OPEN
As you open up tonight, let’s think about this past week. How often have you felt unworthy of or left out?
What jumped out at you from the message this week? What led you to really think or even better, to change your actions?
As we ask the question ‘can these dry bones live?’ What do you hope to get from this session?
INTRODUCTION
What jumped out at you from the video in this session? What are some ways that we might use this to live on mission with Christ?
READ
*READ EZEKIEL 37:1-10
1 The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. 2And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. 3And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” 4Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”
7So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. 9Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” 10So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.*
Some important questions when we read this passage of scripture is 1. Who is speaking 2. What is the author speaking about? 3. Where is the author located? 4. When was this passage written placed in history?’
HOW TO SAY IT
Assyrians: Uh-sear-e-unz
Babylon: Bab-uh-lun
Babylonians: Bab-ih-low-nee-unz
Chaldeans: Kal-dee-unz
Chebar: Kee-bar
Ezekiel: Ee-zeek-ee-ul or Ee-zeek-yul
Ezra: Ez-ruh
Isaiah: Eye-zay-uh
Ruah (Hebrew): rue-ah
DIVE IN
How was Ezekiel carried to the valley? V1
What did Ezekiel find in the valley? V2
Once in the valley, what was the prophet told to do? V4
Why would God instruct Ezekiel to preach to dry bones? Why might He instruct us to do the same thing?
What happened once Ezekiel began to preach? V7
What was the significance of these dry bones coming together again? For them and for us?
The dry bones had come together but what had to happen before they could fully return to life?
So the biggest question is WHY? Why would God bring Ezekiel out into the wilderness to see this vision?
How does this lesson give us hope in Christ?
BIG IDEA
*God brings Ezekiel to a valley full of dry bones in a dream-like vision. He is commanded to carry a prophecy and the bones connect into human figures, then become covered with flesh and skin. God reveals the bones as the People of Israel in exile and commands the Prophet to carry another prophecy in order to revitalize these human figures. Ezekiel has been chosen to resurrect them and to bring them to the Land of Israel. The fundamental lesson of this story is when the spirit of God is present, his people are enabled to live. *
PERSONAL REFLECTION
What was the significance of these dry bones coming together again? For them and for us?
The biggest question is WHY? Why would God bring Ezekiel out into the wilderness to see this vision?
How does this lesson give us hope in Christ?