Dry Bones

The hand of the LORD came upon me and led me out in the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the center of the plain, which was now filled with bones. He made me walk among the bones in every direction so that I saw how many they were on the surface of the plain. How dry they were! 

He asked me: Son of man, can these bones come to life? I answered, “Lord GOD, you alone know that.” Then he said to me: Prophesy over these bones, and say to them: Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: See! I will bring spirit into you, that you may come to life. I will put sinews upon you, make flesh grow over you, cover you with skin, and put spirit in you so that you may come to life and know that I am the LORD. 

I prophesied as I had been told, and even as I was prophesying I heard a noise; it was a rattling as the bones came together, bone joining bone. I saw the sinews and the flesh come upon them, and the skin cover them, but there was no spirit in them.

Then the LORD said to me: Prophesy to the spirit, prophesy, son of man, and say to the spirit:  Thus says the Lord GOD From the four winds come, O spirit, and breathe into these slain that they may come to life. I prophesied as he told me, and the spirit came into them; they came alive and stood upright, a vast army. 

Then he said to me: Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They have been saying, “Our bones are dried up, our hope is lost, and we are cut off.” Therefore, prophesy and say to them: Thus says the Lord GOD: O my people, I will open your graves and have you rise from them, and bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and have you rise from them, O my people! I will put my spirit in you that you may live, and I will settle you upon your land; thus you shall know that I am the LORD. I have promised, and I will do it, says the LORD. (Ezekiel 37:1-14)

Ezekiel said, “These bones are the whole house of Israel. They have been saying, ‘Our bones are dried up, our hope is lost, and we are cut off.”  When we feel dried up, lost, or cut off, it might seem as if we are six feet under.  Our bones rattle, and we have lost our spirit.  Many of us, like a vast army, are laid low.  Depression can make us feel this way.  Victims of racist behavior and the coronavirus especially feel as if they are in their graves.

We all come to life, put flesh back on our rattling bones, and leave our graves when we find hope and faith that breathe us back to life.  Nations are brought back to life when their life-blood – a strong democracy, fair justice system, and an essential constitution defended by those sworn to serve and protect it – are restored.  The virus will be under control when we decide to protect one another, follow scientific advice, wear masks and social distance. 

When all this happens; sinews will be back upon us; flesh will grow over us; we’ll be covered with new skin and our spirit will lift and be put back in us.  We will rise. 

Deacon David Pierce