Ezekiel 37 symbolizes the whole house of Israel being resurrected from a death-like dispersion among the nations and restored as a living nation in their homeland.
In the vision, a valley of dry bones is identified by God as the whole house of Israel (Ezekiel 37:11), and the bones are seen coming together, receiving flesh and breath, and standing as an exceeding great army. Les Feldick teaches that the dry bones picture Israel scattered for centuries among the Gentile nations, buried in what God calls 'graves,' and that the prophecy promises Israel will come alive again, return to the land, and once more become a viable nation — a restoration that is only beginning in our own time.
Ezekiel 37:11 — God himself identifies the dry bones as the whole house of Israel, which is the foundational key to what the vision symbolizes.
The vision begins with the hand of the Lord carrying Ezekiel in the Spirit and setting him down in a valley full of bones (Ezekiel 37:1). As Ezekiel passes by, he sees that the bones are very many and very dry (Ezekiel 37:2). When Ezekiel prophesies as commanded, 'there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone' (Ezekiel 37:7), and the breath came into them so that 'they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army' (Ezekiel 37:10). God then gives the meaning of the vision: 'Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel' (Ezekiel 37:11). He goes on to promise, 'Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel' (Ezekiel 37:12). God also promises to cause breath to enter the bones and to lay sinews, flesh, and skin upon them so that they will live (Ezekiel 37:5–6).
Les Feldick teaches that Ezekiel 37 is a symbolic vision — 'just simply a symbolic picture that God is showing us' — of the awakening again of the nation of Israel. The dry bones represent the whole house of Israel, the nation that has been dispersed out of her homeland among the Gentile nations for thousands of years, so long that the bones were 'very dry' and fully bleached. Israel out of the land, Les says, is 'a nothing': the nation is without a temple, without a priesthood, and without an altar, and is hopelessly out of touch with God. God refers to these habitations in the Gentile areas as graves. In the vision, the bones come together bone to bone, then gain flesh and skin, and finally receive breath — which Les describes as 'a national breath,' meaning Israel will once again become a nation of people. Les connects this with Israel's return to the land in our own time, saying we are certainly seeing at least the beginnings of it, though the nation has not yet come to the full culmination — that is still future.
God gives the interpretation in the text itself: 'Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel' (Ezekiel 37:11). Les Feldick emphasizes that the bones are 'the whole house of Israel' — a picture of the nation that has been dispersed out of her homeland among the Gentile nations for thousands of years. The fact that the bones are 'very dry' indicates they had been there a long time, seemingly without hope of ever becoming a viable nation again.
Les Feldick teaches that the graves God promises to open are the Gentile nations where Israel has been buried in dispersion. He notes that Israel out of the land is without a temple, without a priesthood, and without an altar, and is therefore hopelessly out of touch with God. The Word of God refers to these habitations in the Gentile areas as graves.
Les Feldick says we are certainly seeing at least the beginnings of Ezekiel 37's fulfillment: Israel has come out of complete obscurity as a nation, is back in the land, and is in the news every day. However, he is clear that Israel has not reached the full culmination yet — that is still future. The restoration we see today is only precursory to what is to follow.
Wild Olive Tree Grafted In — What Romans 11 Says About Gentiles
Now we're going to see this defined a little better when we get back to Romans 11, but I want you to see the language. That God was in Christ when He hung on that cross, reconciling the whole world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, "...and hath committed unto us this word of reconciliation, and as such then we are ambassadors.
The Vision as a Symbolic Picture
Les explains that Ezekiel's sight of a valley full of bleached dry bones is a symbolic vision, with the bones' whiteness showing Israel had been out of the land a long time.
The Bones Are the Whole House of Israel
Les applies the vision directly to Israel: the dry bones are the whole house of Israel, dispersed among the Gentiles for thousands of years, seemingly without hope, yet not forgotten by God.
The Graves Are the Gentile Nations
Les identifies the 'graves' as the Gentile nations where Israel lives in exile, explaining that Israel out of the land has no temple, priesthood, or altar and is hopelessly out of touch with God.
Israel's National Awakening
Les says Ezekiel 37 deals with Israel's awakening from complete obscurity, prophesying that the nation will come alive, return to the land, and again become viable — with the beginnings visible in our day.
Dry Bones: A Long, Hopeless Condition
Les shows that the bones being 'very dry' and bleached means Israel had been in that dead condition for a long time, and that the bones forming a skeleton was only the first stage.
Brought Back to the Land
Les confirms the dry bones are the dispersed nation of Israel, and that the prophecy of their being brought back to life is being seen now in their return to the land — though it is precursory to what follows.
National Breath Restores the Nation
Les explains that the breath entering the bones is 'a national breath' — as a symbolic promise, Israel will again live and become a nation of people, well on their way though not yet at the final goal.
Ezekiel 37:1: The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones.
This verse sets the scene of the vision that reveals Israel's condition and future restoration.
Ezekiel 37:2: And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.
The emphasis on the bones being very dry supports Les's point that Israel had been in a dead condition for a long time.
Ezekiel 37:5: Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:
God's promise of breath entering the bones is the symbolic promise of Israel's national life being restored.
Ezekiel 37:6: And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
This verse details the gradual rebuilding of the nation that Les describes as symbolic of Israel coming back to life.
Ezekiel 37:7: So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.
The bones coming together bone to bone pictures Israel being reassembled as a nation.
Ezekiel 37:10: So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.
The final stage of the vision shows Israel standing again as a living, viable national entity.
Ezekiel 37:11: 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.
God's own interpretation of the vision — the bones are the whole house of Israel — is the key to understanding what the chapter symbolizes.
Ezekiel 37:12: Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.
God's promise to open Israel's graves and bring the nation back into the land is the core of the restoration prophecy.
The dry bones represent the whole house of Israel. Ezekiel 37:11 states this plainly: 'Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel.' Les Feldick explains that the bones picture the nation of Israel dispersed out of her homeland among the Gentile nations for thousands of years, seemingly without hope of ever becoming a nation again.
Les Feldick teaches that the graves are the Gentile nations where Israel has been scattered. He points out that Israel out of the land is without a temple, without a priesthood, and without an altar, and that the Word of God refers to these habitations in Gentile areas as graves.
Les Feldick says we are seeing at least the beginnings of its fulfillment today — Israel has come back to life as a nation and is in the news daily. But he emphasizes that the full culmination is still future; what we see now is precursory to that which is to follow.
Watch the Teaching: Wild Olive Tree Grafted In — What Romans 11 Says About Gentiles