Reading for March 13th

Read Ezekiel 37.1-14 In 37.1-14: The valley of dry bones. Ezekiel's vision of dry bones symbolizes the restoration of the people of Israel. Many assume that it is based upon his observationof a battlefield filled with the bones of dead soldiers. The vision plays upon priestly concepts of purity, in that a priest must have no contact with the dead (Lev 21.1-12; those who do have contact with a corpse are defiled for a period of seven days, Num 19.10b-22). Since such impurity is the epitome of defilement in priestly thought, this image of new life is a very powerful metaphor for the restoration and purification of Israel. In verses 1-10: God instructs him to prophesy. Valley, or "plain" is the location of his initial visions (1.22-27). Breath: Literally "wind." In verses 11-14: Resurrection symboliizes the restoration of Israel to it own land (see Isa 26.19: Dan 12.1-4). Comments or Questions...