Tuesday, Jul 21, 2009

7-21 Dry Bones

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It’s a small world after all. As soon as you read this, that tune started playing automatically in your head didn’t it! Hah! Now you won’t be able to shake it! Yesterday, a girl met me at a rental to pick up an application. During our conversation I asked where she worked… “Oh,” I said, “David I. works there doesn’t he?” She said he did and that she also went to school with him. I told her that David grew up in our church and his parents still go there. She is pregnant… due in November… but not married. So I showed her pictures of our Amphitheater and suggested they check it out for their wedding. A chance contact? No God orchestrated it. Pray that I’ll be able to follow up.

Today's Scripture reading is 1 Kings 5; Zechariah 5; Luke 12:22-59
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Today’s thought comes from Ezekiel 37 "1 The hand of the LORD came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. 2 Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. 3 And He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" So I answered, "O Lord GOD, You know." 4 Again He said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 5 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: "Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. 6 "I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the LORD."’"

During World War II many analysts viewed Hitler as the Antichrist, but there were a few commentators, M. R. Dehann, H. A. Ironside, and others who pointed out that he couldn’t be because the nation of Israel was not in their land. Unfortunately, over the last 2000 years, there have been many, many Bible commentators who scoffed at the idea of a literal return of Israel to their homeland. They believed that the Diaspora was a permanent judgment on the nation. Isaiah 11:11-12 prophesies not one, but two worldwide dispersions of the nation, and two returns! “…the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people… from the four corners of the earth.” The first dispersion was by Assyria and Babylon, and the second by Rome. Ezekiel 37 pictures the second return to the land with his colorful “dry bones” prophecy. The valley of dry bones represented the Jewish people in an exceedingly grave condition. During the holocaust the Jews despaired of life. Prophetically, they said what God said they would say in Ezekiel 37:11 ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!’ Ezekiel was asked, “can these bones live”, or can the Jewish nation survive? Not only will they survive, he was told, but they would be restored to their ancient homeland of Israel, and emerge into an “exceedingly great army”. “So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army” Ezekiel 37:10. The enemies of Israel have quickly learned that Ezekiel’s “dry bones” can fight! In their war for independence in 1948 they were vastly outnumbered and hopelessly surrounded, yet they shocked the world by their miraculous victories. Because of their astonishing victories over the years the Israeli Defense Forces have become a modern legend! Once the nation returned to their land, the debate over the literalness of God’s promises and prophecies should have ended! God put it this way in verse 6, "I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the LORD."

Dear Lord. Sometimes my bones feel as dry as those in the prophecy. But you are the God of the resurrection! You can refresh me, renew me and revive me! Lord put a heart of flesh in me so that I will be obedient to you. Make me realize from your prophetic word that You are the Lord!

“But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy.”-

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