1. The Valley of Dry Bones Old Testament written for our learning – Romans 15:4 We Learn of Many Amazing and Unusual Lessons Naaman told to dip seven times – II Kings 5:10 Moses told to make a bronze serpent – Num. 21:4-9 Ezekiel told to lay on his left side for 390 days – Ezekiel 4:4-8

2. The Valley of Dry Bones Ezekiel 37:1-14 provides another unusual story “ 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.“ 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.

3. The Valley of Dry Bones Ezekiel 37:1-14 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.“ 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.

4. The Valley of Dry Bones Ezekiel 37:1-14 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.”

5. The Valley of Dry Bones Background Ezekiel sees a valley full of dead men’s bones God asked if those bones could live Ezekiel answered, “O, Lord God, You Know.” God told Ezekiel to go preach to those bones When Ezekiel obeyed, the bones put on ligaments, muscles and flesh With more preaching the bodies became alive God’s Message: He could raise Israel out of their spiritual graves and restore life to them

6. The Valley of Dry Bones Lessons From Ezekiel 37 We Need To Obey God, Regardless God’s instructions for Ezekiel did not make sense God commanded it and Ezekiel needed to obey Some of God’s commands give people problems today  Baptism – Acts 2:38; I Peter 3:21  Lord’s Supper – Mark 14:22-25; Acts 20:7  Vocal Music – Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16 Jeremiah 10:23; Isaiah 55:8-9

7. The Valley of Dry Bones Nothing Is Impossible With God If God commands it, it can, and will be done. No matter how outrageous it sounds to us. Nothing seems as outrageous as preaching to dry, dead bones and having them come alive We need to preach the Gospel and let God do His work -- Romans 1:16 God, through the Gospel, can save the vilest sinner Look at what God did with Paul – Acts 22:3-5

8. The Valley of Dry Bones Preach What God Says To Preach “I Prophesied as I was commanded” – Ezk. 37:7 Like Jonah, “Preach the preaching I bid you…” Jonah 3:2-3 Would they have had results if they had preached something else? We also must preach only the Gospel Preach the “Word” – II Timothy 4:1-5 “Speak as the oracles of God” – I Peter 4:11 A “watered down” gospel of social reform and political correctness will not save

9. The Valley of Dry Bones There Is A Need For Self Examination Could we be as dead as the valley of dry bones, spiritually? Do we look alive outwardly, but actually spiritually dead inside? – Rev. 3:1 Israel was dead spiritually but was promised revival by God if they turned back to Him We, as Christians, were once dead but now made alive – Ephesians 2:4-6

10. The Valley of Dry Bones We may not understand why God commands certain things, but ours is not to wonder why, but simply to OBEY!

11. The Valley of Dry Bones Are You A Christian? Are You A Faithful Christian? Will You Obey The Commands Of God Today?

12. The Valley of Dry Bones By Bob Gard – Hollister, Missouri church of Christ www.hollisterchurchofchrist.org Adapted lesson from www.glasgow-coc.orgwww.hollisterchurchofchrist.org