The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1899-08-10
EzEKIEL's GREAT VISION.
rnterna tional Sunday school Lesson
for August 13, 1900 = Tex sEseiieI
35,1.14-Memery Verses, SO.

GOLDEN IEAI.-l Will put my SpiTlt
within you.-Ezek. 36:27.
READ John S:1-1S.
LIGHT FROM OTHER SCRIPTURES.
The Holy Spirit-Isa. 1921; Joel 2:2S, 20;
zech. 4:6; 1910; Matt S:11; John 5:25; 1888.
39 14:16, II; Acts 3:19. The Resurrection
26:19; 44:S. Z; Rom. SAIL s;ls-2i;
1 Cor. 15:43. A. 52-b4; Dan. L2:2: Eph. 26; Col.
212.
TIME.-This prophecy was written dur
ing the early part of the exile (5S6-572 B. Co,
and refers to the return from the. exile.
PLACE.-It was written on the banks Of
the Chebar. near Babylon.
EXPLANATORY
: 1. The Vision of Dry Bones.-Vs. 1,
2, IL. v. 1. "The hand of the Lord was
upon mes" The hand is the instru-
ment and symbol OF active exertion
of strength. Jehovah laid hold of the
prophet, took possession of him, in
order to send the cNiles message
through him."-Prof. {. II. Toy. Car
ried me out in the Spirit Of the Lord"
He was inwardly transported, in an
ecstatic state, from the things around
him.-Lange. "In the midst of the
valley:" Not any real valley, but one
seen in the vision. (which was full
of bones:' Such as doubtless the
prophet had seen more than once after
the devastations of Nebuchadnezzar.
va. Caused me to pass by them round
about" Through the whole collection
in every direction. so 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 to view.
And, 10, they were very try:" This lis
mentioned to show they were utterly
dead, and could not be made alive by
any human power. Prof. Toy. Y. II.
"These bones are the whole house of
Israeli" The nation was dead as IL
nation, as dead as the dry bones in
the valley of vision. As these bones
were scattered everywhere over the
valley, so the Jews were scattered over
the wide regions OF the Baby lonian en-
pire. "Our bones are dried:" Each
individual was like a dry bone, far
apart from the. other bones of the man
they say 1--WE are cut off 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 II
nation again in their own land than
a dry and parched bone Of becoming
part Of a living animal again
II. The Prophets SummoDs.-Vs.
3-6, 12. V. 3. "Son of man, can these
bones live?" lis ii possible? Is there
any hope? OF course to human power
and human view it was impossible.
"And l answered. 0 Lord God, Thou
knowest:" Thou hast powers we can
not comprehend. Nothing is impos-
sible to God. V. 4. "Prophesy:" Not
predict, but speak Gods message. 10
We dry bones, hear the word of the
Lord" They were to hear not the
prophets opinion, but Gods message.
VS.. Behold, l." the Lord Jehovah,
the source of all power, the controller
of all nations, twill cause breath to
enter into you:" AS into the first man
when God created him. v. 6. Lay
sinews flesh skim" I
will restore you to 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 man, and become living,
thinking, loving, acting being. "And
ye shall know that am the Lord"
The wonder will be so great that they
shall realize that no being but Jehovah
could have performed the miracle.
III. The Restoration.-Vs. 2, 8, IL,
13. W.. "As prophesied, there was
a noise:" "Thundering,," or the rust
ling or rafting of the bones as they
came together. "A shaking" R. w., an
earthquake, as at the resurrection of
Christ. Bones came together" /. e.,
those which belonged to one body;
while "bone to his bone" specializes
single bone in relation to another
Lange. v. 12. II will open your
graves:" The figure is slightly varied
here. This marks the narvelousness of
the return from Babylon. v. 8. ~The
sinews and the flesh came up upon
them:" This corresponds to the words
in v. 12, "and bring you1into the land
of Israeli" When the exiles should re-
turn to their own land, rebuild Jerusa-
lem, restore the temple and it's worship,
and set up government, then they
would be like scattered bones coming
together, clothed in flesh, and having
the form of man. 1t would be res
direction from the dead. "But there
was no breath in them:' AS yet it
was only form. There was need of a
new spirit, a new life, before the res
toration would be perfect.
w. The New Life.-Vs. 0, 10, IA. We.
"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 ife-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 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 exiles repre-
sented, has indeed already become IAN
exceeding great army" the greatest