Can God Breathe Life into My Hopeless Situation? (Ezekiel 37-48)

A Few Thoughts to Consider

Is there a situation in your life today that feels hopeless?

In Ezekiel 37, God confronts the prophet Ezekiel with a seemingly hopeless proposition. Ezekiel has a vision of a valley filled with dry bones. Two points to note. First, this vision is linked with other visions Ezekiel had (1:3; 3:14; 8:1; 40:1). “In the light of 3:22–23, it becomes clear that the valley was not just a random geographical location but a valley in exile…It is the place of death, from which Israel must be delivered before they can be brought into the land of life.”^[1]

Second, this setting is deliberately devastating. “The large amount of bones described here implies it was the scene of a major catastrophe. The depiction of a large number of corpses that were denied a proper burial is reminiscent of many battle scenes and descriptions of battle scenes found in the earliest periods of Mesopotamian and Egyptian history.”^[2] “Coming after God’s promise in chapter 36 to give his people new hearts and a new spirit, the dry bones illustrate the magnitude of the miracle that will be required if God’s people are to be saved.”^[3] And any “attempts to locate this valley, or to identify the particular battle that left these grisly remnants behind, are simply wrong-headed: this is a vision.”^[4]

Standing amid this grotesque sight, God commands Ezekiel to prophesy to the bones, which then come together, grow flesh, and are breathed into, becoming a living army. This vision symbolizes the restoration of Israel, demonstrating God's power to bring life to what is dead and hope to a seemingly hopeless situation. In verse 3, God asks Ezekiel if these bones can live. Ezekiel responds with, “Lord God, only you know.” “Ezekiel’s answer to Yahweh’s question is cautious…he tosses the ball back into Yahweh’s court. He neither rules out the possibility after all, with God all things are possible.”^[5] In response, God acts. But as Iain M. Duguid says,

There is a sure and certain future based not on what Israel can do but on God’s determination to save his people. Twice, the Lord addresses them as “my people” (37:12–13). Though they are indeed dead, God can and will tear open their graves (shifting the metaphor slightly) and bring them up from the dead, giving them life through his Spirit and resettling them in their land (37:14).^[6]

This reality should give us tremendous confidence today. The main message of Ezekiel 37 and the Valley of Dry Bones is that God has the power to bring life to what is dead and to restore hope in even the deadest situations. No situation is too dark, no human too hard, and no relationship too far gone for God’s redemptive reach.

A Meditation to PRAY

Praise | Lord, I praise you for your mighty power and ability to bring life to what is dead. You are the God of resurrection and renewal, and your Spirit breathes life into dry bones, restoring hope and vitality. Your greatness is beyond measure, and your love is everlasting, reviving even the most desolate places in my heart.

Release | I release my fears and doubts about the seemingly hopeless situations in my life. I let go of any despair and trust in your promise to renew and revive me through your Spirit. I surrender all my burdens to you, knowing you can transform even the darkest circumstances, just as you brought the dry bones to life.

Ask | I ask for your Spirit to breathe new life into me and into the areas of my life that feel dry and lifeless. Restore my hope, strengthen my faith, and renew my spirit so I may live fully in your purpose. Please guide me with your wisdom and fill me with your peace, just as you restored the bones into a living army.

Yield | I yield to your will and your timing in my life. I trust in your power to bring restoration and new life, and I commit to walking in the path you have set before me, filled with the life and breath of your Spirit. Help me to remain faithful and obedient, trusting in your perfect plan as you did with Ezekiel.

A Challenge to Act Like Christ