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DRY BONES

Ezekiel 37:3 37:1-14

  1. THE TEST OF FAITH

Three things severely tested the prophet's faith.

  1. The bones were very many.

Ezekiel 37:1-2 (King James Version)
1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,
2 And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.

  1. The valley was white with them
  2. And yet the multitude of the bones did not cause the faith of the prophet to fail,
  3. for his eyes were upon GOD and he believed that GOD was equal to such a task.

As we look at millions unreached by the gospel, we may becomedisgusted,

but the eye of faith sees GOD still equal to the great work of reaching and saving

  1. The bones were very dry

Ezekiel 37:2 (King James Version)
2 And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.

  1. There was no sign of life
  2. Their dryness was positive proof of death.
  1. The prophet was told to do a very foolish thing.

Ezekiel 37:3-4 (King James Version)
3 And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.
4 Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.

  1. It is foolish to speak to a deaf man,
  2. morefoolish to speak to a dead man
  3. it is the just weird to speak to a bone so lifeless
  4. But Ezekiel was willing to appear a fool to theworldly wise. And it is by the foolishness of preaching that men are to be saved.
  1. THE PROCESS of faith
  2. The prophet spake directly to the bones

Ezekiel 37:10 (King James Version)
10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.

  1. There was no manipulation.
  2. There was no preparing thebones to receive GOD's Word.
  3. He did not try by human wisdom to cover the bones
  1. the people of god just need to preach the word of god it will never fail
  2. WHETHER in an old brush arber or a BEAUTIFUL church it by the preaching the word that saves souls
  1. THE PURPOSE OF faith

Ezekiel 37:13 (King James Version)
13 And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves,

  1. with god nothing is IMPOSSIBLE
  2. There "stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army."
  3. Not a great mob likethe bones in confusion,
  4. but an organized army.
  5. An army carries with it the idea of
  6. organization, obedience
  7. order and leadership
  8. with god there is RESURRECTION
  9. slain by the world and the devils crowd
  10. raised by the word of god

Ezekiel 37:13 (King James Version)
13 And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves,

John 11:25-26 (King James Version)
25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?