In Ezekiel 37:1–10 we read a fascinating story where it says that the hand of the Lord came upon Ezekiel the prophet and brought him to a valley full of dry bones. Both God and Ezekiel were there looking at this valley of dry bones. Now, I want you to understand as Ezekiel was coming to this place, he probably didn’t pass very many road or information signs explaining what this place represented. He was probably thinking, Could this be a grave yard for prophets that did not pass the ultimate test? As Ezekiel sees this he probably is wondering if he is going to become part of the bone pile himself. God tells him to walk through the piles of bones and inspect them. I don’t know how you inspect bones, but there he is looking at those brittle, bleached, and sun-baked bones, when God asks the ultimate question. “Can these bones live?”

The answer Ezekiel gave was pretty quick and witty. Most of us would put our foot in our mouth if we were in this situation. But, without missing a step, Ezekiel, knowing he does not want to be another bone pile, says “O Lord God, You know.” God begins to command him and tell him to speak the word of the Lord to those bones that they might live.

Remember that God is right there with Ezekiel. He is telling Ezekiel himself as his representative to speak to these dry bones. God could have spoken the word himself but chose to use Ezekiel. So the prophet speaks to them, and a noise begins to happen. Then the bones began to rattle, and the bones came together. Now, I don’t know if you have ever been out on the farm or in the desert and came across old bones? They are decaying and lifeless. You can almost break them yourself, because the life has gone out of them. All that to say, this wasn’t some “head-ache be gone” miracle where no one could prove that it was valid or not. The valley of skeletons aren’t just bones anymore; flesh has come upon them and it’s a valley of corpses lying there now. Sounds like something on Halloween, doesn’t it?

Multitudes are spiritually dead and are in need for you and I to speak life to their valley of dry bones.   (tweet)

Most of us would stop right there and begin to build a tabernacle and start on a world tour, itinerant speaking. Instead, we see God telling him to speak to the corpses again. So he speaks and breath fills them causing the corpses to stand up and become an exceedingly great army awaiting marching orders. Remember this isn’t some zombie movie!

Many relate this passage to the church and our country as a prophetic word of where we have come from and where we are going. I believe God wants His church to come alive and is now positioning his army, moving them into key places to perform his plans of victory. An army that just stands at attention does not obtain victory, but an army that begins to march and fulfill orders is an overcoming army. It’s time we do just that!

All around us are multitudes that are spiritually dead and in serious bondage. They are in desperate need of the spoken Word of the Lord to set them free from their apathy. As representatives and ambassadors of God, we are called and must speak life to the valley of dry bones in this generation.