In a particular sense, the life of the intellect, as compared with the life of the will, is like the bones, necessary and useful, but not full of life, until made alive by the inflowing loves of the will, which act upon, and within, the intellect, to use it for the work and purposes of the heart. A bone cannot do anything, in the way of action, but it is acted upon by the muscles and nerves. And yet the bony framework affords a means by which the muscles can do their work.
So our intellectual life, of itself, is cold and dead, until it is warmed by our heart's love, and put to work for our heart. At first, we hold the truths of the church intellectually, as doctrines, which may be put to use, when our heart feels the need of them, in our practical life. But, before they are put to use, the life in them, as our mind holds them, is such life as is in the bones, very remote from the centers of life.
But, as our heart puts these doctrines to use, in learning how to love goodness and truth, and to practice them in our conduct, then representatively, these bones begin to live; they begin to be clothed with flesh and nerves, and covered with skin, and thus built into a complete mental body, ready for the uses of life.
The building up of the body, on its bony framework, represents the building up of the mind, in the process of regeneration, beginning with the knowledge of doctrine, and gradually covering that mental framework with the living things which make up a full man. In the prophet's vision, the bones were seen to be very dry, i. And so, in the unregenerate mind, even the mere knowledge of truth is very dead, because it is not intimately connected with any living principle.
In the vision, the bones were separated, and scattered about, and not even associated as a skeleton; representing the condition in the unregenerate mind, in which truths are not associated and arranged as a complete system, but are merely detached and separate notions, not brought into actual use. And, in this case, the question properly arises, "Can these bones live? Can there be any spiritual life in the mere knowledge of doctrines, scattered about in the memory, but not brought into use in the hearts life?
We have seen young men and women who were brought up in the Sunday Schools, and instructed in the doctrines of their churches, and in the words of the Scriptures; and we have seen these young persons bury their knowledge in the dust of sensuous life, or scatter it, like dead bones, in the valley of a low and selfish life, without any spiritual thought or noble aspiration. But our Lord, who is life, itself, can fill them with life, if they will turn to Him, seeking life. And the way in which the Lord gives life to the bones of dead doctrine, is represented in our text.
He builds them up into a full body. The application is both general and individual. At the end of every general church, or dispensation, men sink into very external conditions of mind; and even their knowledge of truth lies in scattered and dead pieces. But the Lord then establishes a new church, a different condition of the church, with such persons as can be induced to be regenerated. The Divine Truth is brought to such persons, in a different form, so that it will reach their minds, and arouse their attention.
And then the old knowledges of doctrine will serve, like bones, for a framework, on which the Lord can build up the full man, with spiritual flesh and nerves; and to whom He can give spiritual life. The prophet, prophesying to the dead bones, represents the Word of the Lord, coming to the dead mind, i. The Lord causes breath to enter into our dead minds, when He gives us a consciousness of the spiritual quality of regenerate life, in which we can spiritually breathe the atmosphere of Divine Truth.
In the Hebrew, the words for wind, breath, and spirit are all derived from the same root-word. Breathing is a sign of life. When a man dies, we say that he expires, or breathes. And thus, the coming of the breath represents the coming of spiritual life into the dead mind. Then Christ and the Church will together restore and uplift the world, and bring them back to perfection during the Millennium.
Adam was made a living soul since he was given a natural body, which is earthly. Eve was drawn from Adam when his side was opened up after he passed into a deep sleep.
Jesus also was caused to pass into a deep sleep, the sleep of death , and then his side was opened up by the spear of the soldier at the cross John From this came blood and water, which represents redemption and the water of the Spirit , by which the Church class is developed. We share the same hopes for glory in the service of God, as our Lord Jesus had. That means that despite the tortuous trials and treatment suffered by Jesus, not one of his prospects for the future was in the least damaged.
Upon condition of their obedience to him, they may then obtain everlasting life. Our Redeemer presently enlivens us, in the respect that our old nature has been lifted from condemnation. This allows us to present ourselves in devotion and service to God , in order that we may grow a new life , a spiritual life, a heavenly life, to be secured in the first resurrection.
Our renewed standing is then laid down in sacrifice to God for the prospect of a heavenly life above. The period in question, judging by the Hebrew Scriptures, was on the order of years. As we are now on the order of years further, brethren of our fellowship recognize that it is now timely for the blessed Kingdom of God to become established on Earth.
Ezekiel ESV expresses this concept symbolically. With this hope in mind, Christians throughout history have endeavoured to estimate when the close of years may come.
A Historical Perspective. In the days of William Miller and the early Adventist Movement, they supposed years were drawing to a close in the mid s. In fact, William Miller concluded that Christ would return in , assuming that years would end then. When Christ did not return as expected, some brethren gave up their faith but others simply recognized that they needed to keep looking.
Nelson Barbour was among those. He came to believe that Jesus would return in Therefore, he assumed that years would end about that time. Barbour was a younger associate of Br. Miller, so he followed Br. He brought me out in the spirit of Jehovah, and set me down in the midst of the valley, which was full of bones. And He said unto me, Shall these bones live? He said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones hear the word of Jehovah; thus saith the Lord Jehovih unto these bones, Behold I will cause breath to enter into you that ye may live I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come up upon you, and will cover you with skin, and put breath in you that ye may live.
I prophesied, and the bones came together, bone to its bone; and I beheld and lo there were sinews upon them, and flesh came up, and skin covered them above and there was no breath in them and breath came into them, and they revived, and stood upon their feet Ezek.
The subject here treated of in general is the setting up again of the church among the Gentiles; and in particular, the regeneration of man: dry bones denote the own of the understanding, which is inanimate before it receives the life of good from the lord, but is thereby animated or made alive; the flesh which the Lord causes to come up upon the bones is the own of the will, which is called the heavenly or celestial own, and thus signifies good; breath is the Lord's life, and when this inflows into that good of the man which he seems to himself to will and do from his own, the good is then vivified, and from the good the truth, and out of the dry bones there is made a man.
All my bones are unloosed, my heart is become like wax, I can number all my bones. They have parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture have they cast a lot Ps. The heart signifies good, AC , And because bones signify these truths, the numbering of which denotes to desire to dissipate them through reasonings and falsities, therefore there immediately follow the words, they parted my garments, and cast a lot upon my vesture ; for garments also signify truths, but exterior ones AC , , ; dividing them and casting a lot upon the vesture , involves the like as also in Matthew He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. It shall be eaten in one house; you shall not take any of the flesh outside the house, and you shall not break any of its bones. And they shall be spread before the sun and the moon and all the host of heaven, which they have loved and served, which they have gone after, and which they have sought and worshiped. And they shall not be gathered or buried.
They shall be as dung on the surface of the ground. Death shall be preferred to life by all the remnant that remains of this evil family in all the places where I have driven them, declares the Lord of hosts.
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