Lesson 36
background notes
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doctrinal / teaching points
1. The vision of
the dry bones predicted the future restoration of
Israel.
2. The sign of
the 2 sticks predicted the future restoration of
Israel.
practical
application
Your dry bones
can come to life!
questions
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The 6
messages of hope and encouragement in Ezekiel
chapters 33-39 are not addressed to the
__________. From the context we can see they are
addressed to the __________ people. The specific
purpose of the messages was to give them hope
and encouragement about the future of their
__________ including the _____.
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The vision of
the dry bones was a fitting description of ________
after the Babylonians had defeated and slaughtered
the Jewish people, conquered Jerusalem, and
destroyed the _________.
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The fulfillment
of the prophecy of the dry bones is in 3 stages.
List them. What was the Lord’s interpretation of the
prophecy?
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Was this
prophecy fulfilled in the past when the Jews came
back from their captivity in Babylon?
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From the
prophecy of the sign of the 2 sticks, explain what
the 2 sticks represent. When will this prophecy be
fulfilled?
answers
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The 6
messages of hope and encouragement are not
addressed to the Church, but are
addressed to the Jewish people. The
specific purpose of the messages was to give
them hope and encouragement about the future of
their nation including the land.
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The vision of
the dry bones was a fitting description of Judah
after the Babylonian armies under Nebuchadnezzar had
conquered Jerusalem and destroyed the temple.
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The 3 stages of
the fulfillment of the prophecy of the dry bones are
the skeleton stage, the body stage and the life
stage. In verses 11-14 the Lord gives the
interpretation of the prophecy: The bones are the
whole house of Israel, that is, the scattered Jewish
people from all 12 tribes who will be brought back
into the land of Israel and be spiritually restored
to the Lord.
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This prophecy
was not fulfilled in the past when the Jews came
back from their captivity in Babylon. That event
only foreshadowed the ultimate fulfillment of this
prophecy when the Jewish people will not only be
back in the land but will also experience a
spiritual revival. A remnant will turn to their
Messiah whom they once rejected.
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In the prophecy
of the 2 sticks, the sticks represent the 2 kingdoms
of Israel; Judah, the Southern Kingdom and Ephraim,
the Northern Kingdom. Judah was the primary tribe of
the Southern Kingdom and Ephraim of the House of
Joseph was the primary tribe of the Northern
Kingdom.
discuss /
consider
Consider which stage of the dry bones
prophecy we may be experiencing in our day. Discuss
what we might expect to happen during the future
stage of the prophecy. Also, consult your Bible maps
in regard to boundaries of the land that God
promised, described in verse 25. Discuss these
boundaries in relation to the current boundaries of
the State of Israel.
challenge
Is there any
life in your “dry” bones today? If you have not put
your trust in the Savior, Jesus Christ, would you
take that step right now, and experience abundant
and eternal life in Him? God will keep his promise
of a new life for you just as He will keep the
promise of a restored land and restored spirit for
the Jewish people.
memorize
- “Surely I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the land of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel, his companions; and I will join them with it, with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they will be one in My hand . . . and I will make them one nation . . . and one king shall be king over them all; they shall no longer be two nations, nor shall they ever be divided into two kingdoms again.” From Ezekiel 37:19-22
