For many people, the moment of awakening comes. They examine the moment they are in and despise it. They consider all the mistakes made before they were bornnot to justify themselves, but to acknowledge the roots of their evil circumstances. They see specific ways in which they, in their choices and the lives they lived, continued those mistakes. With crushing devastation, they admit that they have no one but themselves to blame for their situation. Their present troubles burden them like lead on the shoulders of a drowning person trying to swim. Their present circumstances take away their breath. All they can see is hopelessness. They detest themselves, and they are sure anyone who knows the truth about them detests them as well.
Can you imagine the horror of the ten tribes realizations when they finally woke up in Assyrian exile? Jeroboam (1 Kings 11:26-40) had opportunity to be Gods king, and he blew it (1 Kings 12:25-28)! The kings of Israel had many opportunities to turn from idolatry and initiate spiritual reform, and they blew it! There were times of great prosperity, and all they did was indulge themselvesthey blew it! In greed, they victimized the helpless. They were concerned for their own lifestyle, not for poor people who stood helpless before their circumstances. They concluded they were invincible. They were certain there was a political solution for every possible problem they might face. God at best was out of step and at worse was a helpless inconvenience. They were equal to any challenges they might facethey were their strength, and they did not need any god who was not dependent on them.
Suddenly, they were captives, exiles in a strange land. Suddenly, they were helpless. Suddenly, they saw no hope. And their circumstances were their fault!
The second hardest job given to people is to make those who are wayward aware of their mistakes and the consequences of their mistakes. The first hardest job given to people is to give genuine hope to those who realize their waywardness. No guilt is as devastating as the rightful guilt we impose on ourselves for our bad choices and actions.
Ezekiel was given both tasks. He was to make the wayward aware of their mistakes. He was to give hope to those who were spiritual failures and repented.
With the hand of the Lord on him, Ezekiel through the Lords Spirit was placed in a valley filled with bones. The circumstance of being near bones was forbidden Jews (see Numbers 19:16; 31:19). In a circumstance that was a symbol of uncleanness or impurity, God (a) commanded Ezekiel to survey the situation, and (b) asked if the bones could live again. The bones represented people who had been dead for a long timeso long the bones were dry without a hint of flesh.
If ever there was impossibility, this was it! The whole valley was full of impurity! The bodies had been dead so long that everything, long since, had decayed from them! There was not even a way to tell who these people had been! (This was long before CSI teams!)
God asked Ezekiel to prophesy to the bones. What a seemingly useless task! Ezekiel did it. With a great noise (like thunder), the bones came together and bodies formed on the bones. Ezekiel was commanded to prophesy again so life could enter those bodies, and the bodies became a huge army.
The point: Though Israels bones were dry, though their hope was dead, and though they felt cut off, God would give them the opportunity to live again. What seemed impossible would be possible BECAUSE GOD WILLED IT TO HAPPEN. God offered hope to a people we humans would never give hope because those people blew it in the worst sort of way. From human perspective, those people deserved their circumstances.
Consider two things. First, read Jeremiah 18:5-10. Note what God does with people is conditional. Their repentance determines Gods actions. Second, read Luke 2:36. Note the prophetess Anna was from the tribe of Asher. Asher was among the ten tribes that went into Assyrian captivity.
Note Gods concern for those who spiritually fail by reading 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15 with Galatians 6:1 and 1 Thessalonians 5:14. Punitive efforts of the godly toward spiritual failures exist to encourage those who fail to return to the Lord, not to destroy them. God is much more patient with spiritual failures than many Christians tend to be!
The issue always has been, Will they repent? not, What do they deserve?
For Thought and Discussion
1. Discuss the moment of awakening. Discuss the moment of awakening by the ten tribes of Israel in Assyrian captivity.
2. What are the two hardest jobs in working with the wayward?
3. Through the Lords Spirit, where did Ezekiel go? What was unusual about that trip?
4. What did God first ask Ezekiel to do? What happened?
5. What happened the next time God commanded Ezekiel to prophesy?
6. What was the point?
7. What does Jeremiah 18:5-10 say? What does Luke 2:36 reveal?
8. Discuss Gods concern for spiritual failures.
Link to Teacher's Guide
Lesson 5