Valley of Dry Bones – Missed Connections Series

In a Bible teaching from Founded in Truth Fellowship, the speaker, likely Matthew Vander Els, delves into the “Missed Connections” series, which explores the profound links between the New Testament and the Old Testament. This particular message focuses on the well-known vision of the Valley of Dry Bones in Ezekiel chapter 37 and how the Gospel of John presents Jesus, or Yeshua, as the fulfillment of this powerful prophecy. The teaching emphasizes that understanding these connections enriches our comprehension of who Jesus is and the significance of his work.

The passage in Ezekiel 37 describes a chilling vision where the prophet sees a valley full of dry bones. God commands Ezekiel to prophesy to these bones, and miraculously, they come together, sinews and flesh grow on them, and skin covers them. However, these bodies remain lifeless until God commands Ezekiel to prophesy to the breath, or “ruach” in Hebrew, which is also the word for wind or spirit. As Ezekiel prophesies, breath enters them, and they come to life, standing as an exceedingly great army.

To grasp the depth of this vision, it’s crucial to understand its historical context. The book of Ezekiel was written during the exile of the Israelites, when both the northern and southern kingdoms had been taken away from their land by Assyria and Babylon, respectively. The people were scattered and had lost hope, feeling like they were dried up and without life. In this context, God’s vision to Ezekiel was a powerful promise of restoration and renewal for the exiled people of Israel. It spoke of a future where God would gather them from their graves, bring them back to the land of Israel, and put His Spirit within them so they would live again. God promised to be their Lord and place them in their own land.

The teaching highlights that the chapters surrounding Ezekiel 37, such as Ezekiel 34 (the Good Shepherd) and Ezekiel 36 (the promise of a new heart and spirit), share this same theme of God gathering and restoring Israel after the exile. God promised to be the Good Shepherd, gathering his scattered people and raising up a Davidic king to rule over them. He also promised to cleanse them, give them a new heart of flesh in place of their heart of stone, and put a new spirit within them, enabling them to live according to His ways and fulfill their calling as His image bearers.

The core of the teaching lies in how the New Testament author John connects this Old Testament prophecy to Jesus. John frequently draws upon the Hebrew Bible, often using the Septuagint, which was the Greek translation of the Old Testament widely used in the first century. By examining the language John uses in his Gospel, we can see deliberate allusions back to the prophecies of Ezekiel.

One significant connection is found in John 5:25 and 5:28. In verse 25, Jesus says, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.” This echoes Ezekiel’s prophecy of speaking to the dry bones so they would hear the word of the Lord. The teaching points out that in John 5:25, Jesus speaks of a present reality where the spiritually dead can hear his voice and live. Then, in John 5:28, Jesus speaks of a future literal resurrection: “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth.” This directly recalls Ezekiel’s vision of graves being opened and the dead being raised.

Furthermore, the teaching connects the image of the two sticks being joined together in Ezekiel 37 (representing the reuniting of the northern and southern kingdoms) with John 11:51-52. The high priest prophesies that Jesus would die not only for the Jewish nation but also to “gather together in one the children of God that are scattered abroad.” This mirrors the imagery of the two sticks becoming one.

A particularly powerful connection is made in John 20:22, where, after his resurrection, Jesus breathes on his disciples and says, “Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” The Greek word used here for “breathed,” “emphazao,” is significant because it appears only six times in the Septuagint, and one of those instances is in Ezekiel 37:9, where God commands Ezekiel to prophesy to the “breath” (ruach). This intentional use of language by John suggests that he is presenting Jesus as the one who breathes the life-giving Spirit into his people, just as God breathed life into the dry bones in Ezekiel’s vision. This act in John 20:22 can be seen as the fulfillment of Ezekiel’s prophecy, where the breath of God brings the dead to life, forming a new people, a new army for God.

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Application for Everyday Life

• Recognize Jesus as the fulfiller of Old Testament prophecies: Understand that the stories and promises of the Old Testament find their ultimate meaning and realization in Jesus Christ. This provides a deeper context for your faith.
• Embrace the new life given by the Spirit: Just as God breathed life into the dry bones, Jesus has breathed the Holy Spirit into believers, giving new life and empowering them for God’s purposes. Live in the reality of this indwelling Spirit.
• See yourself as part of God’s regathered people: Understand that through faith in Jesus, you are part of the community of God, a continuation of God’s promise to regather His scattered people.
• Live as an ambassador of God’s kingdom: As those who have received the life-giving Spirit, you are called to represent Jesus and His kingdom in the world. Your life and actions should reflect the love, peace, justice, and humility of God.
• Hold onto hope in the midst of worldly challenges: Just as the exiles held onto the promise of restoration, believers today can have hope in the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promises in Jesus, even when facing difficulties.
• Actively participate in God’s ongoing work: Recognize that the kingdom of God is not just a future hope but a present reality that you are called to live out and further in the world.

References

• John 1
• John 5
• John 11
• John 20
• Ezekiel 37
• Acts 2

Resources Mentioned

• Echoes of the Prophets by Professor Gary Manning
• Books and Podcasts by Dr. Michael Heiser