He (The Lord) asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I (Ezekiel) said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know. ”Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.      Ezekiel 37: 3-5

Imagine being in Ezekiel’s shoes when God showed him the dead bones on the Valley of Salt. God asked Elijah if these bones could live again. Ezekiel responded safely with, “You know, Oh Lord.” The Lord breathed, and the bones came to life.

Surprisingly, we are not told what became of the now-living bones. The image of bones long-dead coming to life is vivid beyond imagination. But another wonderful image underscores the amazing event Ezekiel just witnessed – God’s sovereignty.

The dry bones did not lift up an appeal to God asking to come back to life. They did not help the Lord when the Lord reattached the tendons or when He reclothed them with flesh. When He spoke, they lived.

God’s sovereignty is displayed in the majesty of a mountain, the serenity of a beach, and the force of an ocean gale, and the brilliance of the stars on a desert night. But this same sovereignty is also displayed when men and women call upon the Lord for salvation. He has lifted each of us up from the mire of our sin. God has shown us that dry bones can dance.  

Having seen how the Lord works, prayer is the way that we can participate. Will we lift up our voices that others may come to life?

Our course, “Parameters of Prayer”, can show you why prayer matters and how you can enrich your prayer life. It’s free, available in PDF, and an excellent resource for you to use with a friend. For more information or to order this course, write to David Timbie at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..