A Valley of Dry Bones Today?

Ezekiel 37:1-14 (New International Version)

Last week’s devotional came from the book of Ezekiel and described God’s demonstration to Ezekiel in The Valley of Dry Bones. At the time, Israel was in exile in Babylon and many thought they would never leave exile.

The country had slid down the slippery slope of political corruption followed by social corruption. The citizens had turned their backs on the God of their Fathers and were worshiping everything and anything to come along. Sin was rampant. The gods of the people were many and profane: nature, sex, money, power, greed, self aggrandizement.

They lent money for interest and charged exorbitant rates. They abused those less fortunate that they were. They murdered each other and murdered their own children. They ignored the sabbath to engage in commerce. Justice was perverted for bribes. Government was perverted for bribes.

Sound familiar?

Today, a lot of people ignore the Old Testament as not being relevant, but I disagree and I do so heartily.

Each year when I read the prophets warning Israel of its coming captivity, I hear those words applied to us today. It is no great stretch to substitute the word “Israel” with the words “United States of America” and have every passage ring true.

Nor is it a stretch to apply every passage describing the behavior of the children of Israel to the people of today.

I look around and see what passes for modern society and hear God’s warnings to ancient Israel. Will we pay any more attention to His warnings than they did? I fear not.

But the story of the Valley of Dry Bones gives me hope just as it gave Ezekiel hope. Yes, things look bad right now. No, there doesn’t seem to be any light at the end to the earthly tunnel.

But there is hope at the end of the eternal tunnel and it is God’s word. He can bring life to the dry bones.

As bad as things were for ancient Israel, there was a solution. God urged them repeatedly to repent and turn back to Him for forgiveness.

As bad as things look now, there is also a solution for us. What is it?

Repent and turn back to God.

Will we, like the Children of Israel, ignore that call or, worse, say we’re too far gone and continue on our way?

Or will we hear that call to repentance and heed it?

That’s a question each person must answer for him or herself.