BIRTH of a NATION / Ezekiel 37 © 2015 Holland Davis ______DRY BONES DANCING

______DRY BONES DANCING

INTRODUCTION: Turn to Ezekiel 33 • This week in our midweek study we will be covering Ezekiel 35-39 which brings us to some of the most famous passages of scripture in Ezekiel • Today we are going to look at one of them • The vision of the Valley of Dry Bones • It’s where we get the title of our series Dry Bones Dancing and it’s a vision that Ezekiel has relating to the Birth of Israel as a nation

Chuck Smith when he was speaking to a Jewish skeptic asked him… do you know how I know that the Bible is absolutely true? The skeptic answered… no, how do you know? Chuck Smith replied… you are the proof. The fact that Israel exists as a nation is proof that the Bible is absolutely true.

For those skeptics that wonder if the Bible is true and if God is real, just look at the nation of Israel • Prior 1948, Israel did not exist as an independent nation since Babylon conquered Judah in 606 B.C. • The destruction of Israel at the hands of the Babylonians was completed in 587 B.C. with the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple • For 70 years, the Jewish people were exiled in Babylon • But in 537 B.C., the Persian King Cyrus conquered Babylon and issued a decree fro the Jews to return to their land and rebuild the Temple • This is covered in the Book of Nehemiah • It was during the Babylonian Captivity that Ezekiel prophesied that Israel would be restored as an independent nation

Ezekiel 4:4–6 (NKJV) 4 “Lie also on your left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it. According to the number of the days that you lie on it, you shall bear their iniquity. 5 For I have laid on you the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days; so you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. 6 And when you have completed them, lie again on your right side; then you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days. I have laid on you a day for each year.

• Ezekiel prophesies that for 430 years, a period of time known as the Servitude of the Nation, Israel would be ruled by foreign powers

• The were ruled by the Persians, then the Greeks and then the Romans • This brings us to Jesus’ day • The arrival of Jesus marked the end of 430 years of Servitude • When Jesus rode into Jerusalem riding on a donkey symbolizing Peace, we read that the streets of Jerusalem were filled with rejoicing and the people were declaring Blessed is He Who Comes In The Name of the Lord • They recognized Jesus as the Messiah • However, the nation of Israel then rejected Jesus as the Messiah and refused to obey God • Thus in 70 AD, Titus and the Roman legions destroyed the Temple and scattered the Jewish people… this was known as the Diaspora • The destruction of the Temple was prophesied by Jesus • The Diaspora resulted in the gospel being spread throughout the world

Now God told Israel that when they returned to the land, if the people rejected their God, He would increase their punishments seven fold Leviticus 26:27–28 (NKJV) 27 ‘And after all this, if you do not obey Me, but walk contrary to Me, 28 then I also will walk contrary to you in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins.

• So in the time when Israel was to be restored to the land, they rejected Jesus the Messiah and as a result they were driven from the land and Israel did not exist as a nation until May 14, 1948 • We won’t get into it, but the date that Israel would become a nation was prophesied by Daniel… to the DAY!!! • But you’ll have to wait until Daniel to find out more about that • So from 606 B.C. until 1948… Israel was off the map, but God never forgot His people and God never forgot His Covenant to Abraham to give his descendants the land as an everlasting Covenant

So we come to Ezekiel 37 which says Ezekiel 37:1–6 (NKJV) 37 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?” BIRTH OF A NATION / Ezekiel 37 © 2015 Holland Davis ______DRY BONES DANCING

So I answered, “O Lord GOD, You know.” 4 Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O 5 dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 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.” ’ ”

Now what is significant about Dry Bones? • When you see dry bones in the desert, it’s a sign that the bones have been there along time • Whatever man or animal they belonged to died along time ago • So long ago that the elements have stripped the bones clean of any living tissue… • Certainly, prior to 1948 Israel was a Valley of Dry Bones • It had been so long since they existed as a nation that no one remembered them and in fact, squatters had come into the land and claimed squatters rights… that’s the Palestinian dilemma • The land never belonged to them, but they’ve been there so long they are claiming to be the legal owners • Now this regathering of the Jews into their own homeland – the second time – is key to understanding the times in which we live

Isaiah 11:11–12 (NKJV) 11 It shall come to pass in that day That the LORD shall set His hand again the second time To recover the remnant of His people who are left, From Assyria and Egypt, From Pathros and Cush, From Elam and Shinar, From Hamath and the islands of the sea. 12 He will set up a banner for the nations, And will assemble the outcasts of Israel, And gather together the dispersed of Judah From the four corners of the earth.

• The first time they returned to the land was after the 70 year exile from Babylon • The second time refers to Israel becoming a nation • In fact, Ezekiel uses the same imagery of bringing them from the four corners or the four winds of the earth Ezekiel 37:9 (NKJV)

9 Also He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” ’ ”

• So it’s clear that Ezekiel and Isaiah are talking about the same event • On May 14, 1948, when David Ben Gurion announced on international radio the name of “Israel” as the new state and homeland for the Jews • He used Ezekiel 37 as His inspiration for the name

Ezekiel 37:12–13 (NKJV) 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. 13 Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves.

• Not only was it a miracle that a nation that ceased to exist for 2552 years was reborn… • Something that has never happened in history before or since • But it happened in 1 day according to prophecy

Isaiah 66:8 (NKJV) 8 Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor, She gave birth to her children.

• In the 1800’s a movement known as Zionism began to encourage Jews worldwide to move to Israel • Which had been renamed Palestine by the Romans when under Roman occupation • This movement to Israel is what the Bible refers to as labor pains… as soon as Zion was in labor – notice the terms being used • There was a UN Mandate for the British to govern Palestine after WWII and the UN Mandate was scheduled to expire May 14, 1948 • Hours after foreign control of the land had formally ceased, The Jewish National Council proclaimed the state of Israel • Hours after Israel declared independence, the United States recognized Israel as a sovereign state.

• Thus, Israel was literally born in a single day

Ezekiel writes Ezekiel 37:10 (NKJV) 10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.

• The next day, Arab forces from Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq invaded the new nation • And ever since their birth as a nation, Israel has been in a state of war with the surrounding nations… again according to prophecy

Now why is this significant for us to know? Jesus said… Matthew 24:32–35 (NKJV) 32 “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors! 34 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

• As we’ve learned in our midweek study, the fig tree is symbolic of what in scripture? Israel • Jesus says, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place… which generation? • The generation that sees the fig tree show forth leaves… or come back to life… what does He mean? • The generation that sees the nation of Israel reborn is the generation that will see the Second Coming of Christ • If you believe a generation is 70 years… 1948 + 70 = 2018 less 7 = 2011 • Doesn’t work • If you believe a generation is 80 years… 1948 + 80 = 2028 less 7 = 2021… it’s possible • If you believe a generation is 100 years… 1948 + 100 = 2048 less 7 = 2041… it’s possible as well • If you believe it’s literal (as I do)… that means the generation ends when the last person who saw Israel become a nation dies

• And Jesus says that generation will see the Second Coming of Christ • So it can be any time • That’s why Israel is the key to understanding prophecy

But here’s what’s important for you and I • If you come to an intersection and you ignore the signs, you can end up in a collision that will cost you your life • Don’t ignore the signs of the times… Israel becoming a nation • God said when you saw this happen you would know that He is the Lord • We are in the last days and I can’t tell you the day or the hour that Jesus is going to return, but I can tell you that Jesus is coming soon • Here’s the question… are you ready to meet Jesus? • Are you living for things that really matter in light of eternity? • Is your life counting for something more than just the mundane things of this world? • Are you living for the King, living for the kingdom of God? • Or are you living for the things of the world? • There is only one thing you can take to heaven with you… that’s people • Nice cars, cars are nice… but you can’t take them to heaven • Nice homes, I like my home… but I can’t take it to heaven • Why not spend the rest of your life pursuing something that’s going to last for eternity?

CT Studd wrote an incredible poem that says… Only one life, ‘twill soon be past Only what’s done for Christ will last