Links for today’s readings:
Read: Ezekiel 37 Listen: (5:07)
Read: Titus 3 Listen: (2:05)
Scripture Focus: Ezekiel 37: 4–5, 11
4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.’”
11 Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’”
Reflection: Ex Nihilo in Ezekiel
By Erin Newton
The landscape from where you sit may look rather bleak. The ups and downs of what feels like a never-ending series of unprecedented events make the future appear without hope. We see nothing but despair, death, and difficulty.
Ezekiel gazed across the valley and saw only bones, not freshly deceased remains but signs of those who had long since suffered death.
These are not the bodies of Jarius’s daughter, a few moments within the throes of death, or Lazarus, a few days within the tomb. The bones were dry, clean, and cured by the sun. If we read a glimmer of hope into the stories of those on the brink of death, this story should strip away all hope of resuscitation.
But God asks Ezekiel to dream the impossible. Ezekiel spoke God’s salvation to the most inattentive, unresponsible, unlikely audience.
We think about Jonah, miraculously spared from the stomach acid of a whale (or miraculously resurrected from the whale), and cling to the idea that somehow, maybe in some way, God could fix and reverse the signs of death, if it was recent. Ezekiel 37 is entirely different.
Life would come from nothing— another ex nihilo creation in Ezekiel. While the tissues and muscles supernaturally regrew on the bones, the nerves and tendons attaching as required, the skin covering the vital organs, hair and melanin filling in every inch of the body, I imagine the hymn rang out: “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”
Death and hopelessness had settled into the valley. It was past the perceived time for God to intervene. Judgment had come upon the land as the prophets foretold. The bones were testimony to the promises kept by God, albeit the promises they hoped he’d forget.
But there is no sin and no subsequent judgment that exceeds the limits of God’s mercy. From the hand that judged sin came the hand that would bring new life. “Salvation was to rise phoenix-like from the embers of judgment.” (Leslie Allen, Word Biblical Commentary).
When we look at the days ahead, does it look beyond hope? Do we see the future and assume the time has surely passed for God to help us in this time and in this place? Dear sisters and brothers, do not lose hope. By God’s spirit, new life has entered our bones, and we rise and rise again.
From John: Divine Hours prayers will return next week. For the remainder of this week we will close with the “Election Prayers” that have been in our Echo Prayer feed for the last few years.
Election Prayers:
Pray that in any unrest or conflict that Christians would distinguish themselves from the culture by being able to protest without violence or threat and by being able to give a listening and compassionate ear to even the most strident of opposition.
Pray that we would not be guilty of name-calling or any unwholesome or dehumanizing language.
Pray that what comes from our speech would demonstrate the truth in love no matter what happens around us.
Pray that Christians would not be part of sinful gloating, of boasting, or threatening others over political wins or losses.
Pray that all parties and individuals would reject violence or threats of violence and seek justice for victims of political violence.
Read more about Paul’s Stance on Gentleness
People who are violent rather than gentle…slanderous rather than truthful…are not our enemies. They are captives.
Read more about Be Yoked to Christ, Not Politics
May no party or leader be permitted to yoke us or Christ’s church to their cause.
May the only yoke we take on, be the yoke of Christ, in service to others.
