The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1899-08-10
EzEK1EL's GREAT VISION.
for AugUst l8. 1880 - Tex Il Ezekiel
37,l.1%-Mesiory Verses, 5-I

within you.-EEek. 1921.
READ John s1-ls.
LIGHT FROM OTHER SCRIPTURES.
The Holy Spirit.-Isa. 59:21: Joel 2:ccS. %;
Zech. 4:6; 1910: Matt. 3:ll: John 5:25; I:Ss.
30: N:16, II; Acts S:19. The Resurrection
Lfe.-isa. 2S:ls: 44:3. 4: Rom. 6:i-ll; S:iy-I;
1 Cor. l5:4s. "a. 52-H; Dan 1872: Eph. 2:6: Col.
2:l2
TIME.-This prophecy was written dur
ing the early part OF the exile (5S6-512 B, c.,
and refers to the return from the exile.
PLACE.-It was written on the banks OF
the Chebar. near Babylon.
EXPLANATORY.
l. The Vision of Dry Bones.-vs. 1,
2, II. V. "The hand of the Lord was
upon me:" 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 exiles message
through him."-Prof. c. 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 dcvastatons Of Nebuchadnezzar
We. Caused me to pass by them round
about" Through the whole collection
in every direction, 80 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 dry:" This ''is
mentioned to show they were utterly
dead, and could not be made alive by
any human power."-Prof. Toy. V. II.
"These bones are the whole house of
Israeli" The nation was dead us II
nation, as dead rs the dry bones In
the valley of vision. AS these bones
were scattered everywhere over the
valley, 50 the Jews were scattered over
the wide regions of the Babylonian EN-
Iirc. "Our bones are dried" Each
individual was like dry bone, far
apart from the other bones of the man
of which each bone was part, SO that
they say "we are cut off for our parts"
1. e., for our part, as for us, separated
from the rest; and "our hope is lost:"
They had no more hope OF becoming a
nation again in their own land than
dry and parched bone Of becoming
a part of q living animal again.
II. The Prophets Summona.-Vs.
90, IL. v. 8. "Son Of man, can these
bones nve?" Is 1t possible? Is there
any hope? OF course to human power
and human view it was impossible.
"And I answered, o Lord God. Thou
knowest:" Thou hast powers we can
not comprehend. Nothing IL impos-
sible TO God. ". 4. "Prophesy:" Not
predict, but speak Gods message. 70
ye dry bones, hear the word Of the
Lords" They were to hear not the
prophets opinion, but Gods message.
v. 5. "Behold, l." 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. 8. Lay
sinews flesh skim" l
will restore you to the form Of the
perfect and complete man you once
were. sand put breath in you:" You
shall not only have the form but the
soul of man, and become q 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. Z, g. IL,
l3. VI. "As 1 prophesied. there was
o noise:" "Thundering." or the rust
ling or rattling Of the bones as they
came together. "A shaking" R w.. an
earthquake, as at the resurrection Of
Christ. "Bones came together" 1. e..
those which belonged TO one body;
while "bone to his bone" specializes q
single bone In relation to another
Lange. v. 12. II will open your
graves:" The figure is slightly varied
here. This marks the marvelousness of
the return from Babylon. v. 8. 1.-The
sinews and the flesh came up upon
them:" This corresponds to the words
in v. IL, "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 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 II
was only form. There was need Of q
new spirit, new life, before the res
toration would be perfect.
". The New Life.-Vs.0 0, 10, IL We.
prophecy 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 life-giving Spirit
of God."-Cambridge Bible. v. 10.
"They lived an exceeding great
army" The nation, on its return, was
inspired with new life. Ezra's time
was one Of great religious and literary
activity. The Bible then became q new
book. And though the nation declined,
vet n, Christ there waa n new Oraft IN