The dry bones in Ezekiel 37 represent the whole house of Israel, and the vision promises that God will bring the scattered nation back to life in their own land.
Les Feldick shows that Ezekiel's valley of dry bones is a symbolic picture of the whole house of Israel, scattered among the Gentiles and spiritually dried up. God's promise in the passage is to open their graves and bring them back to the land of Israel. The vision therefore points to Israel's national restoration rather than to a merely individual resurrection.
Ezekiel 37:11 — This verse explicitly states that the dry bones are the whole house of Israel—the key identification that answers the question.
Ezekiel 37:12 — This verse records God's promise to open Israel's graves and bring them into the land of Israel, showing the meaning of the vision.
In Ezekiel 37, God showed the prophet a valley full of very dry bones. As Ezekiel prophesied, there was a noise and a shaking, and the bones came together bone to his bone. Flesh and skin covered them, and breath came into them so that they lived and stood on their feet. In verse 11, God interprets the vision without ambiguity: "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel." The very people themselves say, "Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost." God then promises in verse 12, "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." Later in the same chapter, the two sticks are joined together, picturing the two houses of Israel being made one nation under one king.
Les Feldick stresses that the dry bones are not just sermon material—God Himself explains what they mean. The bones picture the whole house of Israel scattered among the Gentile nations, away from their homeland and temple, spiritually dead and without hope. The fact that the bones were "very dry" and bleached indicates the dispersion had lasted a long time. In the vision, the bones come together, receive flesh and skin, and then breathe and live. Les says this is symbolic language for God bringing the nation of Israel back to life by bringing them back to their promised land. He points to the modern return of Jewish people to the land—beginning with late-19th-century efforts for a homeland and accelerating in the last several decades—as the picture being fulfilled. Les also draws attention to the second part of the chapter, where two sticks representing the northern and southern kingdoms are joined into one, showing Israel's future restoration as a united nation.
God tells Ezekiel plainly in Ezekiel 37:11, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel." Les Feldick agrees: the valley of dry bones is a picture of the nation of Israel, not an unrelated illustration. The people had been dispersed out of their homeland for centuries and felt cut off—"our bones are dried, and our hope is lost."
Les Feldick emphasizes that Ezekiel's dry-bone vision is a vision, not a literal event: "It's just simply a symbolic picture that God is showing us." The bones coming together, being covered with flesh, and receiving breath are symbolic language for the restoration of the nation of Israel.
Les explains that the latter part of Ezekiel 37 shows two broken sticks placed end to end: one for the northern kingdom of ten tribes, and one for the southern kingdom of two tribes. God says they will become one stick—a picture of Israel becoming one nation again rather than two divided kingdoms.
Les sees the modern return of Jewish people to the land of Israel as the present-day working out of this prophecy. He points to the late 1890s, when a Jewish man began to dream of a homeland for the Jews, and says the establishment and regrowth of the state has been visible "for the last 48 years." He presents this as God bringing the people back to life—returning them to their promised land.
Will God Restore the Kingdom to Israel? Acts 1:6 Explained
word of the Lord from Jerusalem, not from heaven, from Jerusalem. And then verse 4, And He shall judge, or rule, among the nations. And then the verse that we all know so well, They shall beat their swords into plowshares, their spears into pruning hooks. Nations shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. And we certainly know that that will be the kingdom age.
Dry Bones as the Whole House of Israel
Les points directly to Ezekiel 37:11, where God says the bones are the whole house of Israel, and explains the people were dispersed without hope.
Vision as Symbolic Picture
Les describes the valley of dry bones as a vision and a symbolic picture, emphasizing that the bones being very dry means Israel had been scattered for a long time.
The Bones Come Together
Les recounts the dramatic moment when the bones assemble into skeletons with flesh and skin, noting that this is just the beginning of the symbolism.
Modern Return to the Land
Les connects the symbolic resurrection to the modern return of Jewish people to their homeland, beginning with a late-19th-century dream for a Jewish homeland.
Two Sticks Becoming One Nation
Les explains that God opens Israel's graves to bring them back to the land, and that the two sticks represent the northern and southern kingdoms being joined.
Israel Coming Back from the Dead
Les shows that Ezekiel 37 is the passage to think of for Israel's restoration, describing them as a dead people brought back to life and homeland.
God Interprets the Vision
Les stresses that the Bible itself interprets the vision in verse 11—the bones are the whole house of Israel—so the symbolism should not be turned into a bare sermon illustration.
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.
This is the key verse that identifies the dry bones as the entire nation of Israel.
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.
This verse reveals what the dry bones coming to life means—God bringing Israel back to their own land.
Ezekiel 37:21-22: And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all.
This passage describes the same restoration—Israel gathered and made one nation—which Les sees symbolized by the two sticks.
God explicitly tells Ezekiel that the bones are the whole house of Israel (Ezekiel 37:11). The vision pictures the nation scattered among the Gentiles, dried up and without hope.
No—Les Feldick emphasizes it is a vision and a symbolic picture. The bones coming together and coming to life symbolize God bringing Israel back to their homeland and restoring the nation.
Les Feldick sees the modern return of Jewish people to the land, especially over the last several decades, as the present-day outworking of the vision. Israel, once "dead" in dispersion, is being brought back to life in their own land.
Les explains the two sticks represent the northern kingdom of ten tribes and the southern kingdom of two tribes. God joins them into one stick, showing that Israel will again be one nation rather than two divided kingdoms.
Watch the Teaching: Will God Restore the Kingdom to Israel? Acts 1:6 Explained