Tag Archive for Ezekiel’s Vision

Ezekiel’s Vision

A Hymn based on Ezekiel 37:1-10

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Breath of God, unbounded Spirit,
Sovereign power and mystery,
Holy fire, now recreating,
Cleansing, shaping what will be.
O Wind of God, great Breath of God,
Your life fills eternity!

Death consumes the world around us.
Bones now mock what might have been.
Hope is gone, and all is barren.
Can our people live again?
O Wind of God, great Breath of God,
Your power none can comprehend!

Breath of God, unbounded Spirit-
Hear the wind of heaven blow!
See them rise, a mighty army!
Watch His promise overflow!
The Lord is life! The Lord is God!
And soon all the earth will know!

Ezekiel: A Vision of New Life

from the devotional book, PICTURES OF GOD

Ezekiel 37:1-14, 23-28

The Israelites were sitting in Babylon, far from home, helpless captives of their enemies. They were a people defeated and disgraced. Their religion, their lifestyle, everything they had and had known was gone. Their nation no longer existed. They felt abandoned by their God – though in fact, they had abandoned Him.

In Ezekiel 36:16-38, God had made amazing promises to these people through His prophet, Ezekiel, who was there ministering as an exile among them. But such incredible assurances needed to be more than lofty words, so God confirmed the words with a vision, recorded in Ezekiel 37:1-10.

Ezekiel sees an entire valley full of human bones – very dry and very dead, beyond any hope of life. God challenges Ezekiel with the question, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

God commands Ezekiel to prophesy to the bones – that is, to speak God’s sovereign Word to them. When he does, the bodies first come back together as corpses. Then, at the Word of God through Ezekiel, God’s breath* brings them back to life, and they stand up on their feet – a vast army (v.10). Note that the same elements that brought life to the unformed earth – God’s sovereign Word and His Spirit* – now bring new life to what was dead.

What a stunning picture of the new life that God’s Spirit brings to us now and at the resurrection! The same Breath* of God that renews us now will soon bring us a completely new life, both spiritually and physically. 

Why is God so unbelievably lavish with His undeserving people? Because He passionately wants the entire world, every nation, every society, every family, every person, to know how holy, gracious, and forgiving He is. Ephesians 1:6 & 12 tell us that we were created and redeemed to show the world how good and loving is our wonderful God. Never forget that this is our calling. This is why we are here.

*In the original Hebrew of this passage, the words translated “Spirit”, “breath”, and “wind” are all the same word. God’s Spirit is the wind of His power and the breath of His love. God’s Spirit is His life in motion.

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Hymn: Ezekiel’s Vision
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Wind, Breath, and Spirit

In the Bible’s original languages,
“wind,” “breath,” and “spirit” are all the same word.
God’s Spirit is the wind of His power and
the breath of His love.
God’s Spirit is His life in motion.

The Spirit that brooded over the waters at creation (Genesis 1:2),
the Breath that brought to life the valley of dry bones (Ezekiel 37:1-10), and
the rushing, mighty Wind on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4)
are the same mysterious, creative, all-powerful Spirit of God.

Jesus came to immerse us in this Spirit.
This Spirit works around us,
through us,
in us, and
among us
as we trust in Christ.

Listen…and sing if you want:
Hymn: Ezekiel’s Vision
Recording
Printed Music & Lyrics