Second Sunday of Easter (OTA)

Ezekiel 37:1-14
1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. 2 And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. 3 And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord GOD, you know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. 5 Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6 And I will lay sinews upon 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.”
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.
11 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. 13 And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. 14 And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the LORD.”
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. 2001 (Eze 37:1–14). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

It is always interesting when a text just seems to leave you questioning some things. Why would people who are alive, even if they are in slavery or exile, thinking their bones are dried up? Then general explanation is because they have been away from home for so long. They have been enslaved or exiled for over a generation. The people who are now facing these hard times never saw the start or cause, only the results.

The church today could easily think of itself in this pattern. Our bones are dried up. I would even think that there are some who have completely returned to dust. How long does it take for bones to turn to dust? Archaeologists dig up bones from early Christians that are completely dried up. The bones of our Church Fathers are problem all dried up. Those people who actually witnessed the Passion and Resurrection of our Lord are dried up.

But yet the Spirit, which the Son of Man blew on His apostles, is still at work in Christ's Church today. The Holy Spirit is still calling and gathering his people together around the Word of God. This spirit is alive and well today, even though the bones are all dried up.

But our bones are not dry. God has made us into his Holy Army of Israel, so that we can continue to fight in the world. The Church Militant is waging war against False Teachings and Demons. This battle is not between flesh and blood but between powers and spirits. Even though we are dried up and dead, Christ Jesus has made us alive.