Eze 37:11 | KingComments | STEP | Then the LORD gives Ezekiel the explanation of the vision ( ). The dead bones are not just a picture of Judah, but of “the whole house of Israel”. The whole people have given up hope of a national existence. They see themselves as cut off from God’s land and God’s blessings. This is indeed their situation as a result of their sins. They lead a dry and dead existence (cf. ). After the battlefield as a picture of death, we now get the graves as a picture of death. The valley of dry bones speaks of the totality of defeat. There is no one left to bury the bones. The grave speaks of the impossibility of returning to life. The people are buried, as it were, in Babylon and other lands. Therefore, Ezekiel must prophesy that the Lord GOD will open the graves to come up out of their graves and bring them “into the land of Israel” ( ). He calls them “My people” here. He will raise them from the grave because Israel is His people. That prophecy does not refer to the apostate multitude, but to the remnant whom He, according to the election of His grace, always preserves for Himself ( ). This prophecy is a wonderful promise of the restoration of Israel as a nation on their land. The return from Babylon is like a resurrection from the grave and death. But that is only a partial and also a temporary resurrection. In the future, that resurrection will be expressly for the whole people. They will know that He is the LORD when He has done this mighty life-giving work to His people by opening their graves and raising them up from their graves ( ). Then He will also give them His Spirit and they, after their national restoration, will also be restored inwardly and receive new life ( ). They will see that what the LORD has spoken has also been fulfilled by Him. The Spirit is yet to come ( ). He is coming in a converted Israel. It is, as has already been said, a restoration in two stages: first nationally, then spiritually.

‏ Ezekiel 37:11

Explanation of the Vision

Then the LORD gives Ezekiel the explanation of the vision (Eze 37:11). The dead bones are not just a picture of Judah, but of “the whole house of Israel”. The whole people have given up hope of a national existence. They see themselves as cut off from God’s land and God’s blessings. This is indeed their situation as a result of their sins. They lead a dry and dead existence (cf. Psa 31:12 ; Psa 32:4).

After the battlefield as a picture of death, we now get the graves as a picture of death. The valley of dry bones speaks of the totality of defeat. There is no one left to bury the bones. The grave speaks of the impossibility of returning to life. The people are buried, as it were, in Babylon and other lands. Therefore, Ezekiel must prophesy that the Lord GOD will open the graves to come up out of their graves and bring them “into the land of Israel” (Eze 37:12).

He calls them “My people” here. He will raise them from the grave because Israel is His people. That prophecy does not refer to the apostate multitude, but to the remnant whom He, according to the election of His grace, always preserves for Himself (Rom 11:5).

This prophecy is a wonderful promise of the restoration of Israel as a nation on their land. The return from Babylon is like a resurrection from the grave and death. But that is only a partial and also a temporary resurrection. In the future, that resurrection will be expressly for the whole people.

They will know that He is the LORD when He has done this mighty life-giving work to His people by opening their graves and raising them up from their graves (Eze 37:13). Then He will also give them His Spirit and they, after their national restoration, will also be restored inwardly and receive new life (Eze 37:14). They will see that what the LORD has spoken has also been fulfilled by Him. The Spirit is yet to come (Joel 2:28-32). He is coming in a converted Israel. It is, as has already been said, a restoration in two stages: first nationally, then spiritually.