DAILY BIBLE READING June 27th, 2020 EZEKIEL 37:1-14 (GNT)

God’s Life-Giving Word of Spiritual Renewal

INTRODUCTION

Ezekiel 37:1-14: The Israelites living in exile were feeling as if their hopes had dried up; but God promises to breathe new life into them. Like an army of dry bones that rose from death, the people will stand up and return home.

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: EZEKIEL 37:4

He said, “Prophesy to the bones. Tell these dry bones to listen to the word of the LORD.”

TODAY'S READING

The Valley of Dry Bones

1I felt the powerful presence of the Lord, and his spirit took me and set me down in a valley where the ground was covered with bones. 2He led me all around the valley, and I could see that there were very many bones and that they were very dry. 3He said to me, “Mortal man, can these bones come back to life?”

I replied, “Sovereign Lord, only you can answer that!”

4He said, “Prophesy to the bones. Tell these dry bones to listen to the word of the Lord. 5Tell them that I, the Sovereign Lord, am saying to them: I am going to put breath into you and bring you back to life. 6I will give you sinews and muscles, and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you and bring you back to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”

7So I prophesied as I had been told. While I was speaking, I heard a rattling noise, and the bones began to join together. 8While I watched, the bones were covered with sinews and muscles, and then with skin. But there was no breath in the bodies.

9God said to me, “Mortal man, prophesy to the wind. Tell the wind that the Sovereign Lord commands it to come from every direction, to breathe into these dead bodies, and to bring them back to life.”

10 So I prophesied as I had been told. Breath entered the bodies, and they came to life and stood up. There were enough of them to form an army.

11God said to me, “Mortal man, the people of Israel are like these bones. They say that they are dried up, without any hope and with no future. 12So prophesy to my people Israel and tell them that I, the Sovereign Lord, am going to open their graves. I am going to take them out and bring them back to the land of Israel. 13When I open the graves where my people are buried and bring them out, they will know that I am the Lord. 14I will put my breath in them, bring them back to life, and let them live in their own land. Then they will know that I am the Lord. I have promised that I would do this—and I will. I, the Lord, have spoken.”

REFLECT

The valley of dry bones is depicted as a battlefield representing the land after the Babylonian invasion. What hopeful message is given in today’s reading? Where do you see evidence of new life and life being restored today?

PRAY

Sovereign God, unite the hearts, minds, and will of all your people in loving service to you. I thank you for your life-giving breath and for the hope of new life you offer me each day. Amen.

PRAYER CONCERN

Those seeking to bring about reconciliation and peace in war-torn countries