Ezekiel 37:1

The hand of the Lord. Chapter 37 consists of two parts: the vision of the dry bones, and (vs. 15-28) a symbolical act forecasting the future union of Israel and Judah. The vision of the dry bones was designed to illustrate how Israel, scattered and seemingly hopeless, would be revived and restored.

The question may be raised, To what degree is this prophecy concerned with the future resurrection? Many hold that such an application was not at all in the prophet’s mind and that the symbol is fully explained by a restoration of the national life of the people. The most natural way to apply the prophecy is in terms of God’s plan for the revival of the Jewish state. This would ultimately be followed by a literal resurrection, when the patriarchs, together with all the holy men of God, would be raised to share in the new kingdom. It is not necessary to exclude this event entirely from the symbolism. The whole symbolism is intended to describe how events would have evolved in that period and subsequently if the Jews had cooperated with God for the working out of His design for them. But unbelief and disobedience thwarted the divine purpose. NT writers must be consulted as to how these events, which should have met a literal fulfillment in the postexilic period, will be achieved in the Christian Era with spiritual Israel (see pp. 35, 36).

Valley. Heb. biq‘ah, the word translated “plain” in ch. 3:22. Perhaps the same place is designated.