Crystallization-Study of Ezekiel (2)
Message One
The Dry Bones Being Enlivened to Become an Exceedingly Great Army and the Two Pieces of Wood Being Joined Together for the Building of the House of God
Opening Word of the Prophesying Meeting
Reading the verses in each day.
Reading the main points in the outlines.
Pray-reading the verses:
Then He said to me, Prophesy to the wind; prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus says the Lord Jehovah, Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them; and they lived and stood up upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.—Ezek. 37:9-10
And bring them together, one side to the other, into one piece of wood, that they may become united in your hand.—Ezek. 37:17.
Word of Appetizer
In Ezek. 37, what does it reveal to us that the dry bones being enlivened and the two pieces of wood being joined together?
Ezekiel 37 reveals how God’s Spirit comes into us in order to enliven us so that we may become a corporate Body formed into an army and also built up as God’s dwelling place. Whereas the dry bones in Ezekiel 37:1-14 are for forming an army to fight the battle for God, the pieces of wood in verses 16 through 22 are for the building of the house of God as His dwelling place.
Spiritual Burden
Ezekiel 37 reveals how God’s Spirit comes into us in order to enliven us so that we may become a corporate Body formed into an army and also built up as God’s dwelling place.
The unique way to have the Body, the church, and the house of God in the genuine oneness is the way of life; The dead bones and the dead branches were enlivened and became one as the issue of the dispensing of life and the growth in life.
Concluding Word of the Prophesying Meeting
The Revelation of the Truth
In the book of Ezekiel there are three chapters which may be considered great chapters in the Bible—chapter 1, chapter 37, and chapter 47. Each of these chapters may be represented by a single word: chapter 1—fire; chapter 37—breath; and chapter 47—water.
Ezekiel 37 reveals how God’s Spirit comes into us in order to enliven us so that we may become a corporate Body formed into an army and also built up as God’s dwelling place.
The two lifeless pieces of wood symbolize the two parts of the divided nation of Israel, the southern kingdom of Judah and the northern kingdom of Israel.
The revelation in this chapter shows that the unique way to have the Body, the church, and the house of God in the genuine oneness is the way of life.
The Experience of Life
The vision of the dry bones shows that before God came in to renew and regenerate us, we were not only sinful and filthy but also dead and buried in “graves” of various sinful, worldly, and religious things.
When God blows on us, His breath is the wind; when we breathe the wind, it is the breath; and when the breath is within us, it is the Spirit.
Practice and Application
We were like dead and dry bones, disjointed and scattered, having no oneness: we need to pray, “Lord, I confess that I am not only sick and sinful—I admit that I am dead. My heart and my spirit are dead. Lord, I am completely dead and dry. I am like a pile of dead, dry bones. O Lord, I need Your life to come into me. I need You to breathe the breath of life into me so that I may live.”
Using Key Verses to Have a Bird’s-Eye View over the Whole Outline
Key Verses (1)
There came a storm wind from the north, a great cloud and a fire flashing incessantly;…and from the midst of it there was something like the sight of electrum, from the midst of the fire.—Ezek. 1:4.
Prophesy to the wind;.. .Come from the four winds, O breath;…breathe on these slain, that they may live.– 37:9
There was water flowing out from under the threshold of the house to the east…
I. The book of Ezekiel has four main sections:
II. Ezekiel chapter 1,chapter 37, and chapter 47
The book of Ezekiel has four main sections:
• The first section, consisting of chapter 1, speaks of theglorious vision of God and reveals the holy God in His glory.
• The second section, composed of chapters 2 through 32, speaks of God’s judgment.
• The third section, which includes chapters 33 through 39, concerns God’s recovery of a remnant of His people;
• The fourth section, consisting of chapters 40 through 48, is devoted to the matter of God’s building.
In the book of Ezekiel there are three chapters which may be considered great chapters in the Bible—chapter 1, chapter 37, and chapter 47:
• Each of these chapters may be represented by a single word: chapter 1—fire; chapter 37—breath; and chapter 47—water.
• Ezekiel 37 reveals how God’s Spirit comes into us in order to enliven us so that we may become a corporate Body formed into an army and also built up as God’s dwelling place.
Key Verses (2)
Then He said to me, Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of Jehovah. Thus says the Lord Jehovah to these bones: I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live.– Ezek. 37:4-5
So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them; and they lived and stood up upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.– Ezek. 37:10
Ezek. 37:13 And you will know that I am Jehovah, when I open your graves and bring you up out of your graves, O My people.– Ezek. 37:10
III. Ezekiel 37 reveals how God’s Spirit comes into us in order to enliven us so that we may become a corporate Body formed into an army and also built up as God’s dwelling place
• The vision of the dry bones shows that before God came in to renew and regenerate us, we were not only sinful and filthy (36:25) but also dead and buried in “graves” of various sinful, worldly, and religious things (37:12-13).
• We were like dead and dry bones, disjointed and scattered, having no oneness: but the Lord is the Savior of the dead; God’s word here is to cause a dead person to become a living person.
• Ezekiel’s prophesying in Ezekiel 37 was not a matter of predicting but a matter of speaking forth, declaring, something for the Lord; When Ezekiel prophesied the first time, there was a noise and a rattling, and all the bones came together; When Ezekiel prophesied the second time, the breath came into the “very dry” and dead bones, “and they lived and stood up upon their feet, an exceedingly great army” , to fight the battle for God.
Key Verses (3)
And you, n of man, take one piece of wood, and write upon it, For Judah and for the children of Israel associated with h; then take another piece of wood, and write upon it, For Joseph, the piece of wood of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel associated with him; And bring them together, one side to the other, into one piece of wood, that they may become united in your hand.– Ezek. 37:16-17
IV. The two lifeless pieces of wood symbolize the two parts of the divided nation of Israel.
V. The unique way to have the Body, the church, and the house of God in the genuine oneness is the way of life:
• These two kingdoms could not be one, and in the eyes of the Lord they were thoroughly dead and dried up.
•After being enlivened and by the growth in life, they can be joined together and become one.
•This is very similar to grafting, in which two branches are joined and eventually grow together.
•Whereas the dry bones in Ezekiel 37:1-14 are for forming an army to fight the battle for God, the pieces of wood in verses 16 through 22 are for the building of the house of God as His dwelling place.
•The unique way to have the Body, the church, and the house of God in the genuine oneness is the way of life: The dead bones and the dead branches were enlivened and became one as the issue of the dispensing of life and the growth in life.
Prophesying Topics—Twelve Topics per Week
D1
T1 The book of Ezekiel has four main sections:( Ezekiel1:4; 37:9; 47:1)
(Please illustrate that the book of Ezekiel has four main sections, each of which contains one crucial point.)
T2 In the book of Ezekiel there are three chapters which may be considered great chapters in the Bible( Ezekiel1:4; 37:9; 47:1)
(Please illustrate that Ezekiel chapter 1, chapter 37, and chapter 47 each of these chapters may be represented by a single word)
D2
T1 The vision of the dry bones( Ezekiel1:1-6)
(Please illustrate that realize that this indicates that God’s salvation is not only for those who are sinful but also for those who are dead.)
T2 The Lord is the Savior of the dead.（John 5:25）
(Please illustrate that It is a blessing to realize that we are dead and that we need the Lord to enliven us.)
D3
T1 Prophesying means speaking for the Lord(Ezek. 1:4-5)
(Please illustrate that many Christians have a mistaken understanding of prophesying.)
T2 “He who prophesies builds up the church”（1 Cor. 14:4b；31）
(Please illustrate that we can all prophesy one by one)
D4
T1 Prophesying makes us an overcomer（1 Cor. 14:3-4b; Mat.16:18）
(Please illustrate that prophesying is the function of the overcomers)
T2 In Ezekiel 37 three things are related to the prophesying: the wind, breath, and Spirit. (Ezek. 37:4-10;14)
(Please illustrate that how can we apply the wind, breath, and Spirit to our spiritual experience)
D5
T1 As the Spirit, God is the real air, the breath(John 4:24)
(Please illustrate that when we say, “O Lord! Amen! Hallelujah! ” we breathe in our wonderful Lord.)
T2 The bones become the army fighting the battle(Ezek. 37:10)
(Please illustrate that after Ezekiel prophesied, what happened and what kind of result issued)
D6
T1 The two lifeless pieces of wood(Ezek. 37:16-17)
(Please illustrate that the pieces of wood are for the building of the house of God as His dwelling place.)
T2 By the way of life the two dry sticks could grow together. (Ezek. 37:17;Rom.6:5)
(Please illustrate that the two dead branches became one we are one not by gifts or teachings but by life)
