Those Dry Bones Situations – Part 1
1. The Hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the middle of the valley, which was full of bones,
2. And caused me to pass by them round about: and behold there were very many in the open valley; and lo, they were very dry.
3. And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, You know.”
4. Again, He said to me, “Preach upon these bones, and say to them, “O you dry bones, hear the Word of the Lord.”
5. Thus says the Lord God to these bones; “Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I Am the Lord.”
Ezekiel 37:1-5
Listening to the Right Message
Head Coach Tony Bennett of the University of Virginia’s basketball team introduced to the team a concept called “the five pillars” and used those guiding principles to develop a national championship program. (UVA News, March 2019).
1. Humility – know who you are.
2. Passion – do not be lukewarm.
3. Unity – do not divide our house.
4. Servanthood – make teammates better.
5. Thankfulness – learn from each circumstance.
The five pillars were proven to be effective as Coach Bennett went on to lead the Cavaliers to their first NCAA National Basketball Championship in March of 2019. They defeated Number 1 seed Texas Tech, 85 to 77 in overtime. When Bennett came to UVA in 2009, the National Championship did not look very promising. What would have happened if Bennett decided to not communicate those principles to the UVA players? Think what would have happened if the team members had not applied the principles. This is just one example of how listening to the right message gets results. Mr. Bennett stepped into a dry bones situation, but believed that the five pillars would turn things around and it did. In life, we will have many situations that seem difficult and even hopeless, but we must believe that God will send the right message to lead us forward. Whether it is five pillars or a single command, we must cultivate a heart for listening to the right message, God’s Word.
Over twenty five hundred years ago, God brought Ezekiel into a valley of dry bones. The text records the conversation between God and Ezekiel in which the prophet was asked an impossible question. “Can these bones live?” Ezekiel responded as any of us would respond and recognized that he did not have the answer, but God certainly did and would make it possible for the bones to live again.
If we are going to hear the right message, we must always put the message into proper context. Certainly, we must be true to the text and not attempt to apply that which rightly belonged to God’s people, Israel. It is a great mistake to miss the original meaning and delivery of the Scripture in order to apply its truth to our modern circumstances. In that case we miss the great truth of how God used both the original message and the messenger to bring about a great deliverance. God gave a powerful message to Ezekiel that the House of Israel needed to hear. It was a promise that God would raise up His chosen people from ruin and death, and plant them as a nation once again. The agency that God would use for that purpose would be the prophetic voice of Ezekiel and other prophets. Israel had been in the Captivity for years and it seemed there was no hope of them returning home. They were, for all intents and purposes, “a valley of dry bones.” They were hopelessly dead and lost for all times. Then the miracle of resurrection happened. God’s Word was spoken over them, and they came back to life through the ministry of preaching. After seventy years, God worked a mighty miracle of deliverance for His people. God caused Israel to live again.
The Power of Admission
That is the both the meaning and purpose of the text. If those points are missed, any other application of the passage would be weak and purely man-made. Here is now the point. Once you have understood the Scripture in its proper context, you can then apply that same passage to your life. As a matter of fact, the same Holy Spirit that worked with Ezekiel will now work with you. God Almighty will show you powerful truths that can and will apply to every “dry bones situation.” Here are the things we learn from the text and will use those truths to help us in our lives. In the same spirit in which Coach Bennett introduced his coaching strategies, I am introducing the Five Pillars for changing dry bones situations.:
1. Admission – know when the problem is bigger than you.
2. Observation – pay close attention to God Answer.
3. Obedience – act in accordance with what God tells you.
4. Expectation – have the assurance that God will bring about good results.
5. Gratitude – honor God for His deliverance.
Let us take a close look at our first pillar: admission. As we note, this is a multiple use noun. In one of its meanings, we can classify it as entrance, access, permission, a pass, or ticket. It also means a confession, declaration, disclosure, or acknowledgement of something or someone. Our use of this noun as the first pillar for changing dry bones situations will incorporate both meanings. Admission is a declaration or disclosure that gives us access into the truth. Admission helps us understand Truth and how to apply it.
Let us see how this admission worked out for the prophet Ezekiel. As he approached the valley of dry bones, admission played a key role in his gaining an understanding of what had happened and what Divine possibilities were in store for the dry bones. The Hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the middle of the valley, which was full of bones … And caused me to pass by them round about: and behold there were very many in the open valley; and lo, they were very dry … And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, You know.
Bestselling author, Stephen Covey said, “admission of ignorance is often the first step in our education.” (7 Habits). To admit what we don’t know starts the learning process. This is as powerful as the first drop of rain in a heavy downpour. In the true sense, Ezekiel had one of those “what the” moments. Admission causes us to remark on the remarkable and unexplainable with “what the …“ We are not exactly sure what it is or why we are involved. Nor are we sure if we understand how we fit in. It’s simply “what the?”
Please note that the Hand of Lord carried Ezekiel into this valley. He did not happen to stumble upon it. First, the Spirit of God set him down in the middle of the valley. Then, the Spirit caused him to pass by them or circle them. And if that were not sufficient, God’s Spirit caused him to assess the situation as simply “very many in the open valley.” Ezekiel was in that “what the” moments. He did not understand what he was experiencing, nor did he know what he was expected to do in a valley full of dry bones. Ezekiel was overwhelmed with the situation. This is usually the case when God shows us something from His view.
The Power of Admission helps us put the “what the” into perspective. When a child of God understands that the problem is beyond their capacity that can be a good place. For most of us, this pandemic is beyond our capacity and understanding. Yet, it is hard for us to consider ourselves in a good place. We admit that we are powerless and have nothing to offer the situation. We feel like a helpless, lifeless mass of humanity and yet we are in a good place because we are in the Hands of God. It may be a valley, but with God it is a good place.
Remember how we said that admission also provides a ticket or entrance? Well, when we admit as Ezekiel did, that opens us up to God’s teaching session. Jesus said in Matthew 11:29, take My Yoke upon you and learn of Me. God gets us prepared for the teaching session by allowing those dry bones situations to impact our life. As we admit, “Lord You Know,” God gives us the front row seat to His Divine Training. Mahatma Gandhi said, “prayer is not asking, it is the longing of the soul … it is daily admission of one’s weakness…” When we admit our weakness God admits us into His power and teaches us what to do next.
Admittedly, most of our prayers are spent in a desperate attempt to convince God to see things our way. True admission brings us to the place in prayer that we see thing God’s way. God asked Ezekiel, “can these bones live?” That would normally have called for a “Yes” or “No” answer, right? Ezekiel’s admission placed him in the learner’s seat. He replied promptly and wisely with an answer from the heart. “O Lord God, You know.”
The Gospel song, Just A Closer Walk With Thee, was originally sung by African American slaves while they worked the fields. They were in a dry bones situation. Although it was not published, the song caught on and was sung at meetings and revivals. It was in 1940 that the song made its way into the hymnbook. As the story goes, Gospel songwriter, Kenneth Morris boarded a train from Kansas City to Chicago and overheard a porter singing some of the words. Morris was so captivated by the song that he boarded another train back to Kansas City to find the porter. After adding some words to the lyrics, Morris went on to publish Just a Closer Walk With Thee in 1940. The hymn is still sung today.
I am weak but Thou art strong. Jesus keep me from all wrong.
I’ll be satisfied as long, as I walk, let me walk, close to Thee.
Just a closer walk with Thee. Grant it Jesus if you please.
Daily walking close to Thee, Let it be, Dear Lord, Let it be.
We may find ourselves in dry bones situations, but we can ask God for a closer walk. In those moments of admission, we will find God teaching us His way and His perfect plan.