I need you to write about the dry bones because war is indeed coming and is already here. There will be significant devastation, and people need a hope to cling to. I am always here to bring life back to the dead things in people’s lives. In Ezekiel, the dry Bones represented something spiritual: I will bring life out of death and destruction. But it’s hard for people to see beyond that with casualties of war. It’s painful and fearful; I need my people to know they will always have hope in me.
Talk about prayer, talk about what to pray, and that I am indeed outside of space and time. Bring comfort to them. For judgment has come, but with each fire that comes to a forest, rain soon comes to put out the fire, and over time, new life springs up, and the fire that burnt down the dried dead trees now brings nutrients for the new life. I am not speaking about people’s lives being lost bringing nutrients, but I am speaking about a shaking that shakes away all that doesn’t belong in my pure bride. That weighs my people down with sin and distractions. Fire refocuses on what is most important. Life. I am the giver of life. Turn your gaze back to me, my beloved. When the fire burns away, all that doesn’t belong, it brings a purifying to people’s hearts, and through this, they can grow new life in me, that is of me.
Before the terrorist attacks Hamas carried out on Israel, I kept seeing the numbers 9:11 on the clock. I knew the Lord was speaking, but I wasn’t sure what it was about. Shortly after the attack, I realized the Lord wanted me to pray.
I heard a testimony recently from a local pastor. The pastor of their spanish church’s daughter had fallen out of a third-story window. He received a call right after it happened to pray for their daughter. He texted his wife to pray for her and then felt led by the Holy Spirit to pray: “Lord, I pray your Angels were with her and let her down gently in the fall so she was not hurt.” Later, he learned his wife felt led to pray the same prayer as well as another in the church. They had all prayed a similar prayer about this little girl after she had fallen. When they received news about the girl, she had minor injuries, and she told her parents that angels helped her land so she did not get hurt as badly.
It was an impactful testimony and gave me faith that the Lord can work outside of time. I remembered what the Bible says about how God created time. When the Lord created the heavens and the earth, he set the boundary of time within the firmament, but he is outside of time. Another version says vault. The Bible says the earth is his footstool, but he is outside of time because he created time, and it is kept within the boundaries of the vault.
Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so.
Genesis 1:14-15
I knew the Lord had positioned me to hear this testimony and felt led to pray the same way for the people attacked by Hamas. I prayed that Jesus would appear to them in visions and dreams and they would have a chance to repent and ask him to be their Lord and Savior and accept him before they passed away. That he would send his Angels to lessen the attacks and injuries of those hurt. Of course, I prayed for many other things that all would be saved, including Hamas, that they would repent and turn to Jesus, but I had specific faith to pray for those already impacted by the attacks because I knew the Lord is outside of our time and space.
Soon after Israel was attacked, I started to see 9:11 again, daily, then twice a day. Many within the body of Christ have confirmed similar warnings to pray for the nations. The Lord is giving us intel to pray against the strategies of the enemy and pray his will on earth as it is in heaven.
While I was praying for Israel, the Lord had me pray that their dry bones would come alive. I didn’t remember much about the Book of Ezekiel other than his vivid visions of the angels and speaking to the dry bones and that it was a book of prophecy. The Lord had me read it because there is something in this book for us today.
Ezekiel 1:1 gives us the essence of what we are about to read and the state of God’s people.
In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the Chebar canal, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
Ezekiel 1:1
Thirteen is the ‘number of Rebellion’. The Fourth month is Tammuz in the Hebrew calendar.
Traditional Judaism acknowledges “Three Weeks of Sorrow” from Tammuz 17 (the fourth month) to Av 9 (the fifth month) as a period of national mourning and repentance.
MESSIANIC SABBATH: Month 4 – Tammuz: A Season of Judgement; A Call to Repentance
Five is the number of grace; the grace of God comes in and warns the people through Ezekiel.
[3] And he said to me, “Son of man, I send you to the people of Israel, to nations of rebels, who have rebelled against me. They and their fathers have transgressed against me to this very day. [4] The descendants also are impudent and stubborn: I send you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ [5] And whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house) they will know that a prophet has been among them. [6] And you, son of man, be not afraid of them, nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions. Be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house. [7] And you shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear, for they are a rebellious house…[10] And he spread it before me. And it had writing on the front and on the back, and there were written on it words of lamentation and mourning and woe.
Ezekiel 2:3-7 & 10
Ez 1:1, “…as I was among the exiles by the Chebar canal, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.” The word used for exiles also means captive. Chebar, che’-bar (Heb.)–binding together; joining; plaiting; braiding; strength; magnitude; abundance; length.
Because these people were living in sin and accepting wickedness as the norm, they turned away from God and were rebellious to his ways. The Lord allowed them to be carried away captive by their sins. The Lord has Ezekiel do a prophetic act to show them they are bound and captive by their sins. That there is a reason for their captivity, and it is not a chance of nations warring.
[25] And you, O son of man, behold, cords will be placed upon you, and you shall be bound with them, so that you cannot go out among the people. [26] And I will make your tongue cling to the roof of your mouth, so that you shall be mute and unable to reprove them, for they are a rebellious house. [27] But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ He who will hear, let him hear; and he who will refuse to hear, let him refuse, for they are a rebellious house.
Ezekiel 3:25-27
God allowed captivity to wake them up from their sins so they could realize the consequences of their actions and turn back to Him in repentance. If you have never repented of your sins and received Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, you can do so by clicking here.
Being exiled and carried away captive should have been enough to wake them up to repentance. It might have been for some, but many were rebellious in their sins. More judgments were allowed to bring them to repentance to save their souls. The Lord does not wish that any man should perish. He wants to correct the position of people’s hearts so they can exercise his love, mercy, and justice on earth. To be carriers of his light instead of carriers of darkness and set the captives free. If we are to set the captives free, we need his deliverance and his healing for ourselves. This is his process, to correct, change, heal, and rebuild. The Lord says in his word that his correction is like a day, but his redemption is a year. This is good news; it tells us God is all about restoration.
It was for me the day of vengeance; the year for me to redeem had come.
Isaiah 63:4
The Lord goes on to tell Ezekiel of more judgments that will come to Jeruselum and Judah in Ezekiel 4-24. The body of Christ is walking through a similar situation. The shaking will continue. To expose everything not of the Lord and shake down everything that the flesh and evil have built up.
1Then he cried in my ears with a loud voice, saying, “Bring near the executioners of the city, each with his destroying weapon in his hand.” 2And behold, six men came from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with his weapon for slaughter in his hand, and with them was a man clothed in linen, with a writing case at his waist. And they went in and stood beside the bronze altar. 3Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub on which it rested to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed in linen, who had the writing case at his waist. 4And the Lord said to him, “Pass through the city, through Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in it.” 5And to the others he said in my hearing, “Pass through the city after him, and strike. Your eye shall not spare, and you shall show no pity.
Ezekiel 9:3-5
Even though the Lord spared those who groaned at the abominations committed, they still had to live through all the judgments that were brought upon the people. As we live through these shakings, we can ask the Lord to shake any way in us that is not of him, submitting to his will even if it is uncomfortable. When we see judgments released, we can pray for those who are lost and pray for the peace of all men, to repent and receive Jesus, and to start living their lives on the truth of God’s word.
Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and [c]reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
1 TImothy 2:1-3
After the house of Israel was judged, the rulers of nations that the Lord allowed to bring judgment for Israel’s wicked ways were judged. In the same way, today, we see the exposure and judgments coming to the house of the Lord, and soon, we will see his sovereign judgments to rulers who are lifted up in pride and have not repented.
We can ask the Lord if there is any part he wants us to play in ministering the gospel to the lost, not in condemnation, but in love, remembering the grace he has given us. The Lord’s heart is to redeem us.
33 ‘Thus says the Lord God: “On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will also enable you to dwell in the cities, and the ruins shall be rebuilt. 34 The desolate land shall be tilled instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass by. 35 So they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden; and the wasted, desolate, and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.’ 36 Then the nations which are left all around you shall know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted what was desolate. I, the Lord, have spoken it, and I will do it.”
Ezekiel 36-33:36
As we see the areas he exposes within us and repent, there are promises of restoration and rebuilding for us. The land that is desolate has become the Garden of Eden. The lord is so amazing; he cleanses us and redeems us so he can once again establish intimacy with us, then gives us his assignment to multiply his kingdom ways on the earth, bringing his garden of Eden, his light to the lost and captive world.
In Ezekiel 37, the Lord gives Ezekiel a vision of a valley of dry bones and has him prophetically speak life to these dry bones. This is a prophecy for Israel, but it’s also a promise for everyone who walks through a season of shaking.
The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. 2 Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. 3 And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
So I answered, “O Lord God, You know.”
4 Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. 6 I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.” ’ ”
Ezekiel 37: 1-6
Dry bones represent a structure. He allows destruction to the structures that are crooked, twisted, and filled with evil fleshly desires. The shaking must happen so he can rebuild us with structures that stand straight in him and his ways.
9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.
Ezekiel 37:9-10
The Lord restructures the bones with new sinews and flesh. The new flesh represents his desires so they can function and move the way he created them. His breath is the Holy Spirit within us, and continual intimacy with him (continual breathing) is the only way we can function the way he designed us to. This keeps us alive in him so our body is breathing in his life and is consumed with his will.
23 They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols and their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions. But I will save them from all the backslidings in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.
Ezekiel 37:23
Turning to the Lord means we turn away from anything that distracts us from him—turning our hearts and eyes towards him and practicing spiritual disciplines. As we invest time with the Lord, we will see a return on our investments as we perceive his nearness to us; the white noise of distractions will fade. We will be able to dial into a clearer signal of his voice speaking to us.
Then he led me to the gate, the gate facing east. 2 And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east. And the sound of his coming was like the sound of many waters, and the earth shone with his glory. 3 And the vision I saw was just like the vision that I had seen when he[a] came to destroy the city, and just like the vision that I had seen by the Chebar canal. And I fell on my face. 4 As the glory of the Lord entered the temple by the gate facing east, 5 the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple.
Ezekeil 43:1-5
When he shakes the strongholds of the enemy and sends him packing as Nehemiah did and rebuilds his standard within us, we will see a greater degree of his presence manifested in our lives. The goodness of his presence draws us into intimacy with him so he can reveal His glory to us. His Glory requires a standard, and he is building his standard in us so we can be witnesses to a lost and dying world of his goodness. When we carry his goodness, his presence, and his glory, we bring the deliverer to those held captive. We bring the healer to the broken, and we bring the restorer and redeemer. We are conduits of his glory, and his power will set the captives free. We are just an earthen vessel; he pours his love out, and he gets all the praise.
For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
2 Corinthians 4:5-7