Ezekiel 37

Ezekiel 37:1-28 . THE VISION OF DRY BONES REVIVIFIED, SYMBOLIZING ISRAEL'S DEATH AND RESURRECTION.

Three stages in Israel's revival present themselves to the prophet's eye. (1) The new awakening of the people, the resurrection of the dead ( Ezekiel 37:1-14 ). (2) The reunion of the formerly hostile members of the community, whose contentions had affected the whole ( Ezekiel 37:15-28 ). (3) The community thus restored is strong enough to withstand the assault of Gog, &c. (Ezekiel 38:1-39:29') [EWALD].

1. carried . . . in the spirit--The matters transacted, therefore, were not literal, but in vision.
the valley--probably that by the Chebar ( Ezekiel 3:22 ). The valley represents Mesopotamia, the scene of Israel's sojourn in her state of national deadness.

2. dry--bleached by long exposure to the atmosphere.

3. can these bones live? . . . thou knowest--implying that, humanly speaking, they could not; but faith leaves the question of possibility to rest with God, with whom nothing is impossible ( Deuteronomy 32:39 ). An image of Christian faith which believes in the coming general resurrection of the dead, in spite of all appearances against it, because God has said it ( John 5:21 , Romans 4:17 , 2 Corinthians 1:9 ).

4. Prophesy--Proclaim God's quickening word to them. On account of this innate power of the divine word to effect its end, prophets are said to do that which they prophesy as about to be done ( Jeremiah 1:10 ).

5. I . . . cause breath to enter into you--So Isaiah 26:19 , containing the same vision, refers primarily to Israel's restoration. Compare as to God's renovation of the earth and all its creatures hereafter by His breath, Psalms 104:30 .
ye shall live--come to life again.

6. ye shall know that I am the Lord--by the actual proof of My divinity which I will give in reviving Israel.

7. noise--of the bones when coming in mutual collision. Perhaps referring to the decree of Cyrus, or the noise of the Jews' exultation at their deliverance and return.
bones came together--literally, "ye bones came together"; as in Jeremiah 49:11 (Hebrew), "ye widows of thine shall trust in Me." The second person puts the scene vividly before one's eyes, for the whole resurrection scene is a prophecy in action to render more palpably to the people the prophecy in word ( Ezekiel 37:21 ).

8. So far, they were only cohering in order as unsightly skeletons. The next step, that of covering them successively with sinews, skin, and flesh, gives them beauty; but still "no breath" of life in them. This may imply that Israel hereafter, as at the restoration from Babylon was the case in part, shall return to Judea unconverted at first ( Zechariah 13:8 Zechariah 13:9 ). Spiritually: a man may assume all the semblances of spiritual life, yet have none, and so be dead before God.

9. wind--rather, the spirit of life or life-breath (Margin). For it is distinct from "the four winds" from which it is summoned.
from the four winds--implying that Israel is to be gathered from the four quarters of the .earth ( Isaiah 43:5 Isaiah 43:6 , Jeremiah 31:8 ), even as they were "scattered into all the winds" ( Ezekiel 5:10 , 12:14 , 17:21 ; compare Revelation 7:1 Revelation 7:4 ).