God Speaks
Dry Bones; A United Nation Under Messiah; the LORD’s Victory Over the Nations
Verse of the Day: “‘I will make known my holy name among my people Israel. I will no longer let my holy name be profaned, and the nations will know that I the LORD am the Holy One in Israel. It is coming! It will surely take place, declares the Sovereign LORD. This is the day I have spoken of. . . .'” [Quotes in the original.] (Ezekiel 39:7-8 NIV 2011)
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Watch TBR Day 251
We Respond
Reflection: Consider the following questions regarding Ezekiel 37-39:
1. What does this chapter tell me about God?
2. What does this chapter tell me about the human beings He created?
Here is one possible answer to each of these questions. Ask the Holy Spirit if there are any others for you personally to ponder.
Ezekiel 37
1. God can do the impossible: bring lifeless, dry bones together, breathe life into them and make them into a great army, and bring the two kingdoms of Israel (northern kingdom) and Judah (southern kingdom) together to function as one righteous nation.
2. People can and will renounce their idols and sinful ways and turn back to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob under their Messiah, the Son of David; then He will truly be their God, and they will be His people forevermore.
Ezekiel 38
1. God knows the plans of evil rulers and nations. He will bring judgment against them in the form of earthquake, pestilence, bloodshed, deluge of rain, hail, fire, and brimstone.
2. All of these calamities are meant to cause people to know beyond doubt that YHWH (the great I AM) is the LORD.
Ezekiel 39
1. God will make His name known in the midst of His people Israel, and the nations will know that the great I AM is the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.
2. Evil rulers, like Gog and his forces, will be turned back, driven out, and completely destroyed by the LORD in the time and way He chooses. (Even their weapons will be used as fuel for seven years, and it will take seven months to bury all the corpses of his defeated warriors.)
Prayer:
3. How might I pray regarding Ezekiel 37-39?
O Great and Awesome God, You do the impossible. You bring lifeless, dry bones together, breathe life into them, and make them into a great army. You are in the process of bringing the two kingdoms of Israel (northern kingdom) and Judah (southern kingdom) or the various factions of Your people together to function as one righteous nation under King Jesus. We human beings can and will renounce our idols and sinful ways and turn back to You, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob under our Messiah, Jesus, the Son of David; then You will truly be our God, and we will be Your people forevermore. God, You know the plans of evil rulers and nations. You will bring judgment against them in the form of earthquake, pestilence, bloodshed, deluge of rain, hail, fire, and brimstone. All of these calamities are meant to cause people to know beyond doubt that You, YHWH (the great I AM), are the LORD Almighty. LORD God, You have given us the privilege of cooperating with You in making Your name known in the midst of Your people Israel. As we do, the nations will know that the Great I AM is the LORD, the Holy One in Israel. Evil rulers, like Gog and his forces (or Pharoah and his army), will be turned back, driven out, and completely destroyed by the LORD in the time and way He chooses. Your word says that even the weapons of Gog and his forces will be used as fuel for seven years, and it will take seven months to bury all the corpses of his defeated warriors. In that day all who love and fear You will rejoice and bring You glory, LORD. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
4. What action does the LORD want me to take in response to Ezekiel 37-39? With the help of God’s Holy Spirit:
- I will continue to pray for the name of the LORD to be glorified in Israel.
- I will ask the LORD to fill me with the (eternal) life-giving breath of His Holy Spirit.
- I will speak up for Israel, Jews, Christians, and anyone seeking to live by godly principles.
- I will talk respectfully with someone about how they can have peace with God through Jesus Christ and victory over the enemy of their soul.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.