What is the Valley of Dry Bones in Ezekiel 38-39?

Bible Question:

What is the Valley of Dry Bones (Ezek. 37:2-14)?

Bible Answer:

 

Ezekiel 37 gives us two prophecies. The first prophecy is usually called the Prophecy of the Valley of Dry Bones (Ezekiel 37:1-14). The second one is known as the Prophecy of Two Sticks (Ezekiel 37:15-23).  So, what is the Prophecy of the Valley of Dry Bones about?

God Would Scatter Israel

Throughout the book of Ezekiel God warned Israel that He would scatter them if they did not repent and stop being rebellious. Ezekiel 5:11-12 records how God would punish the Jewish people because of their wicked behavior.

” ‘So as I live,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘surely, because you have defiled My sanctuary with all your detestable idols and with all your abominations, therefore I will also withdraw, and My eye will have no pity and I will not spare. One third of you will die by plague or be consumed by famine among you, one third will fall by the sword around you, and one third I will scatter to every wind, and I will unsheathe a sword behind them.’ “Ezekiel 5:11-12 (NASB)

The punishment had three parts. One third of the people would die by plague. One third would be killed by the invading Babylonian army. The remaining third of the people would be scattered to the nations around the world. Then throughout most of the prophecies in the book of Ezekiel, God announced repeatedly that Israel would be scattered to the nations of the world (Ezekiel 6:5, 8; 12:14-15; 20:34, 41; 22:15).  The prophet Jeremiah also announced that Israel would be scattered (Jeremiah 23:2; 30:11; 31:10; 50:17). So, the southern kingdom of Judah was attacked by the Babylonian army, two-thirds of the Jews were killed, and one-third was scattered to the nations of the world. But throughout the book of Ezekiel God keeps promising to regather the nation back to Israel.

God Will Regather Israel

Now Ezekiel 37:1-14 is about the future regathering of the nation of Israel. Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones is the major prophecy about the regathering of Israel in the Old Testament. Ezekiel 37:1 begins the prophecy.

The hand of the LORD was upon me, and He brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; and it was full of bones. Ezekiel 37:1 (NASB)

In the vision we are told the prophet Ezekiel was taken down through this valley of very dry bones.

He caused me to pass among them round about, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley; and lo, they were very dry. He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord GOD, You know.” (NASB) Ezek. 37:2-3

When we are told the bones were dry, that means the bones had been lying in the valley for a very long time. In a living person, bones are wet since they contain blood and marrow. After a person dies, bones start to dry out as the corpse decays and disintegrates. The bones this prophet saw were very dry.  That means the bones, which represent the nation of Israel, were very old because the nation of Israel had been scattered among the nations of the world for an extremely long time. Since 1948, the Jews have been returning to the land of Israel.  God says the land belongs to them (Ezekiel 36:24; 37:21). He adds that He gave them the land (Ezekiel 11:17; 36:24). Notice the land of Palestine belongs to Israel. God gave it to them.

Then the prophet was directed to prophesy and the bones became alive and flesh was put on them.

Again He said to me, “Prophesy over these bones and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.’ Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones, ‘Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life. I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you that you may come alive; and you will know that I am the LORD.'” So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, sinews were on them, and flesh grew and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them. Then 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 come to life.”‘” So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.” Ezekiel 37:4-10 (NASB)

The illustration is vivid and tells us that the dry, white bones had returned to life. This is not a story about skeletons and ghosts, but about a nation returning to life. The next verse tells us that these are not the bones of the people of Israel. The bones are symbolic of the kingdom of Judea in southern Israel and the kingdom of Israel in northern Israel. Together they comprise the nation of Israel. That is the message of the prophecy of two sticks.

Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel; behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope has perished. We are completely cut off.'” Ezekiel 37:11 (NASB)

The skeletons symbolized a dead nation, but the skeletons with blood and flesh symbolize a nation that has returned to life.

Israel Returns To The Land

Then God states He will bring His nation of Israel back to their land of Israel.

Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, My people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your graves, My people. I will put My Spirit within you and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken and done it,” declares the LORD.'” Ezekiel 37:12-14 (NASB)

This prophecy started to be fulfilled in 1948 when the nation of Israel was reestablished by the United Nations per Resolution 181 which divided the territory of the British Mandate for Palestine into two states for Jews and Palestinian Arabs. God prophesied in 590-570 B.C. that this would occur in 590-570 B.C. and it occurred in A.D. 1948. But the complete fulfillment will be realized in the millennial kingdom. The different reasons for Israel being scattering are explained in Ezekiel 34.

Conclusion:

This is an incredible prophecy. Who would have ever thought that a nation would disappear from its land then reappear almost two millennia later? Israel was destroyed by the Roman Army in A.D. 70 and ceased to exist as a nation. For almost 2,000 years the Jews were homeless – without a country. Now they live in the same land that they previously owned and are looking for the Messiah to return. The next event in their history is the second coming of their Messiah – Jesus Christ. And He is coming again . . .  After the second coming of Christ, every living Jew will be regathered to the land during the millennial kingdom.

 

Suggested Links:

God’s Holiness Will Be Revealed When Israel Is Regathered
Why Israel Was Scattered and Will Be Regathered
Holiness of God Will Be Seen When Israel Returns to the Land
God Will Punish The Sins of Anti-Semitism and Anti-Judaism