Ezekiel

Ezekiel looked on in stunned disbelief. A valley strewn with bones — dry white dismembered bones.

The form and life they had once supported were a long time dead.

“CAN THESE BONES LIVE?” The question was directed to the prophet. Everything natural and reasonable argued in favor of a negative answer. But this was neither a natural nor reasonable scene. God, himself, had posed the question of His perplexed prophet. His answer, “Thou knowest (Lord).”

What a simple, safe and appropriate response to the omnipotent God.

The valley of dry bones symbolized the nation, Israel dispersed dead decayed — among the nations of the world.

In May, 1948, defying both the natural and reasonable, Israel became a living reality. During the following thirty years little David fought Goliath on four separate occasions. Today, Israel stands isolated and surrounded with few to pity and even fewer to help. Ironically, the nations of the world do not seem to have the backbone to stand up for the morally right, but submit to the politically expedient. Under such adverse circumstances the question arises,

‘”CAN THESE BONES LIVE?”

Hear God’s prophet respond, “So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a noise and, behold, a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to its bone.

“And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered hem above, but there was no breath in them.

“Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.

“So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army” (Ezek. 37:7-10).

Can you hear the noise — can you hear the shaking — can you hear it above the almost deafening clamor of the world?

“THE BONES WILL LIVE AGAIN,”’

NATIONALLY

AND

SPIRITUALLY.

Israel’s extremity marks God’s opportunity. Metaphorically, God is rolling up His sleeves and going to work on Israel’s behalf. What His mouth has spoken, His right arm will perform.

I’m neither begging nor pleading, exhorting nor encouraging — but challenging — challenging you to stand with Israel. And in so doing, I believe, stand with God that in some exciting, mysterious, inexplicable way we will not only share the Good News with world Jewry, but play apart in the resurrection of the “dry bones”.