Valley Of Dry Bones

A valley full of bones sounds like the end of the story, but Ezekiel 37 starts with a question that still hits home: “Can these bones live?” We go line by line through the Valley of Dry Bones and talk about what it means when life feels drained, faith feels quiet, and your hope feels cut off. If you’ve been sensing spiritual warfare, pressure, or that heavy feeling you can’t quite name, this message is for you.

We also get honest about the role of sin and disobedience. God warns Israel, and the warning still applies to us: sin separates, divides, and never takes you anywhere good. But we don’t stay there. We point to God’s mercy, the God of second chances, and the promise that he gives life to the dead and calls into existence what does not exist. That is not inspirational talk, it is Bible truth.

Then we move into the command that changes everything: speak God’s Word into dead places. Ezekiel prophesies, the bones come together, and when God’s breath enters, what was dead stands up as an exceedingly great army. We connect that to real life, from depression and discouragement to the daily grind, and we end with God’s promise in Ezekiel 36 to cleanse, restore, and give a new heart by his Spirit.

If this encouraged you, subscribe to Beyond Sunday, share it with someone you love, and leave a review so more people can find hope and new life through God’s Word.

Transcript

Welcome And Share The Show

SPEAKER_00 0:08

Hey, hey, hey, what's going on, everybody? This is Lee Day, and I pastor Christ Family Outreach Church located in Amelia Courthouse, Virginia. And I just want to take this brief moment and say thank you so much for tuning in to yet another episode of Beyond Sunday. Just this past Sunday, I had a husband and wife come all the way up from North Carolina, the great state of North Carolina, and visit us at CFO Church. And they so blessed me. They said how much they enjoyed the Beyond Sunday podcast. So I just want to say from the bottom of my heart, thank you to each and every one of you that so faithfully tune in. And would you do me a favor, would you copy the link? Would you hit share? Do whatever it takes for you to take this Beyond Sunday episode, share it with someone you love, share it with someone you work with, share it with a spouse, uh with a family member, and bless them just as much as the word has blessed you. And I would greatly appreciate

Why Ezekiel 37 Matters Now

SPEAKER_00 1:08

that. If you got your Bibles, let's get going in the book of Ezekiel. We're going to study the Word of God today, beginning with the book of Ezekiel, chapter 37. It is the topic of Valley of Dry Bones. And I don't know about you, but I've been seeing a lot of spiritual warfare going around lately. A lot of spiritual warfare going around lately. I'm probably, just to give you a kind of heads up, if you're able to attend church at this upcoming recharge service, Thursday, 6 30 at CFO Church, I'm probably going to be preaching on this topic of spiritual warfare. I feel like the Holy Spirit is leading me to go that direction. But as of right now, in this particular episode of Beyond Sunday, we are going to be talking about this valley of dry bones. And this is what the word says, Ezekiel 37, beginning with the first three verses, my friends.

The Valley Filled With Dry Bones

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The hand of the Lord God 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, and he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. And he said to me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, Oh Lord God, you know. Well, that's a wise answer right there. The valley is full of a great deal of bleached bones scattered all over the ground. Skeletons of bodies that had been devoured by birds and animals is what it would have taken place. The ninth verse tells us that these people had been slain. And it was customary at death for the body of a Jewish person to be washed, wrapped, and buried in a cave or tomb. And this multitude of bodies had been left out on the battlefield to become food for the animals. Now, God had warned Israel that their sins would lead to this.

Disobedience Leaves A Real Cost

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Okay, so if you got your Bibles, I want you to go to Deuteronomy chapter 28 and the 25th verse. We're going to look at two verses there. Deuteronomy 28, 25, and 26 says this. You shall go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them, and you shall be a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth, and your dead body shall be food for all the birds of the air and for the beasts of the earth, and there shall be no one to frighten them away. Let's talk about that for a moment. God gave the Israelites, he gave them fair warning of the problems that they would have in life if they lived in disobedience to God. Now, we're all gonna make mistakes every once in a while. We we all sin and fall short of the glory of God. I think I think by now, if you're somewhat of a mature Christian, you get that, right? You you you understand that we are not gonna be perfect. There's gonna be moments where we do slip up and fail. Now, that doesn't give us a free pass to purposefully walk in sin. But understand that this is not what the text in Deuteronomy 28 is speaking of here in the 25th and 26th verse. Okay. It's talking about living in sin. It's talking about living in disobedience. And there's a price to pay when you play with sin. There's a price to pay when you live in sin. Now, I want you to turn to Jeremiah chapter 34, verse 20. Because in Jeremiah 34, 20, this is what the text says. And I will give them into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their lives. Their dead bodies shall be food for the birds of the air and the beast of the earth. Now listen to me, friends, listen to me. Sin will get you nowhere good. If you're taking notes, I want you to write that down. Sin will get me nowhere good. Its job, hear this now. The job of sin is to separate you from God. It wants to come in and create a wedge. It wants to come in and build up a wall. It wants to come in and create division. This is why the enemy promotes sin so much. Ezekiel 37 and the third verse, just listen to me, just as one verse.

A God Of Second Chances

SPEAKER_00 6:12

Hear what it says now. Ezekiel 37, verse 3. And he said to me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, Oh Lord God, you know. God asked him, can these bones live? And the normal answer, all right, the normal answer would be no, because they've already had their shot at living. Those bones have already had their chance. But oh, listen up to me now, my friends. We serve a God of second chances. Can somebody out there say, Amen? I don't know about you, but I've done burn through a ton of second chances. I've had more second chances in my life than I can even count right now. So praise God for his mercy. Praise God for his grace. Thank God for the forgiveness that he offers us through Jesus Christ and the washing, cleansing power of the blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus. Praise God for second chances. And I want to tell you that that's what God is showing in this vision. He's a God of second chances. Romans chapter 4, verse 17. Jot that down. Romans chapter 4, 17 says, God gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. Oh, that's so good. I'm gonna read it to you one more time. Romans 4, 17. God gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. Somebody out there just say, That's my God. That is my God. Now, moving forward, Ezekiel 37, verse 4 says this.

Speak God’s Word Into Dead Places

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And then he said to me, Prophesy over these bones, God says. 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, and you shall live, and 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 God. Now, in Ezekiel chapter 6, 1 through 4, jot that down if you're taking notes, friends. In Ezekiel chapter 6, 1 through 4, Ezekiel prophesies against the mountains of Israel. And in Ezekiel chapter 20 and the 47th verse, he prophesied to the forest of the Negeb. And now, okay, and now God commands Ezekiel to prophesy to a large pile of dead dry bones. If God asks you to speak to the mountains, if God asks you to speak to the forest, and if God asks you to speak to the dead dry bones, you might think, okay, God, what in the world is the point here? However, Hebrews chapter 4, verse 12 says, For the word of God is living and active. Can someone say amen? For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. The reason you got to start prophesying to things even when it don't make sense when God tells you to do it, is because God's word not only has life, but God's word also imparts life. I need you to hear that. God's word not only has life, but it also imparts life. God gave a command in Ezekiel 37, verse 4, and then he gives a promise in the fifth and the sixth verses. The command was to prophesy over the dry bones. That's the command. The promise was that God would cause breath to enter into them and that they would receive flesh, skin, and life. Now, when God asks you to do something, and some of you know where I'm going with this one, because God has been on you about doing something.

Obedience That Takes Faith

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When God asks you to do something, you don't argue about it. You simply just do what he told you to do. You don't whine and complain. You just do what he said. Now that takes faith. Write that down if you're taking notes, those three words. That takes faith. Being obedient, it may not make sense at first. And I get it. I get it. We've all been there, myself included. But the more time you spend with God, the more you're gonna learn to trust what he says. Now, Ezekiel 37, moving on, beginning with the seventh verse, reading four more verses here. So

Breath Enters And An Army Stands

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I prophesied as I was commanded. Somebody say he did what he was told. He did what he was told. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone, and 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. And 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 thee slain. Watch this, breathe on these slain that they may live. So I prophesied, verse 10, so I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet in an exceedingly great army. Woo-hoo! You see, the bones, the bones had no life until the breath of God entered into them. And maybe you're walking around feeling dead as a doorknob right now, but can I just tell you, let God's word get up on the inside of you. Let the Spirit of God stir up on the inside of you and receive a fresh wind from God right now where you are, my friends. When Ezekiel spoke the living word of God into them, they came to life and stood to their feet. This dead army is now an exceedingly great army.

It Ain’t Over For You

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My friend, you may feel like it's over, but I want to encourage you in the Lord today. It is not over. And matter of fact, would you just, would you prophesy that right now? Would you just proclaim that right now over your life? Would you say that and defeat the enemy right now that has been taunting you for so long, just right where you are? I just want you to hold your hands up right where you are, and I want you to shout, it ain't over. Go ahead and do it. Just let it out. It just set you free. It ain't over. It ain't over. Go ahead and say, God's not finished with me. God is not finished with me. You you need to celebrate that. You need to celebrate that. You need to celebrate that. Isn't that how it is as a people today? Okay? If if if we when we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and God's word gets up onto the inside of us, only then do we really and truly begin to live. In John chapter 10, verse 10, Jesus says, I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. So if you're going through something, I'm going to encourage you right now, put the word of God in you. And that's part of what you're doing in this podcast. I'm preaching the word of God. And my hope and my prayer is, even before I came on to air to record this episode, my prayer was I was down on my knees just praying that God would anoint you as the listener to hear his word, to receive his word, to receive this episode, that it would be a blessing and that when it would get on the inside of you and stir you, stir you up and refresh you. If you're struggling with depression, put the word of God inside of you. If you need healing, restoration, any type of change whatsoever, let God's word be the difference in your life, my friends. Ezekiel 37 and the 11th verse says this. And then

Israel’s Lost Hope And God’s Promise

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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 is lost. We are indeed cut off. Therefore prophesy and say to them, Thus says the Lord God, behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people, and I will bring you into the land of Israel, and you shall know that I am the Lord God when I open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people, and I will put my spirit, capital S, the Holy Spirit of God, and I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord, I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord God. Woo! These people have lost hope. And God says, I'm gonna bring you back to life. Maybe you've lost hope. Let me encourage you, my good friend. God will bring you back to life. The dead dry bones, it represented the Jewish nation. It was separated. Okay. It was separated. Both Israel and Judah. And listen to me, listen to me. It had two major problems. It was both divided and dead. And being divided and dead seems like a pretty hopeless situation, doesn't it? If we're honest with one another. Okay. However, in Matthew chapter 19 and the 26th verse, Jesus Christ himself reminds us that all things are possible with God. You see, we don't ever want to be like the bones in the valley, lifelike, but not alive. We never want to just look alive. We should live as though we are alive for Christ. Now, before we end this episode, I want to read to you another handful of verses from Ezekiel 36.

A New Heart And Real Restoration

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And it begins with the 22nd verse. Ezekiel 36 to 22. Okay. And this is what it says. Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God, it is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the Lord God, declares the Lord God, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes, and I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land, and I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. Oh, I'm gonna tell you, God is so faithful. He says, From all your idols I'm gonna cleanse you. Verse 26, and I will give you a new heart. Oh, come on, somebody, that's so good right there. Just say, That's my God. Go ahead and just say that out loud. Profess that, that's my God. 26 verse, God says, And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you, and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh, and I will put my spirit, capital S, and I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. Praise God for second chances. Praise God for another chance at life. Moving forward in the 29th verse, and I will deliver you, God says, from all your uncleannesses, and I will summon the grain and make it abundant and lay no famine upon you. God will provide. Write that down if you're taking notes, my friends. Jot that down. God will always provide for my life. Verse 30 I will make the fruit of the tree and the increase of the field abundant, that you may never again suffer the disgrace of famine among the nations. God is faithful. Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and your abominations. It is not for your sake that I will act, declares the Lord God. Let that be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel. Thus says the Lord God, on the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the waste places shall be rebuilt, and the land that was desolate shall be tilled instead of being the desolation that it was in the sight of all who passed by. And they will say, This land that was desolate, listen to me now, friends, listen to me carefully. And they will say as they pass by, This land that was desolate has become like the Garden of Eden, and it's powerful. And the waste and desolate and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited. Then the nations that are left all around you shall know that I am the Lord. I have rebuilt the ruined places and replanted that which was desolate. I am the Lord, I have spoken, and I will do it. Thus says the Lord God. This also I will let the house of Israel ask me to do for them, to increase their people like a flock, like the flock for sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feast. So shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of people, then they will know that I am the Lord. Ooh. Oh, that's some powerful stuff. Write that down if you haven't yet. He's a god of second chances. I mean, he takes the waste place, he takes the ruins, and he turns them back for his good so that he would be glorified. My

Final Encouragement And Prayer

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friend, my brother and sister, no matter where you find yourself in life right now, maybe you're sitting on your couch and you're just feeling all alone. Maybe you're sitting there in a dark place. Maybe it's dark physically, maybe it's dark spiritually, maybe it's dark both. I don't know. Maybe you're laying there in your bed just listening. Maybe you're driving down the road right now, feeling like you're in the mundane, just another day in the grind, going to the same old place to do the same old thing around the same old people. And you just feel like you don't have life. Can I encourage you right now in this moment that God is a God of second chances? And if You let him, he will breathe life into you again. And you can yet again be excited about life, have zeal about uh and passion for living a life that is worthy of honoring the Lord. Don't let the wasteland, don't let the mistakes that you've done, and and maybe the punishment that maybe you truly do deserve, don't let that get in the way. I want to tell you that God loves you. He still loves you. And he's a God of second chances again and again and again and again. Father, in the name and the blood of Jesus, I lift up these listeners. Father, that in this moment they would just talk to you, surrender to you, ask you for help, and then do what you lay on their heart. In the mighty name, in the cleansing, washing, powerful blood of Jesus Christ. Amen.