The Valley (Part 2)
In our lives we may face a dry season. Maybe we feel as though all is lost, there’s no hope. Everything good has died.
Let me share with you one of my favorite scriptures in the Bible. Ezekiel 37:1-14 (NLT)
The LORD took hold of me, and I was carried away by the Spirit of the LORD to a valley filled with dry bones. He led me all around among the bones that covered the valley floor. They were scattered everywhere across the ground and were completely dried out. Then he asked me, “Son of man, can these bones become living people again?”
“O Sovereign LORD,” I replied, “you alone know the answer to that.” Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to these bones and say, ‘Dry bones, listen to the word of the LORD! This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again! I will put flesh and muscles on you and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”
I spoke this message, just as he told me. Suddenly as I spoke, there was a rattling noise all across the valley. The bones of each body came together and attached themselves as complete skeletons. Then as I watched, muscles and flesh formed over the bones. Then skin formed to cover their bodies but they still had no breath in them.
Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to the winds, son of man. Speak a prophetic message and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come, O breath, from the four winds! Breathe into these dead bodies so they may live again.’”
So I spoke the message as he commanded me, and breath came into their bodies. They all came to life and stood up on their feet—a great army.
Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones represent the people of Israel. They are saying, ‘We have become old, dry bones—all hope is gone. Our nation is finished.’ Therefore, prophesy to them and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I will open your graves of exile and cause you to rise gain. Then I will bring you back to the land of Israel. When this happens, O my people, you will know that I am the LORD. I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live againand return home to your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken, and I have done what I said. Yes, the LORD has spoken.’”
Let us go back to verse one. The LORD took hold of me, and I was carried away by the Spirit of the LORD to a valley of dry bones. I love this verse because it assures me that God is with me. No matter my circumstances, no matter your circumstances, God is with us and will carry us through! The scripture goes on to talk about the dry bones, which represent the children of Israel. For the moment I want you to imagine these dry bones as the season you are going through in your life. Maybe it’s a broken home, a broken relationship. Maybe you’ve given up on God and feel like it’s too late for you to turn back. My brother, my sister, it is never too late! As the prophet Ezekiel prophesied into the dry bones, I prophecy over you!
Dry bones, listen to the word of the LORD!
He is: Abba- our Father
Jehova Jireh- The Lord will provide
Jehova Rapha- The God who heals
Jehova Nissi- The Lord is my banner
Jehova Shalom- The Lord is peace
El Shaddai- All sufficient one
Elohim- Judge
Jehova Raah- The Lord is my Shepherd
Jehova Tsidkena- The Lord our Righteousness
Jehova Mekoddishkem- The Lord who sanctifies you
El Olam- The everlasting God
We have a Father (Abba), who provides our every need (Jehova Jireh) who works all things together for good to those who love Him. We have a Father (Abba) who heals (Jehova Rapha) whether it’s a broken heart or a physical need. He is Jehova Nissi (The Lord is my banner) that fights for us if we would be still. He is the God of peace (Jehove Shalom) a peace He gives, not as the world gives. He is all sufficient, in Him we lack nothing (El Shaddai). He is our righteous judge (Elohim) who looks at the heart of man and not the outward appearance. He is our Shepherd (Jehova Raah) who isn’t afraid to leave the 99 for the 1. He is Jehova Tsidkena (The Lord our Righteousness) that through Him we become the righteousness of God. And through Him we are sanctified (set apart and made holy) (Jehova Mekoddishkem). And He is everlasting (El Olam). Because He is everlasting, because He never changes, because His mercies are new every morning, we have hope for a bright tomorrow.
Isaiah 43:19 (NLT) says, For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.