The Wind of the Holy Ghost Blowing upon the Dry Bones in the Valley of Vision

Fire and Ice: Puritan and Reformed Writings ^ | 1715 | Ebenezer Erskine

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In the beginning of this chapter, the Lord, in a vision, brings the prophet Ezekiel into a valley full of dead men's bones, quite dried and withered, and asks him the question, if he thought it possible for these dry bones to live? Thereby intimating, that although it was a thing impossible with men, yet it was easily effected by the almighty power of God. And, to convince him of it, he commands the prophet to speak to the dry bones, and to tell them, in his name, that he would make the breath of life to enter into them; which accordingly is done; for the prophet having in the name of the Lord, called upon the four winds to breathe upon the dry bones, immediately life enters into them, and they come together bone to his bone, and they lived, and "stood up upon their feet, and became an exceeding great army." by which vision we have a lively representation of a threefold resurrection, as a late commentator (Mr. Henry) very well observes. 1. Of the resurrection of the body at the last day, and general resurrection, when God will command the earth to give up its dead, and the sea to give up its dead; and when, by the ministry of angels, the dust and bones of the saints shall be gathered from the four winds of heaven, to which they have been scattered. Or, 2. We have in this vision a lively representation of the resurrection of the soul from the grave of sin; which is effected by preaching or prophesying, as the instrumental, and by the powerful influence of the Spirit of the Lord, as the principal efficient cause of it; and the wind here spoken of is plainly said to be understood of the Spirit, (ver. 14:) "I will put my Spirit in you, and ye shall live." Or, 3. We have, by this vision, a representation of the resurrection of the church of God, from the grave of her bondage and captivity in Babylon, under which they were at present detained. And this indeed is the primary and immediate scope of the vision, as is plain from the explication that follows it, ver. 11-14. However, seeing the deliverance of the children of Israel out of their Babylonish captivity, was typical of our spiritual redemption purchased by the Lord Jesus Christ upon the cross, and in a day of power applied by the mighty and powerful operation of the Holy Spirit of God; and seeing it is this redemption with which we under the gospel are principally concerned, therefore I shall handle the words that I have read under this spiritual sense and meaning.

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The author is used of God to declare the truth of God's Speech through him in the Valley of Dry Bones as a discourse on God's Speech in the Valley of Bones. The gospel as God's Word that immediately births new creations in Jesus Christ from the spiritually dead is not some new doctrine as the Arminains/Free Willers/Speech of sin/Anti-Christ/Anti-Word of God would have us deceived but is both substance and effect of Scripture itself right now.

Ezekiel was spoken through by God and Heard God's Voice. Ezekiel 2:1,2 And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak with thee. And the Spirit entered into me when he spoke unto me, and set me upon my feet; and I heard him that spoke unto me. Then having the Spirit in Him, God explictly tells him precisely what to say--and God then through and as the Spirit and Word says it through Ezekiel, having taken him in Spirit to a valley of bones. Ezekiel 37:1-4 The hand of Jehovah was upon me, and Jehovah carried me out in the Spirit, and set me down in the midst of a valley; and it was full of bones. And he caused me to pass by them round about; and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and behold, they were very dry. And he said unto me, Son of man, Shall these bones live? And I said, Lord Jehovah, thou knowest. And he said unto me, Prophesy over these bones, and say unto them, Ye dry bones, hear the word of Jehovah.

The gospel is expressly that Spirit speaking the Word of God now in the valley of bones.

Act 12:24 But the word of God grew and spread itself.

In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen