Son of Man' he is not just referring to himself as a human being, or mortal, but as God incarnate, who fulfills the double-visions of Ezekiel and Daniel.
Ezekiel: Jesus as Son of Man comes to raise the dead, to wash clean the sinner, to send the Holy Spirit, to be the good and true shepherd (Eze. 34-35); and he can only do this as God and a human being. His mission is also (clearly) prophetic, to afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted and all that.
In that sense it could be argued that Ezekiel himself, and the book taken as a whole were strongly prophetic and messianic.
Daniel (7-10): "one like a Son of Man" refers both to 'one who looked human' but in context, is so much more: judge, powerful, ancient of days; thus as Jesus says, his friends and enemies shall know him seated at the right hand of the Father, and coming in clouds of glory as judge (Matthew 24:30; Matthew 26:63-65), and Lord.
Thoughts?
I am leaning toward the aspect of dead faith of many in our churches today. Give a list of things to look at which indicate whether our faith is alive or dead: do we love to read the word of God?, be with God's people?, have a burden for the lost?, have an active prayer life?, etc.
Sharon in NY
Bless you, Eric! I just may borrow a lot this week - with credit, of course - we'll make this official DPS day at my church, as we have two houseguests I met through Frank's forum!
Sharon in NY - I get frustrated at the deadness in much of the life of the church, but I'm very wary of trying to shame people into having life. That doesn't seem to be what God does in this passage (or most places, for that matter). God breathes life into them by the word of prophesy. Puts a burden on us, doesn't it?
kbc in sc - y'all come for dps day!
In response to Andy and Sally: If certainty were possible, faith wouldn't be necessary. Rev. Sue in Cuba, KS
Pastor Andy, Sorry, I didn’t look at the Ezekiel posts until this morning. Here’s what I have.
Michelle
(F) Ezekiel connected them Dry Bones, E-(Gm7) Ezekiel connected them (F) Dry Bones, Ezekiel connected them Dry Bones I hear the (C7)word of the (Bb)(F) Your (F) toe bone connected to your foot bone, Your (Gm7) foot bone con(C7)nected to your (F) ankle bone, Your ankle bone
connected to your leg bone, Your (Gb6) leg bone connected to your knee bone, Your (G6) knee bone connected to your thight bone, Your (Ab6) thigh bone connected to your hip bone, Your (A6) hip bone connected to your (A) back bone, Your (Bb6) back bone connected to your shoulder bone, Your (B6) shoulder bone connected to your neck bone, Your (C) neck bone connected to your (C) head bone, I (Am7) hear the (F)word of (G7)the (C)Lord. (G7)Them (C) bone them bone gonna walk around, Them (G7) bones, them bones gonna (G9)walk a-(G7)round, them (C) bones (Cmaj7)them (C6)bones gonna (Cmaj7)walk a-(C6)round I hear the (f6)word of (G7)the Lord! Disconn(C6)nect them bones them Dry Bones, Discon(G7)nect them bones them Dry Bones, Discon(C)nect them bones them (C) Dry Bones, I (Am7)hear the (F)word of (G7)the (C)Lord! Your (C6) head bone connected from your neck bone, Your (B6) neck bone connected from your shoulder bone, Your (Bb) shoulder bone connected from your Back bone, Your (A)back bone connected from your hip bone, Your (G)thigh bone connected from your Knee bone, Your (Gb6)knee bone connected from your Leg Bone, Your (F6) leg bone connected fron your (F) ankle bone Your ankle bone connected from you (F) foot bone, Your foot bone connected from you toe bone, I hear the (Gm)word of (Abm)the (Am6)Lord! I (Bb)hear the (C7)word of the (F)Lord!
