Is Romans 11 using the same analogy as Ezekiel 37's dry bones?
Yes. The dry bones vision pictures Israel's national restoration, and the same analogy appears in Romans 11. Both describe Israel coming back to life, returning to the land, with physical restoration but still awaiting spiritual life. The bones, muscle, and skin picture their return, while spiritual life remains future.
Les explains that the dry bones vision is a picture of Israel's national resurrection. Ezekiel saw a valley of very dry, white bones, representing Israel out of the land, away from temple worship, and blinded. God promised to bring them back to life. Les connects this to Israel's modern return to the homeland over the past 48 years. The nation has been shaking and rattling, coming back from every nation; muscle and skin have returned, but there is still no spiritual life. They remain spiritually dead. Les says this is the same analogy Paul uses in Romans 11, the same thing Ezekiel saw in chapter 37: the whole nation coming back to the land and to national life, waiting for the second coming, though they think it is their first coming.
More Questions
Who or what do the dry bones in Ezekiel 37 represent?
The dry bones in Ezekiel 37 represent the whole house of Israel—the Jews scattered among the Gentile nations—and being outside the land of promise is their grave, where they have no life.
Is the Ezekiel 37 dry bones prophecy being fulfilled in Israel's return to their homeland?
Ezekiel's dry-bones vision was a picture of the nation of Israel coming back to their homeland, which is what has been happening for the last 48 years.