Dry Bones
I've been thinking over Ezekiel 37 a lot lately.
Ezekiel was a priest called to be God's prophet during the Babylonian captivity. In chapter 37, we see God's power demonstrated in His ability to raise up His people in a new spiritual birth.
Ezekiel means "God strengthens", and He wants us to know just what strength, life and power He can give us.
There are many Christians who view temptations, trials, etc. as a result of the flesh - the old self we somehow haven't completely changed. I do not deny that our sinful nature plays a part in our temptations, but I think we forget where exactly sin originated from.
"...The devil has been sinning from the beginning," John says. "The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil." (3 John 1:8)
The devil does more in this world than put thoughts into our heads. He goes farther than temptation - he dares to opress the children of God and sends his demons across the face of the earth to do his bidding. Many would say that the reality of the spiritual realm is too much for them - too frightening.
I think we forget that the devil and his minions aren't the only supernatural beings.
Do we forget that there's a God in heaven? Do we forget that He sends His angels into the world as His messengers and warriors (Daniel 10)?
And yet, though we have the Spirit of God within our souls, know our victory to be true and can read it on every page of the gospel - we have become like Israel in Ezekiel 37.
We have become dry bones.
Jesus said in John 14 - "...The Ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me..." and likewise the devil has no authority over those we who are alive in Christ. "Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." (1 John 4:4)
In Matthew 16 Jesus told His disciple "...you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." The church is not meant to be a passive organization but a living, powerful opposing force to the devil and his kingdom. We must take advantage of what is given us and not shrink from the opportunity not just to resist but attack the devil where he stands - in our homes, our workplaces and our churches.
"For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ..." (2 Cor. 10:3)
Ezekiel was a priest called to be God's prophet during the Babylonian captivity. In chapter 37, we see God's power demonstrated in His ability to raise up His people in a new spiritual birth.
"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. 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. And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 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.”
"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. 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. 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.” 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." (verses 1-10)
There are many Christians who view temptations, trials, etc. as a result of the flesh - the old self we somehow haven't completely changed. I do not deny that our sinful nature plays a part in our temptations, but I think we forget where exactly sin originated from.
"...The devil has been sinning from the beginning," John says. "The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil." (3 John 1:8)
The devil does more in this world than put thoughts into our heads. He goes farther than temptation - he dares to opress the children of God and sends his demons across the face of the earth to do his bidding. Many would say that the reality of the spiritual realm is too much for them - too frightening.
I think we forget that the devil and his minions aren't the only supernatural beings.
Do we forget that there's a God in heaven? Do we forget that He sends His angels into the world as His messengers and warriors (Daniel 10)?
And yet, though we have the Spirit of God within our souls, know our victory to be true and can read it on every page of the gospel - we have become like Israel in Ezekiel 37.
We have become dry bones.
Jesus said in John 14 - "...The Ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me..." and likewise the devil has no authority over those we who are alive in Christ. "Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." (1 John 4:4)
In Matthew 16 Jesus told His disciple "...you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." The church is not meant to be a passive organization but a living, powerful opposing force to the devil and his kingdom. We must take advantage of what is given us and not shrink from the opportunity not just to resist but attack the devil where he stands - in our homes, our workplaces and our churches.
"For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ..." (2 Cor. 10:3)
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