*Scripture: Ezekiel 36:33—37:14 (NKJV)* 36:33 "'Thus says the Lord GOD: "On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will also enable you to dwell in the cities, and the ruins shall be rebuilt. 34 The desolate land shall be tilled instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass by. 35 So they will say, 'This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden; and the wasted, desolate, and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.' 36 Then the nations which are left all around you shall know that I, the LORD, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted what was desolate. I, the LORD, have spoken it, and I will do it."
37 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "I will also let the house of Israel inquire of Me to do this for them: I will increase their men like a flock. 38 Like a flock offered as holy sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem on its feast days, so shall the ruined cities be filled with flocks of men. Then they shall know that I am the LORD."'" 37:1 The hand of the LORD came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. 2 Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. 3 And He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" So I answered, "O Lord GOD, You know." 4 Again He said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, 'O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 5 Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: "Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. 6 I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the LORD."'" 7 So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them. 9 Also He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live."'" 10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army. 11 Then He said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, 'Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!' 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. 13 Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. 14 I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken it and performed it," says the LORD.'" *Devotion* As He did yesterday, the Holy Spirit has Ezekiel continue to enrich the Festival of the Baptism of Our Lord by showing what His baptizing us has accomplished. Cleansed from our iniquities, we are made to dwell in the Kingdom of God, even as the exiles were returned to their home cities in Israel. Such is not to our glory, but to the glory of our God who builds His Kingdom and gives us life with Him purely by His grace in Christ. Truly, there is nothing we could do to restore ourselves to God. We were just as the exiled ones of Israel saw themselves: as bones lying—disjointed and dried out—on the floor of a waterless valley. The Word of the Lord through Ezekiel to the dry bones is a word that not only brings the bones together and clothes them with flesh, but it actually puts life and breath in them. The Lord is not wanting mere outward observances and the appearance of Christianity, whether by the individual bones or by the whole group of flesh-covered bodies. God's Word does not lead merely to outwardly righteous conduct or some sort of moral social club called 'church.' Instead, it restores the sinner to God and makes him alive in this world, and for all eternity, showing forth the glory of God: that He has spoken His promise and He has performed it exactly as He said. He has raised us up as a mighty army, armed not with fleshly weapons to do battle against flesh and blood, but with the righteousness of God the Son going forth before us and conquering, even as it conquers us.
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