10-10-21 “How do you respond when you hear a rattling sound?”

Scripture    Ezekiel 37:1-14
 
Vast army - pressed uniforms, shiny buttons, chariots in mint condition attached to grand stallions, weapons at the ready, the greatest army ever known on earth with regimental banners unfurled across the valley where the staccato sound of marching feet echoed through the surrounding hills. As they chanted the military cadence call, you could hear their in sync breathing between the phrases.

Ezek 37:1-14
The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3 He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"
          I said, "O Sovereign Lord, you alone know."
          4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.'"
          7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.
          9 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.'" 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet — a vast army.
          11 Then he said to me: "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.' 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.'"
 
Art imitates the Bible - the bones come to life and form skin, etc. back to life.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Undead skeletons could only live again if all Aztec gold coins were returned with the blood of those who took it, and the final blood offering could only happen through the only son of the last pirate - Will Turner.
Synopsis
God explains that these are the bones of the House of Israel. The people believe that their fate is sealed and that there'll be no restoration of their kingdom and their land. But there will, and this is the meaning of the dry bones coming to life.
 
GOD'S BREATH GIVES LIFE
Genesis 2:7
The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
ABSENCE OF BREATH MEANS DEATH
Genesis 25:8
Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people.
Psalm 104:29-30
When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust. When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth.
Luke 23:44-46
It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.
John 20:19-22
JESUS' LAST BREATH REACHED THE DEAD AND BROUGHT THEM BACK TO LIFE
Matthew 27:50-53
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
THE RESUREECTED JESUS HAS AN ETERNAL BREATH TO OFFER
John 20:19-22
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"  After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you."  And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
 
SONG: "GLORIOUS DAY" "You called my name and I ran out of that grave"
 
 
WORSHIP
Ps 150
Praise the Lord.
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.
3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
4 praise him with tambourine and dancing,
praise him with the strings and flute,
5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.
6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord.