Bible Pathway - Sept. 11, 2012

Highlights:

Vision; Valley of dry bones; prophecy against Gog; vision of restored Israel.

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 (Ezek. 37:11).

In Ezekiel's vision, he saw a valley full of scattered, disjointed bones. These bones represented the Israelites who had been in Babylonian captivity for about twenty-five years and had lost all hope of ever again becoming a nation. They said: Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost. But the majority of these exiled Jews were dead in the sense that sin had destroyed their faith in the promises of God.

Just as God was the only One who could restore life to the dry bones, He was saying to Israel: I . . . shall put My Spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land (37:13-14). Israel, as a nation, was made to live again, and her return to Jerusalem is told in the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah.

God was not finished with His chosen nation. They had allowed themselves to become estranged from God. Their lines of communication were definitely lacking in regards to God. However, God still loved them greatly. There was nothing they could do to change that fact. Not only did He love them, He still had great plans for them. We must always remember even when Christ at times may seem distant, that it only seems that way. He is only one sincere, heartfelt prayer away. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil (I Pet. 3:12).

There will be a day of far greater fulfillment when Christ returns with all His saints in power and great glory. We have the great promise of the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our enemy, the devil, will no longer be allowed to pervert the world. Evil will be beat down. Good will prevail. Many look at the world today and see the crime, war, hurt, and pain and find it hard to believe that it can all change. There is a change coming. However, there is only One who can change this world. His name is Jesus. He will return just as the Bible said. Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven (Acts 1:11).

And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new (Rev. 21:5).

Thought for Today:

Every believer can be assured that God's life-giving Word can transform even the most hopeless situation.

Christ Revealed:

As the One who made possible our resurrection from the grave (Ezek. 37:12). The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout . . . and the dead in Christ shall rise first (I Thess. 4:13-18; also John 11:25; Rev. 1:18).

Word Studies:

37:26 place them, settle and bless them; 38:19 shaking, earthquake; 39:6 carelessly, securely, undisturbed; 39:14 sever out, select; with the passengers, with the already-collected dead.

Prayer Needs:

Pray for Staff: Karen Hawkins • Government Official: Sen. Daniel K. Akaka (HI) • Country: St. Lucia (154,000) in the eastern Caribbean • Major languages: English and French patois • Religious freedom • 83% Roman Catholic; 13% Protestant; 2% spirit worship • Prayer Suggestion: Recognize the Lord's mercy and loving-kindness and praise Him (Ps. 100:4-5).

Optional Reading: Revelation 16

Memory Verse for the Week: James 1:4