Please read the passage before reading the commentary
There was a time when the United States of America almost died, a time when the death of the nation was upon us, a time of great stress and anxiety. It was the Civil War and a time to dedicate “a final resting place for those who gave their live that that nation might live.” We survived the calamities of that war. Some say that we are being threatened once again with civil war.
The Kingdom of Israel and the line of kings descended from David also came to death at one time. It was the Exodus and the defeat of the Israelites and the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by the Assyrians.
The plain was filled with bones, dead bones and dried bones. This was both figuratively in a vision and practically in the military defeat and deportation of the people. There was no life in the people and no spirit left in them. It all seemed over. Could any nation be reborn after such an horrific and disastrous defeat?
God sent the prophet to look out over the bones. He was to call out to the bones to come together, heel bone to the ankle bone, ankle bone to the leg bone, legbone to the knee bone, and to hear the word of the Lord. Ezekiel prophesied as God had told him to, and the bones heard the word of the Lord. The bones came together, sinews attached to the bone, muscles and skin covered the bones. Then the Spirit of the Lord entered the bodies, and the bones came to life. God had brought the people back to life. God does not desire dead and dried bones, God desires life instead of death. God can even bring us to life even as we physically died.
When the God of life raises us from the many deaths we undergo, we should know that God has come into our midst and we should recognize this presence. Dry bones, dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Dry bones, dry bones, become living bones and keep on hearing the word of the Lord.