What did Israel mean by 'our hope is lost' in Ezekiel 37?
By 'our hope is lost,' the house of Israel meant that their bones were dried up and they were cut off. Having been dispersed among the Gentile nations out of their homeland for thousands of years, it seemed there was no hope of ever becoming a viable nation again.
Les explains that in Ezekiel's vision the valley of dry bones is identified in verse 11 as the whole house of Israel. Their statement 'our bones are dried, and our hope is lost' indicates Israel had been dispersed out of her homeland among the Gentile nations for thousands of years, and it seemed there was no hope of them ever becoming a viable nation once again. But God had not forgotten the children of Israel; He instructs Ezekiel to prophesy that He will open their graves.
Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.
More Questions
How did Ezekiel 37:11's 'our hope is lost' apply to Jews before and after World War II?
The dry-bones cry of Ezekiel 37:11, 'our hope is lost,' describes what Jews before and after World War II felt: no hope for a homeland or for their people to be regathered, since they were isolated in European ghettos.
What do the dry bones in Ezekiel's vision represent?
The dry bones in Ezekiel's vision are the whole house of Israel, not merely a general symbol.