The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1899-08-09
EzEKIEL's GREAT VISION.
International susdsy school fesso.
for August 40, Isno : Test, EsekieI
sTn-it-Mersosy Verses, Ga.


READ John s1-iA
LIGHT FROM OTHER Sculptures
The Holy spirt-lsa. 69i2i; Joel 2s2s, %
zsch. &c: iilo; Matt s;1l; John 5:2s; t:ss
-; NI6 II: Acts Sis. The Resurrection
Lfe.-isa. Slsi ga. o. Rom. can: sis-2l
Cor. 1854. u. E1-S4; Dan. i22; Eph. 2's; Col
ila
TIME.-This prophecy was written dur,
ing the early part Of the exile (5@-b72 r. c.
and refers TO the return from the exile.
PLACE.-It was written on the banks OF
the Chsbar. near Babylon.
EXPLANATORY.
I. The Vision OF Dry Bones.--vs. 1,
2. II. vi. THE hand Of the Lord was
upon met" The hand IL the instru.
ment and symbol Of active exertion
Of strength. Jehovah laid hold Of the
prophet, took possession of him, in
order 60 send the exiles message
through him."-Prof. c. II. Toy. Gar.
ried me out in tho Spirit OF the Lord:"
lie was lnwardly transported, In an
ecstatio state, from the things around
him.--Lange. "In the midst Of the
valley" Not any real valley, but one
seen In the vision. (which WINS full
OF bones;" Such as doubtless the
prophet had seen more than once after
the devastations Of Nebuchndnezznr.
va. Caused me 90 pass by them round
about" Through the whole collection
In every direction. 30 that he could see
and realize that "there were very
many (vast numbers) In the open val.
ley" Literally, ION the face" or sur
face Of the valley, exposed 20 view.
And. 10, they were very dry:" This els
mentioned TO show they were utterly
dead, and could not be made alive by
any human power."-Prof. Toy. V. IL.
These bones are the whole house Of
Isrnel:" The nation was dead as q
nation, as dead as the dry bones In
the valley Of vision. As these bones
were scattered everywhere over the
valley. 40 the Jews were scattered over
the wide regions Of the Dabylonian en-
pire. Our bones are dried:" Each
individual was like q dry bone, far
apart from the other bones OF the man
OF which each bone WINS part, so that
they shy 1--WE are cut of for our parts"
!. e., for our part, as for us, separated
from the rest; and "our hope is lost;"
They had no more hope of becoming
nation again in their own land than
dry and parched bone OF becoming
a part Of a living animal sgnin.
II. The Prophets summons.-Vs.
30. 70. V. 3. "Son OF man, can these
bones liye?" Is It possible? Is there
any hope? OF course TO human power
and human view Il was impossible.
And answered, o Lord God, Thou
knowest:" Thou hast powers we can
not comprehend. Nothing Is impos-
Sible 20 God. Va Prophecy" Not
predict. but speak Gods message. 20
ye dry bones, hear the word of the
Lord" They were TO hear not the
prophets opinion, but Gods message.
V. s. BEHOLD, J." the Lord Jehovah,
the source OF all power. the controller
of all nations, will cause breath to
enter into you:" AS into the first man
when God created him. V. 0. Lay
sinews flesh skim"
will restore you 20 the form of the
perfect and complete man you once
were. "And put breath In you:" You
shall not only have the form but the
soul OF a man. and become 4 living.
thinking. loving, acting being. And
ye shall know that | am the Lord"
The wonder will he so great that they
shall realize that no being but Jehovah
could have performed the miracle.
III. The Restoration.-vs. 7, q, IL.
IL. w. "As l prophesied. there was
n noIse:" laundering" or the rust
ling or rafting OF the bones as they
came together. ~ shaking" II. ", an
earthquake. rs at the resurrection of
Christ. "Bones came together" I. e.,
those which belonged 60 one body;
while bone TO his bone" specializes a
single bone In relation 10 another
Lange. V. i2. II will open your
graves;" The figure IL slightly varied
here. This marks the mar,elousness OF
the return from Babylon. VS.. The
sinews and the flesh came up upon
them" This corresponds TO the words
In V. ~, "and bring you into the land
OF Israeli" When the exiles should re-
turn TO their own land. rebuild Jerusa-
lem, restore the temple and its worship,
and set up a government, then they
would be like scattered bones coming
together, clothed in flesh. and having
the form Of n man. II would be a res
direction from the dead. "But there
was no breath in them" As yet IL
was only a form. There was need Of a
new spirit, n new life, before the res
toration would be perfect.
". The New Llfe.-Ns. 9, 10, "a. V.o.
"Prophesy unto the wind" The same
word is used for wind, and breath, and
spirit, as In the New Testament.
"Come from the four winds;" "a SYM
Dol OF the universal hfe-giving Spirit
OF God."-Cambridge Bible. V. 10.
They lived an exceeding great
army" The nation, on It's return, was
inspired with new life. Ezra's time
was one OF great religious and literary
activity. The Bible then became a new
book. And though the nation declined,
yet In Christ there was a new graft in
the old stock, so that now the kingdom
OF God, which the returned eNlles repre-
sented, has indeed already become ian
exceeding great army" the greatest
kingdom now on the earth.
PRACTICAL