These Dry Bones Shall Live
"The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones… and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry." — Ezekiel 37:1-2
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Introduction
There are moments in life when we look at ourselves — at our marriage, our faith, our church — and all we see is bones. Dry. Silent. No movement, no life, no apparent hope. That was Israel's condition. Exiled, scattered, convinced that God had abandoned them. "Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone," they said (v. 11). Do you know that feeling?
This is the fifth and final sermon in our series on revival. We've talked about the need for revival, the prayer that prepares for it, the humility that opens the door to it, and the obedience that sustains it. Today we arrive at the heart of it all: God can revive what seems irreversibly dead. Not merely renew what is weak — but resurrect what is lifeless. And He does it through His Word and His Spirit.
Ezekiel 37 is not only a vision for Israel. It is a word for every believer, every family, every congregation that finds itself today in a valley of dry bones. Let us hear what God is saying.
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1. God Leads Us into the Valley to Show Us Reality
The vision begins with something unsettling: "The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord" (v. 1). God did not spare Ezekiel the spectacle of death. He made him walk around the bones — a word that implies a careful, thorough inspection. There was no room for illusion. "They were very dry" (v. 2).
Revival always begins with honesty. God does not ask us to pretend everything is fine when it isn't. He Himself leads us into the valley of reality. How often does the Church perform life where there is only routine? How often do we ourselves rehearse devotion without heart?
God's question to Ezekiel is also His question to us today: "Son of man, can these bones live?" (v. 3). It is a question that lays our faith bare. Ezekiel's answer was both wise and humble: "Sovereign Lord, you alone know." Not an answer born of despair, nor of presumption — but of surrender. Practical application: before asking for revival, sit in God's presence and let Him show you your valley. Name it. Bring it honestly before Him.
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2. The Preached Word Is the First Breath of Life
God then gives Ezekiel a surprising instruction: "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!'" (v. 4). Preach to bones? It sounds absurd. But that is exactly what God commands.
And what happens? "There was a rattling sound… and the bones came together, bone to bone" (v. 7). The Word of God brought order out of chaos, structure out of scattering. There were bodies — still lifeless, but fully formed. This is what the Word does first: it restores structure, doctrine, and the healthy shape of faith.
Here is a lesson for this generation: we cannot despise the faithful preaching of Scripture in the name of a more emotionally driven spirituality. In the vision, the Word precedes the Spirit — not because it is greater, but because it is the instrument God has chosen. When churches abandon deep, expository preaching, they are left with bodies without bones — limp, spineless, without form. Practical application: commit yourself to the Word. Read it, hear it, study it. Let it reorder your life, even before you feel anything at all.
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3. The Spirit Is the One Who Gives Life — Ask for Him
The bones came together. Tendons and flesh covered them. But "there was no breath in them" (v. 8). Form without life is merely a more presentable corpse. So God commands a second prophecy — this time, not to the bones, but to the breath: "Prophesy to the breath… 'Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live'" (v. 9).
The Hebrew word ruach carries the meaning of wind, breath, and spirit all at once. God is calling on His own Holy Spirit to complete the work. And the result? "So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet — a vast army" (v. 10). From dry bones to a living army. This is revival.
But notice: Ezekiel had to ask. To prophesy to the wind was an act of prayer — invoking the One who blows wherever He pleases (John 3:8). We cannot manufacture revival through human effort. We can — and must — cry out for the Spirit. Practical application: after hearing the Word, prostrate yourself and ask. Say: "Lord, give me Your Spirit. I don't want only the right form — I want life."
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Conclusion
This series ends here, in this valley. But it ends with an army standing on its feet. If your faith is dry, if your marriage seems lifeless, if your congregation has lost its fire — God is still asking this question: "Can these bones live?" Your answer matters. Do not surrender to the valley. Prophesy — with the Word in your mouth and the Spirit in your heart. The God who raised Israel from exile, who raised Christ from the dead, can raise everything you have already written off as lost. Not by human strength — but by His Spirit (Zechariah 4:6).
Today, will you choose to believe that God can do this in you?
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Closing Prayer
Lord, here we are — in some valleys we never chose, and others we built ourselves. Breathe on us, Spirit of God, and make us a people who truly live and who stand for Your glory. Amen.
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