Ezekiel 37:8

8 And looking I saw that there were muscles on them and flesh came up, and they were covered with skin: but there was no breath in them.

Ezekiel 37:8 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 37:8

And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon
them
And they began to look like men, in the shape of men, and were a body of them, as the Jews did when gathered together: and the skin covered them above;
and so looked comely and beautiful, as in the proper form of men; as did the Jews enriched and protected by Cyrus: and this may be an image of such persons so far wrought upon under the word as to look like Christians; to have the form of godliness, and appear outwardly righteous before men, submitting to ordinances, and performing the duties of religion; and yet no principle of spiritual life in them; but, like Adam's body, of the earth, earthly, and breathless, before the breath of life was breathed into it; so here, but there was no breath in them; no spirit in the Jews to return to their land, though they had liberty, till the Lord stirred up their spirits, ( Ezra 1:5 ) , all this, in a spiritual sense, shows how far persons may go under temporary convictions by the word, and yet not be living Christians.

Ezekiel 37:8 In-Context

6 And I will put muscles on you and make flesh come on you, and put skin over you, and breath into you, so that you may have life; and you will be certain that I am the Lord.

7 So I gave the word as I was ordered: and at my words there was a shaking of the earth, and the bones came together, bone to bone.

8 And looking I saw that there were muscles on them and flesh came up, and they were covered with skin: but there was no breath in them.

9 And he said to me, Be a prophet to the wind, be a prophet, son of man, and say to the wind, The Lord has said: Come from the four winds, O wind, breathing on these dead so that they may come to life.

10 And I gave the word at his orders, and breath came into them, and they came to life and got up on their feet, a very great army.