\fancyhead[L]Dry Bones\fancyhead[R]Week 46

Week 46, Dry Bones

Discussion Questions

Old Testament

What is the meaning of the story of the dry bones in Ezekiel 37?

New Testament

To which “leaders” does Hebrews 13:17 refer? That is, does it mean political leaders, church leaders, leaders in our workplaces, etc?

Notes and Commentary

Old Testament

What is the meaning of the story of the dry bones in Ezekiel 37?
1-14 No created power could restore human bones to life. God alone could cause them to live. Skin and flesh covered them, and the wind was then told to blow upon these bodies; and they were restored to life. The wind was an emblem of the Spirit of God, and represented his quickening powers. The vision was to encourage the desponding Jews; to predict both their restoration after the captivity, and also their recovery from their present and long-continued dispersion. It was also a clear intimation of the resurrection of the dead; and it represents the power and grace of God, in the conversion of the most hopeless sinners to himself. Let us look to Him who will at last open our graves, and bring us forth to judgment, that He may now deliver us from sin, and put his Spirit within us, and keep us by his power, through faith, unto salvation.
Verse 1. The hand of the Lord was upon me] The prophetic influence was communicated.
And carried me out in the spirit] Or, And the Lord brought me out in the spirit; that is, a spiritual vision, in which all these things were doubtless transacted.
The valley which was full of bones] This vision of the dry bones was designed, first, as an emblem of the then wretched state of the Jews; secondly, of the general resurrection of the body.
Verse 6. I will lay sinews upon you] Observe the progress: 1. Here are the bones. 2. The ligaments, called here sinews, are to be added in order to unite the bones, that the skeleton might be complete. 3. The flesh (the whole muscular system, the subjacent and superjacent muscles, including the arterial and venous system) clothes this skeleton. 4. The skin (the dermis and epidermis, or cutis and cuticle) envelopes the whole of these muscles or flesh; and now these bodies are in the state that the body of Adam was before it received the animal and intellectual principle from God. 5. There was no breath in them-they had not yet received their souls. 6. The wind, ruach, the soul, came into them. They were endued with animal and intellectual life; and they arose and evidenced a complete restoration to life, and began to perform its functions, Eze 37:10.
Verse 11. These bones are the whole house of Israel] That is, their state is represented by these bones; and their restoration to their own land is represented by the revivification of these bones.
Verse 12. I will open your graves] Here is a pointed allusion to the general resurrection; a doctrine properly credited and understood by the Jews, and to which our Lord refers, Joh 5:25, 28, 29: "The hour is coming when they that are in their graves shall hear his voice, and come forth."
And cause you to come up out of your graves] I am determined that ye shall be restored; so that were ye even in your graves, as mankind at the general resurrection, yet my all-powerful voice shall call you forth.
Verse 14. And shall put my Spirit] ruchi. Here ruach is taken for the Holy Ghost. They were living souls, animal and intellectual beings, when they had received their souls, as mentioned above: but they could only become spiritual, holy, and obedient creatures by the Spirit of God actuating their spirits. See the notes on Eze 36:25-27.
THREE degrees or processes have been remarked in this mystic vision. When the prophet was commanded to prophesy-to foretell, on the authority of God, that there should be a restoration to their own land,-
Perhaps these might be illustrated by three periods of time, which marked the regeneration of the Jewish polity.
As to the spiritual uses of this curious vision, I must leave them to preachers. I have given the literal meaning, and what the different parts refer to; and if they found their observations on these, they may profit their hearers.

New Testament

To which “leaders” does Hebrews 13:17 refer? That is, does it mean political leaders, church leaders, leaders in our workplaces, etc?
[Barnes’ New Testament Notes] Verse 17. Obey them that have the rule over you. The reference here is to their religious teachers, and not to civil rulers. They were to show them proper respect, and to submit to their authority in the church, so far as it was administered in accordance with the precepts of the Saviour. The obligation to obedience does not, of course, extend to anything which is wrong in itself, or which would be a violation of conscience. The doctrine is, that subordination is necessary to the welfare of the church, and that there ought to be a disposition to yield all proper obedience to those who are set over us in the Lord.
[The New John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible] Not the ecclesiastical rulers among the Jews, for to these they were no longer obliged, they being no longer under such tutors and governors; nor civil magistrates, though it was their duty to obey them, even Heathen ones; for as for Christian magistrates, as yet there were none; but their spiritual guides and governors, the same that are mentioned Heb 13:7 these the apostle exhorts them to "obey": by constantly tending upon the word preached by them, and hearkening to it; by receiving it with faith and love, as it appears agreeable to the Scriptures; for a contrary behaviour is pernicious to souls, and highly resented by God; and by being present at, and joining with them in the ordinances of Christ, as administered by them; and by regarding their admonitions, counsels, and advice.
[The New John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible] This commentary mentions the passage a applying to “elders or bishops.”

Random Quotes

Quotes attributed to Richard Nixon, 37th President of the United States.

Notes:

© Tom Truex 2014, Davie, FL