The
hand of the LORD came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD, and
set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. Then He
caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the
open valley; and indeed they were very dry. And He said to me, “Son of man, can
these bones live?” So I answered, “O Lord GOD, You know.” Ezekiel 37:1-3 NKJV
Considering
the times we as believers are living in, many would state unequivocally that
the regathering of the Jews to their land, Israel, is the single most important
sign of where the world is on God’s calendar.
As such, many have taught, and most of you are familiar with the
prophecy by Ezekiel called the “dry bones” where he is shown by God the future
of the nation of Israel.
Again
He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear
the word of the LORD! ‘Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: “Surely I will
cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. “I will put sinews on
you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and
you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the LORD.” ’ ” Ezekiel 37:4-6 NKJV
Before1948
Israel was, as a nation, as dead as this imagery illustrates. The Jews were scattered throughout all the
nations of the world, millions had died by the hands of the Nazis during WW2,
and there was no homeland for them to return to. Yet against all odds, the move to establish
the nation of Israel in the land that had historically been theirs began and in
May of 1948 Israel once again was a nation with a homeland to which all Jews
around the world could return to and call their own. Just as Ezekiel had been shown by God, the
bones of Israel lived again.
So I
prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and
suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. Indeed, as I looked,
the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but
there was no breath in them. Also 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.” ’ ”So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and
they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army. Ezekiel 37:7-10 NKJV
“An
exceedingly great army” was exactly what was needed because as
history tells us, Israel was immediately attacked by those nations who wished
for their destruction. Yet “miraculously”,
as some have described it, Israel defended itself and defeated its
enemies. Not just once, however, but
over and over again during the sixty-nine years which have passed since that
day in 1948. That this is, to some a
miracle, should not be overlooked because Ezekiel tells us that there certainly
is a divine reason for Israel’s continuing existence, and it is clear in this
next portion of this passage.
Then He
said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed
say, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!’
“Therefore prophesy
and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, O My people, I will open
your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the
land of Israel. “Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I have
opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves.
“I will put My Spirit
in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you
shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken it and performed it,” says the
LORD.’ ” Ezekiel 37:11-14 NKJV
If
anyone wonders at the reason for Israel’s regathering in the land that God gave
them, this portion of scripture makes it clear.
It is a miracle performed by God for the sole purpose of turning the
nation of Israel back to Him, and acknowledging the Lord as their one true
God. God has a plan to turn Israel back
to worshipping Him and it all starts with bringing them back into His land as
one nation, and demonstrating to them in no uncertain terms that it is He who
controls their destiny, and their safekeeping.
Again
the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “As for you, son of man, take a stick for
yourself and write on it: ‘For Judah and for the children of Israel, his
companions.’ Then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph, the stick of
Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel, his companions.’ “Then join them one
to another for yourself into one stick, and they will become one in your hand.
“And when the
children of your people speak to you, saying, ‘Will you not show us what you
mean by these?’—“say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Surely I will take the
stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel, his
companions; and I will join them with it, with the stick of Judah, and make
them one stick, and they will be one in My hand.” ’ “And the sticks on
which you write will be in your hand before their eyes. “Then say to them,
‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Surely I will take the children of Israel from among
the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every side and
bring them into their own land; “and I will make them one nation in the land,
on the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king over them all; they
shall no longer be two nations, nor shall they ever be divided into two
kingdoms again. “They shall not defile themselves anymore with their
idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions;
but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have
sinned, and will cleanse them. Then they shall be My people, and I will be
their God. Ezekiel 37:15-23 NKJV
If
you know your history, you are aware that Israel had split into two kingdoms in
Old Testament times over the problem of idolatry, the result being the northern
kingdom, Ephraim, and the southern kingdom, Judah. So the first step could be called the
regathering into the land, and by this portion of scripture we see the second
step was healing the rift between the two kingdoms. God tells us here through Ezekiel that when
He brings Israel back, it will be as one nation and not two kingdoms, and it
will stay that way forever.
“David
My servant shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd; they
shall also walk in My judgments and observe My statutes, and do them.
“Then they shall
dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob My servant, where your fathers
dwelt; and they shall dwell there, they, their children, and their children’s
children, forever; and My servant David shall be their prince forever.
“Moreover I will make
a covenant of peace with them, and it shall be an everlasting covenant with
them; I will establish them and multiply them, and I will set My sanctuary in
their midst forevermore. “My tabernacle also shall be with them; indeed I will be
their God, and they shall be My people. “The nations also will know that I, the LORD,
sanctify Israel, when My sanctuary is in their midst forevermore.” ’ ” Ezekiel 37:24-28 NKJV
This
last portion of the chapter is still in Israel’s future, as Ezekiel points out
in the next two chapters the troubles which Israel will have to endure before
this time of peace arrives. Yet without
a doubt the sight of Israel back in its own land as this prophecy describes is
the one sure sign of where we are on God’s calendar. God is prepared to move ahead with His plans
for the nation of Israel, but there is one precondition that affects all in the
body of Christ who have chosen to believe in the gift given to us by His Son
Jesus Christ.
We
have to leave.
The
rapture of the Church to be with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for all eternity
will occur before God begins the time of tribulation spelled out for the
regathered nation of Israel. Only those
who have accepted His gift of eternal life will be spared. Have you made that choice and accepted His
free gift? If not I urge you to do it
right now. The signs of the end are all
around us and the Church could disappear at any time. Simply pray this prayer or put it in your own
words but tell God you believe He sent His Son to pay the price for your sin,
and that you will turn control of your life to Him.
"Dear Lord
Jesus, I know I am a sinner. I believe You died for my sins. Right now, I turn
from my sins and open the door of my heart and life. I confess You as my
personal Lord and Savior. Thank You for saving me. Amen."
Keep
watching.
