Ezekiel’s vision: The Valley of Dry Bones 

Ezekiel, one of the four major Jewish prophets along with Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Daniel, was deported to Babylon in 597 B.C. Eleven years later, in 586 B.C., King Nebuchadnezzar’s army destroyed Jerusalem, the final stronghold in Ezekiel’s homeland. Residing in Babylon at the time of Ezekiel’s captivity was the prophet Daniel. Additionally, Ezekiel may have been a pupil of Jeremiah.  One of Ezekiel’s best known visions is the valley of dry bones.

At the time of Ezekiel’s writings, the Hebrew people were suffering under Babylonian captivity. When the northern kingdom of Israel (same name as nation) fell to the Babylonians, the Hebrew people living there were taken into captivity extending from 734 to 721 B.C. 

The next round of captivity came with the fall of the southern kingdom of Judah. Likewise, its people (including Ezekiel) were carried into Babylon (modern day Iran) from 606 to 586 B.C.  At the time of Ezekiel’s prophecies, Israel no longer existed as a nation. Deprived of their land, their king and their temple, the Hebrew people were in a state of living death. No end of their captivity was in sight. At this critical juncture was when God gave Ezekiel the vision. 

Ezekiel 37 begins with God transporting Ezekiel to a valley full of dry bones. Ezekiel is directed to speak to the bones. 

“Prophesy to the bones,” said God. “Tell then that I am going to put breath in them and and bring them back to life.” 

As Ezekiel spoke to the bones, there arose a loud rattling noise, and the bones began to join together. Suddenly, the bones began to take on sinews and muscles, and finally flesh.  Yet, there was no breath in the dead bodies. 

Then God instructed Ezekiel to prophecy to the wind: “Tell the wind that the Sovereign Lord commands it to blow into these dead bodies and bring them back to life.”  

Immediately, the dead bodies came alive and stood erect. “There were enough resurrected bodies to form an army,” declared the scripture.

God then told Ezekiel the meaning of the vision: “My people are like these bones. They are dried up, without hope and without a future. When I open their graves and bring them back to their land, they will know that I am the Lord.” 

God instructed Ezekiel to touch two sticks together—one representing the northern kingdom of Israel and the other, the southern kingdom of Judah—to form one stick. This exemplified the future unification of Israel.  

God delivered on His promise. In 536 B.C., the Persian Empire conquered Babylon. That same year, King Cyrus of Persia permitted the Jews to return to Jerusalem and issued a decree authorizing the rebuilding of the temple. The temple in Jerusalem was completed in 516 B.C. Seventy two years later, in 444 B.C., Nehemiah rebuilt the city walls of Jerusalem.  The Jewish people had been restored. 

Sometime in the future, the mighty trumpet call of God will set off another rattling of dry bones. This will occur when Jesus returns. The dead in Christ shall rise first, then those still alive will join them in the clouds. Graves across the world will suddenly burst open as the Lord raptures His church.