Session 6: The Cleansing

Session Overview

Creedal Statement

Coming soon.

Key Elements

• Key Passage - Ezekiel 36:16–37:28
• Scripture Memory - Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise belongs to you and your children and to all who are far off—to all whom the Lord our God will call to Himself. Acts 2:38–39
• Catechism - Q: What do the waters of baptism symbolize? A: Purification.

Introduction

Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as Christ is pure.

Thus we see what a splendid thing baptism is, which rescues us from the very jaws of the devil, makes us God’s own children, overcomes and takes away sin, daily strengthens the new man in us, and always continues with us until, snatched from the misery of the present, we shall have attained to the eternal glory beyond. Accordingly, everyone should treat baptism as a garment for everyday use. Every day he should be found in faith and amid its fruits; every day should witness the war against the old man and the growth of the new. For, if we wish to be Christians, we must practice the things that make for Christianity.

Baptism signifies … that the old Adam in us should, by daily sorrow and repentance, be drowned and die, with all sins and evil lusts. The old heart is no more to rule in us … and again a new man daily come forth and arise, who shall live before God in righteousness and purity forever.

The Christian life is lived between the first and second coming of Christ. The offer of forgiveness, the sure hope of (knowing with certainty and looking forward to) eternal life, and the joy of reconciliation with God are confronted with the reality of ongoing struggles with sin, fierce attacks of spiritual warfare, and varied temptations of evil. The tension of faith in a broken world demands that Christians maintain a perspective of Christ’s past work of redemption and his future promises of restoration. Marking a disciple’s new life in Christ and anticipating future glory, the Christian rite of baptism helps believers form and maintain this most important faith perspective.

Christian baptism looks backward in remembrance of Christ’s saving work in history, and it testifies to a disciple’s conversion to Christ. In this way, baptism is a milestone of Christian faith, an objective marker of God’s completed redemptive work applied to our lives. Redeemed in Christ, believers enjoy real spiritual blessings such as the forgiveness of sins, union with Jesus, the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, reconciliation with God, and the guarantee of eternal life. While these New Covenant blessings in Christ are freely given to Christians to be experienced in this present life, the full fruition of our redemption awaits Jesus’ second coming. At this time, sin will be fully eradicated, Satan will be finally defeated, and our purification from sin will come to fruition. In this sense, baptism is also future-looking. It anticipates the fulfillment of God’s redemptive promises at the coming of Christ. As pilgrims who live between Jesus’ first and second coming, Christians orient their lives to their baptism as a reminder of past conversion and as an anticipation of future glorification.

To help understand the future scope of baptism, we will look at a prophetic narrative in Ezekiel 36:16–37:28. Historically, this prophecy was given to the Israelite community during their exile from the promised land. Operating at multiple levels, this prophecy tells of God’s historic work to restore Israel to the land, it predicts God’s new work of salvation in the New Covenant, and it foreshadows the future promise of restoration at Christ’s coming. This prophetic portion of Scripture is narrative as much as it is visionary. Tracing the plot of this prophecy, we see God confront the sins of his people and promise to enact a better covenant relationship with the community of faith. The promises of this New Covenant relationship will eventually culminate in full restoration, total purification, and eternal bliss. Part of this final renewal involves the removal of sins, the renewal of creation, and the resurrection of the dead that will come at the return of Christ.

As baptism signifies forgiveness of sin for those who place their faith in Christ, baptized believers also await sin’s final removal. While the past-looking scope of baptism garners confidence for Christians to live a life of real freedom and fullness during this earthly life, the future-looking vision of baptism infuses hope that the struggle with sin in the present life will one day be lifted at Christ’s final return. Our present devotion and faithfulness to Christ are measured and matured by our ability to be past-recollecting and future-oriented. As we explore this vivid prophetic narrative, may its compelling plot and captivating promises nourish us on our journey of faith to the life of the world to come.

Biblical Interpretation: Hearing the Word

Study the Text: The Bible is God’s inspired word to his people. Christian disciples mature in the faith when they are grounded in God’s word. In this movement, you will study the basic details of the biblical text.

Observation Questions

Read (or listen to) the whole passage of Scripture. Discuss the questions below for each section of the story. Pay attention to the details of the text to recall what the passage is saying. Use the focus verses to guide your conversation.

Storycraft

Retell the story in your own words, recounting the overall flow of the narrative, the main segments of the story, and the major developments that take place.

Narrative Elements

Story Retell

Theological Dialogue: Discussing the Plot

Explore the Text: God’s word is his trustworthy and sufficient revelation to his people. We grow as Christ’s disciples by rooting our lives in God’s unchanging truth. In this movement, you will explore vital teachings of this biblical passage.

Discussion Questions

Summarize the biblical story. As a community, discuss the following questions. Be attentive to the truths taught in this text. Use the commentary on the next pages to uncover core principles this passage teaches about the Christian faith.

Biblical Commentary

Use this commentary to help you understand the meaning of the text. Refer to the infographic on the next page to think through how narratives work.

Passage Introduction

Key Idea

Christian baptism roots disciples in Christ’s past work of redemption and orients believers in joyful hope of God’s future work of bringing his saving work to full completion.

Passage Overview

Christians enjoy glorious promises of redemption in anticipation of a future work of God, which will bring salvation in the present to full fruition. Speaking to historic Israel and the community of faith in future generations, Ezekiel’s prophetic narrative confronts human sin and points all to the New Covenant work in which the Holy Spirit brings a dynamic transformation to the lives of his people. Regeneration, renewal, restoration, and cleansing are possible in God’s New Covenant work. The spiritual realities Christians presently enjoy await a future work in which God will remove sin, restore his creation, dwell with his people, and establish his eternal kingdom. Christian baptism is a vital rite of passage in which Christians remember and affirm Christ’s saving work in the lives of believers while they also anticipate God’s future work of restoration and renewal. As you consider the forward-facing importance of baptism and the future realities of God completing his saving work, use the following commentary to guide your thinking about this important passage of Scripture.

Passage Outline

1. Ezekiel 36:16–21
2. Ezekiel 36:22–32
3. Ezekiel 36:33–38
4. Ezekiel 37:1–14
5. Ezekiel 37:15–23
6. Ezekiel 37:15–28

Building a Community of Common Faith

Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you. And may the Lord cause you to increase and overflow with love for one another and for everyone else, just as our love for you overflows, so that He may establish your hearts in blamelessness and holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. Amen.

As he that sees a dark and shady grove, Stays not, but looks beyond it on the sky; So when I view my sins, mine eyes remove More backward still, and to that water fly, Which is above the heav’ns, whose spring and rest Is in my dear Redeemer’s pierced side. O blessed streams! either ye do prevent And stop our sins from growing thick and wide, Or else give tears to drown them, as they grow. In you Redemption measures all my time, And spreads the plaster equal to the crime; You taught the book of life my name, that so Whatever future sins should me miscall, Your first acquaintance might discredit all.

Introduction

Christians enjoy God’s redemptive work on their behalf. While rich blessings in Christ can be presently enjoyed, the fullness of salvation still awaits Christ’s second coming. Devoted Christians learn how to navigate struggles in life with freedom and hope: freedom already achieved and experienced by Christ’s work on the cross and hope of all that Christ promises to do upon his return to earth. Nested in the ancient prophecies of the Old Testament are clues that point us to this future aspect of God’s redemptive work. Although ancient, these prophecies are relevant for understanding Christian devotion and its relationship to the importance of baptism.

The prophetic narrative of Ezekiel 36:16–37:28 offers a picture of God’s redemptive work on behalf of his people. As we understand the plot of this prophecy, we come to terms with key insights about Christian devotion and baptism. This portion of Ezekiel’s prophecy confronts the gravity of sin, proclaims the promise of forgiveness, announces the sending of the Spirit, predicts the coming of Christ, and anticipates the full restoration of God’s people from sinful exile. Meant to address the exilic situation of Israel and detail God’s future New Covenant work with the church, this narrative operates at several levels. At one level, it tells how God will restore exiled Israel to the promised land. At another level, it prophesies about God’s New Covenant work through his Spirit at the coming of Christ. Believers in Christ enjoy rich blessings of forgiveness, cleansing, empowerment, transformation, and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. Still at another level, this prophetic narrative hints of a future time in which the New Covenant promises will come to full fruition at the return of Christ when God removes sin, establishes his eternal and universal reign, restores creation, resurrects the dead, and dwells forever with his people (cf. Isaiah 51; 65; 66; Revelation 21–22).

Baptized followers of Christ live between Christ’s first and second coming. While the promises of the New Covenant are available for Christians to enjoy, disciples still anticipate the culmination of God’s redemptive work. Since Ezekiel’s prophetic narrative highlights cleansing of sin (36:25), transformation of the heart (36:25), the coming of the Spirit (36:27), and the resurrection from death to life (37:1d–14), this biblical passage illuminates key meanings of Christian baptism. Disciples get baptized to declare that they have received the blessings of the New Covenant in Christ. In addition, Christian baptism instills a sense of hopeful anticipation among God’s people. Future realities of God’s saving work must come to fruition. As it relates to Christian devotion, Christian baptism is an important ritual—a spiritual milestone—marking God’s redemptive work “already applied” to the community of faith, while it also symbolizes a final work of restoration “not-yet” experienced by Christians but one promised at the coming of Christ. As we hear and heed Ezekiel’s narrative, may our own hearts and lives find our devotion to Christ increase as we see how God acts on behalf of sinful humans for the glory of his name.

In Accordance with Their Deeds: Remembering the Depth and Gravity of Human Sin

Biblical Narrative (Ezekiel 36:16–21)

The prophet Ezekiel was given a prophecy—“the word of the Lord came to me” (36:16)—that recounted Israel’s past sin and future restoration. As already mentioned above, this prophetic narrative speaks about historic Israel, the age of the church, and the future restoration of the end time (i.e., eschaton). Ezekiel’s prophecy commenced by decrying and confronting Israel’s sinful condition. Before being exiled from the land, Israel “defiled [the land] by their own ways and deeds” (36:17). So vile was their sin that “their behavior before Me was like the uncleanness of a woman’s impurity” (36:17). Israel’s sin was such that they perpetrated impurity (36:17), violence (36:18), and idolatry (36:18). In fact, when Israel was taken from the land, “the house of Israel had profaned [God’s name] among the nations to which they had gone” (36:21).

In response to Israel’s sin, God " poured out [his] wrath upon them" (36:18). Judging them “according to their ways and deeds” (36:19), God brought about a just and fitting punishment for Israel’s infidelity and wrongdoing. Specifically, God “dispersed [his people] among the nations, and they were scattered throughout the land” (36:19). For historic Israel, exile from the land (cf. 36:20) was just punishment for their idolatrous, unjust, and impure ways. In God’s judgment of exile and in the promised restoration that would follow in this prophetic-narrative, God would show “concern for [his] holy name” (36:21; cf. 36:20). In effect, Israel’s sin (in all its variety) was a refusal to live up to the standard of God’s holiness. Their evil deeds on earth amounted to a brazen rejection of the God of heaven. Their sin put God’s name into disrepute and resulted in divine judgment upon his covenant people.

Biblical Principles

Nature of Sin. The historical record of Israel’s sin is a penetrating and convicting reflection of our own unrighteous condition as sinful humans. The idolatrous, violent, and immoral practices of Israel are no different than human depravity in every age of the history of our fallen world. From the fall to the present day, lack of devotion to God is the underlying factor that precipitates human iniquity. Sin throws God’s good creation into tragic disrepair (36:17). At their core, evil deeds and wicked actions are violations and transgressions against God. Israel “lived in the land,” but their sinful behavior was done “before [God]” (36:17). Although sins are enacted on earth, they are measured by God in heaven. As acts of unfaithfulness, sin amounts to spiritual adultery against God, defiling the person in false worship and idolatry (36:18). A brazen affront against God, sin profanes God’s holy name before the watching world (36:20–21; cf. 36:22–23). Sin is a corrupting and tragic rebellion against a holy God that leads to destruction, death, and the devastating collapse of all that is good in the world.

Divine Judgment. Because of God’s unequalled holiness, lack of devotion to God deserves to be judged and punished. Clearly explained in this passage, God judged his people “according to their ways and deeds” (36:19) and out of “concern for [his] holy name” (36:21). His judgment was an expression of his righteous wrath (36:18). In this passage, God’s righteous judgment toward a disobedient and idolatrous Israel was divine wrath (36:18), dispersion (36:19–21), and exile (36:20). In his just and wrathful judgment, God expressed his righteous concern about his own holy renown (36:20–21), the integrity of the land (36:17–18), and the knowledge of him among the nations (36:21). The judgment of Israel should be a warning to humans of all ages. Divine judgment awaits all who indefinitely choose the life of sin. But God offers restoration and cleansing to those who come to him in repentance and faith.

Reunciation of Sin. Implicit in this prophetic narrative is an invitation to renounce the life of sin, immorality, and idolatry (cf. 36:31–32). When God announces judgment on his people, the appropriate response is to repent from sin, reject one’s evil ways, and become reconciled to God. The call to repentance is clear throughout Scripture, and it is a defining mark of many of the prophetic portions of Scripture. The detailed confrontation of sin in this passage serves to vindicate God in his judgment of his people, and it calls God’s people to denounce their sin. Lack of devotion profanes God’s name and leads to our own impurity. Conversely, genuine devotion to Christ shows a sincere concern for God’s holy name. Disciples recognize that the measure of such devotion is tested by how they live their lives. Baptism invites disciples to agree with God in this oracle of prophetic judgment. In baptism, we acknowledge our uncleanness before God. God is right to punish us, and we are deserving of his wrath. Ownership of our sin not only makes us receptive to God’s redemptive work, but it accentuates how great God’s salvation really is: a salvation that forgives sin and brings us to new life. Further, baptism commences our new life in Christ as a life that takes great care to live in a way that treats God’s name with the glory and holiness it deserves. For this life to be possible, we must consider just how possible this new life and the forgiveness of sin are.

I Will Act: Enjoying the Abundant Blessings of the New Covenant

Biblical Narrative (Ezekiel 36:22–32)

God showed concern and commitment to his holy name (36:20–21) in exiling Israel from the land. However, God also displayed his commitment to his holiness by securing a pathway for legitimate and lasting restoration of his fallen people. The restoration promised to Israel in this passage also foreshadowed God’s final restoration at the end of time. As the prophetic narrative continues, Ezekiel told of a time (a time future to exiled Israel) when God would act on behalf of his people. God clearly communicated, “it is not for your sake that I will act, O house of Israel, but for My holy name, which you profaned among the nations to which you went” (36:22; cf. 36:32). God’s act of restoration—bringing Israel back into the land—would be to “show the holiness of [his] great name, which has been profaned among the nations” (36:23). Inasmuch as God’s judgment was a concern for his holy name, so would the restoration of his people vindicate his holiness among the nations. God clearly revealed this aim of returning Israel to the land: “Then the nations will know that I am the Lord” (36:23).

This restoration involved bringing his exiled people back into the land of promise. God gave this promise to his people: “I will take you from among the nations and gather you out of all the countries, and I will bring you back into your own land” (36:24; cf. 36:28). Further, God promised to purify his people from their sin. The promise of cleansing was comprehensive and gracious: “I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean” (36:25; cf. 36:29). Specifically, God promised to cleanse Israel from “all your impurities and all your idols” (36:25). More than just a removal of past iniquity, God said he would bring a transformation to his people’s hearts—to give them “a new heart” and “a new spirit” (36:26). This regenerating and transforming work would involve the removal of a “heart of stone” and the gifting of a new “heart of flesh” (36:26).

To accomplish this divine change in the hearts of his people, God would cause his Spirit to live within them. Through Ezekiel, God revealed his intentions: “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and to carefully observe My ordinances” (36:27). God’s relationship with his people would be a covenant relationship: “You will be My people, and I will be your God” (36:28; cf. 37:23, 27). These restoring acts amounted to acts of divine salvation (36:29) and divine blessing (36:29–30). God’s saved and blessed people would undergo such a radical transformation that they would have a distaste for their old ways of sin: “you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and abominations” (36:31). After God’s establishment of his New Covenant with his people, the community of faith would remember their sins with great grief and sorrow (36:31–32), but they would also enjoy God’s rich and abundant blessings poured out on his people in unmerited favor (36:29–30).

Biblical Principles

New Covenant Promises. By God’s grace and for the vindication of his holy name, God promised to enter into a New Covenant relationship with his people. While the pronouncement of judgment hangs over our heads, God graciously opens a pathway to restore his fallen people to a relationship with himself. We are hopeless in our lost condition; God alone can initiate redemption. (cf. 36:22, 32). The promises of this New Covenant work are simply magnificent: restoration (36:24), complete cleansing (36:25), heart transformation (36:26), the gift of the Holy Spirit (36:27), covenant relationship (36:28), deliverance (36:29), and abundant blessing (36:29–30). And they are all a work of God. The breadth and depth of God’s restoring work in the New Covenant are breathtaking. Although there are some specific ways these promises were uniquely fulfilled for exiled Israel, the ultimate fulfillment of these promises occurs in Jesus Christ. Christ’s work of redemption on the cross inaugurated the New Covenant and its promises. In baptism, disciples declare that we are recipients of God’s restoring, forgiving, transforming, empowering, reconciling, saving, and flourishing work. Publicly and boldly, baptized disciples declare these realities. They testify to God’s unmerited favor toward them and the new life they have received by God’s gracious initiative.

Divine Holiness, Knowledge of God, and Hatred of Sin. God made it clear that he would save his people for the sake of his name (36:22) and his holiness (36:22–23). While God’s people were beneficiaries of his saving and restoring work, God acted graciously on behalf of his people so that the nations of the world would know that God is the one and only true God (36:23; cf. 36:36, 38). God’s work on our behalf is a matter of him working on behalf of his name. Inasmuch as God wants to turn people to a true knowledge of God, he also wants to bring people to a hatred of sin. In this prophecy, God’s restored people would remember their sin, loathing, sorrow, shame, and disgrace (36:31–32). This does not mean that God wants his people to live endlessly under the weighty cloud of shame and guilt. On the contrary, the very promise of this passage is that God would completely cleanse his people of their uncleanness and iniquity (36:25, 29). Nevertheless, God does want his redeemed people to grow in hatred of sin, rejecting their old life with decisiveness and steadfast faith in God.

Devotion as Living Out God’s Gracious Salvation. Our devotion to Christ is directly connected to God’s gracious work of salvation on our behalf. Baptism affords Christians an opportunity to announce God’s saving work. We follow God faithfully as we bask in the riches of his redemption. His forgiveness of past sin encourages us to turn from future temptation. The transformation of our hearts changes our affections toward the things of God. The empowerment of the Spirit enables us to follow God’s ways. Deliverance from sin and its punishment inspires us to be witnesses of God’s grace to the world. Unmerited blessing calls us to follow God, however he leads with joy, peace, and patience. Restored and redeemed, God’s people promote the knowledge of God and despise sin. Rooted in this new life, Christians have a devotion that takes on the glisten of joyful privilege rather than begrudging servitude. Cleansed from sin, we publicly testify that we have received forgiveness by going through the waters of baptism.

Replanting, Rebuilding, and Replenishing: Hoping for the Fruition of God’s Promises

Biblical Narrative (Ezekiel 36:33–38)

Israel’s sin had devastated the community of faith and brought ruin to its surrounding environment. Not only did the community of Israel need restoration, but the land of Israel would also need repair. At the time when God promised to cleanse his people “from all … iniquities,” God also said that he would “cause the cities to be resettled and the ruins to be rebuilt” (36:33). In addition to resettlement and rebuilding, the land that lay desolate would be tilled and ready to make produce (36:34). God would make the barren land to become “like the garden of Eden” and the ruined cities would become “fortified and inhabited” (36:35). God’s repairs of the land would involve rebuilding “what was destroyed” and replanting “what was desolate” (36:36). God promised to be true to his word and fulfill this (36:36) and it would cause the surrounding nations to “know that I am the Lord” (36:36; cf. 36:23, 38).

In addition to the repair of the cities and the land, God promised to increase his people “like a flock” (36:37) so the cities would be “filled with flocks of people” (36:38). God promised that his people would grow and expand to be many, like the holy animals for sacrifices fill the city of Jerusalem during the feasts and festivals (36:38). In a way that invited God’s people to participate in and demonstrate their newfound restoration, God would allow the community of faith to ask him to accomplish this on their behalf (36:37). God’s people would cry out for help, and God would graciously act on behalf of his people in a way that was true to his promises. As with other promises of the New Covenant, God would bring about this repair so that people would “know that I am the Lord” (36:38).

Biblical Principles

Devestation of Sin. This passage highlights the devastating effects of sin. In its wake, sin leaves ruin (36:33, 35, 38), desolation (36:34–36), and destruction (36:35–36). When people rebel against God in wrongdoing, immorality, or idolatry, they bring disaster upon themselves and those around them. In addition to reproach and shame (36:30, 32), the world—even the land (36:34–35)—is negatively impacted by human sin. Every problem in the world and in our lives can be traced back to sin. Certainly, unrepentant sinners await God’s holy and wrath-filled judgment. But sin also has a natural and negative fallout. Essentially, to rebel against God is an act of self-ambush. To commit evil is to foment unrest and disquiet. To give in to temptation is to forfeit God’s blessing. To worship false gods is to afflict the world, making it barren and unfruitful. To defile ourselves in evildoing is to invite desolation in the world. To violate God’s commands is to vandalize his good world. To defy God is to premeditate our own self-destruction. Although God is ever true to keep his promises, people can risk their enjoyment of God’s good gifts when they give themselves to sin.

New Creation. God’s gracious restoration exceeds the sinfulness of mankind. Ezekiel’s oracle of judgment and rebuke is also a vision of promised restoration for God’s people and God’s world. In general, God’s restoration of his people will also involve a restoration of creation. Ezekiel’s narrative highlights the renewal of cities, land, and community of faith. In the prophetic narrative, we hear of God’s promise to restore the ruined cities (36:33, 35–36), replant the desolate land (36:34–36), and repopulate the land with his numerous people (36:37–38). The divine intiative of restoration is described as an act of new creation: the desolate land will become “like the garden of Eden” (36:35), the dilapidated cities will be “fortified and inhabited” (36:35), and the people of Israel will be “like numerous flocks” (36:38; cf. 36:37). In a kind of Edenic retrieval, the restoration of God’s people necessarily involves the renewal of all creation. Christians cannot help but read about this garden-city mentioned in Ezekiel without thinking of God’s promise to restore creation at the end of time (cf. Revelation 21–22). While this promise did historically speak of Israel’s return to the land, it ultimately also points to a future restoration of cosmic proportions.

Baptism is an announcement that disciples have entered into God’s new creation. Disciples of Christ are new creatures in Jesus and align their lives to God’s new creation work. Participants of the New Covenant, Christians look to the fruition of the New Covenant in the final restoration of all things. Their own salvation and redemption is a testimony of God’s broader project to restore his fallen world. Baptized Christians enjoy a foretaste of this new creation in their own lives and in the covenant community of the church. As a community of new creation, the church flourishes like an ongoing festival and feast of celebration (36:37–38) that is not bound by times and seasons but is enjoyed at all times, even during persecution and suffering. Baptism’s announcement of the joys of new life and new creation inspires devotion to Christ. As Christians know the grand picture of what awaits the faithful, it encourages us to remain steadfast in our faith, willing in our sacrifice, bold in our witness, and dutiful in our purity. While the church should consider how seasonal celebration is an important practice of community formation, the church, in reality, possesses the joy and the guaranteed promise of new creation to be a perpetual festal gathering. The joy of new creation fuels the energy of Christian devotion.

Let These Bones Live: Anticipating the Hope of New Life

Biblical Narrative (Ezekiel 37:1–14)

After the account of Israel’s sin and God’s promised restoration, Ezekiel had a divine revelation in prophetic form. God’s Spirit brought Ezekiel into the middle of a valley that was “full of bones” (37:1). As the Spirit led Ezekiel around the valley he saw that there were “a great many” bones and they were “very dry” (37:2). When he was asked if these bones could live, Ezekiel replied that God knew whether this would be possible (37:3). Ezekiel was told to prophesy God’s word (37:4) over the bones: “I will cause breath to enter you, and you will come to life” (37:5). Speaking as God’s representative, Ezekiel said that God would attach the bones with tendons, clothe the bones with skin, and fill the bones with life-giving breath (37:5). Effectively, God would cause the dead, dry bones to come back to life. Similar to God’s New Covenant promises and the restoration of his people, God would bring these dead bones to life so that people would come to a true knowledge of God: “Then you will know that I am the Lord” (37:6).

Ezekiel did as he was commanded. His obedience as a faithful servant of God is reiterated throughout this prophetic narrative (37:7, 10). When he prophesied over the dry bones, there was a rattling sound (37:7). The bones joined together, sinews and flesh formed on them, and skin covered them (37:8). Bodies formed over the bones but no breath was in the bodies (37:8). Ezekiel was commanded to prophesy to the breath and say, “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, so that they may live” (37:9). He did as he was commanded, the breath entered the bodies, and “they came to life and stood on their feet—a vast army” (37:10). From dry bones to enfleshed carcasses to living beings, God turned the dead into a vast and veritable army. The vision depicted the power of God’s word and its life-giving power (37:4, 9, 12).

Ezekiel was then told that the bones represented the people of Israel (37:11). Exiled in a foreign land, Israel grieved, “Our bones are dried up, and our hope has perished; we are cut off” (37:11). God instructed Ezekiel to prophesy to Israel that God would open graves and bring up people from those graves (37:12–13). This reference to resurrection was correlated with God bringing his people “back to the land of Israel” (37:12; cf. 37:14). Further, God said that he would put his Spirit in them, cause them to live, and restore them to the land (37:14). These acts of restoration, described as resurrection, would cause even Israel to know that the Lord was God (37:13–14).

Biblical Principles

Resurrection Life. With rich imagery, the promise of Israel’s restoration to the land (37:11–12) also foreshadowed the future restoration of God’s people in the resurrection of the dead. In dry bones being joined with sinews, flesh being clothed with skin, and bodies being filled with the breath of life (36:4–9), God showed Ezekiel how God can take dry bones spread throughout a valley (37:1–2) and turn them into a great army (37:10). Historically, this prophecy intensely depicted Israel’s return to the land of promise. Importantly, it also prefigured God’s climactic work of resurrection. The question “Son of man, can these bones come to life?” (37:3) is an unequivocal affirmative for the Christian. The promise of resurrection is strength for God’s people. Death, disease, disaster of any kind can be overcome by a God who can raise the dead. Being able to bring the dead back to life, God can rescue his people from any and all hopelessness.

Quite vividly, baptism is a rite of passage that signifies a Christian’s death and resurrection. In being immersed under the water and subsequently coming out of the water, Christ followers announce their union with Christ in his death and resurrection. United with Jesus in his death, Christians depend upon Christ’s crucifixion as payment for sin; united with Jesus in his resurrection, disciples receive newness of life and look forward to a future resurrection like that of Jesus. New life gained by faith in Christ also comes with the promise of eternal life—life beyond the grave, life again from dry bones, life experienced in new bodies, and life infused with God’s life-giving breath. In terms of resurrection, baptism is rooted in the past (i.e., Jesus’ death and resurrection) and oriented to the future (i.e., the eschatological hope of the resurrection from the dead).

Undying Hope. The promise of resurrection outfits God’s people with hope. This hope comes from people knowing truths that only God knows (37:3). Israel was facing a hopeless situation. Left to their own knowledge and understanding, God’s people faced their certain end: “Our bones are dried up, and our hope has perished; we are cut off” (37:11). But God’s word (37:4–6, 9–12) revealed essential truths to lift a despairing people out of their gloom. To know and trust “what the Lord God says” (37:12) gives hope in the most impossible situations and provides clarity in the most intractable predicaments. Christian devotion is tested through moments of suffering, sorrow, despair, loss, and grief. This is trust in God’s hope-giving word that shines brightly. While disciples face many challenges of this life (even God’s disciplining arm), the hope of unending life galvanizes Christian faith. Devotion is fueled by hope, rooted in God’s word, and nourished on God’s promises. In particular, the promise of resurrection life has motivated Christians throughout history to offer their very lives in God’s service. The reality of resurrection means a disciple has eternal life. Because Christians cannot (in the end) lose their lives, believers embrace a lifestyle of self-sacrifice and self-denial. Christ’s followers surrender themselves to difficulty and endure unthinkable hardship because they know that no one can threaten the promise of their secure and unending life in the world to come. Belief in the resurrection of the dead (a belief hinted at by Ezekiel, made explicit in the New Covenant, and declared in baptism) is a mooring upon which the life of worship and devotion is supported. Along with this grand promise of everlasting life are glorious plans God has for his covenant people.

Unfolding Plans: Getting a Vision of Future Glory

Biblical Narrative (Ezekiel 37:15–28)

After the vision of the dry bones coming to life, God’s word came again to Ezekiel (37:15). God instructed his prophet to take two sticks and write on each stick to represent each of the two parts of Israel (37:16). Then, God told him to join the sticks together as one (37:17). When Israel would ask what this symbolic act meant (37:18), Ezekiel was to explain that joining of the two sticks (37:19–20) meant that God was taking his people from exile (37:21), returning them to the land (37:21), uniting the two parts of Israel into one nation (37:22), and giving them one king to rule over them (37:22). Moreover, God promised that his people would no longer practice impurity, idolatry, or sin (37:23) because God would “save them from all their apostasies by which they sinned” (37:23). Like in the earlier New Covenant promises, God said that he would “cleanse them” (37:23; cf. 36:24–25, 29). As a promise of God’s enduring relationship with his people, God would establish the community of faith to be his covenant people: “Then they will be My people, and I will be their God” (37:23; cf. 37:27).

In addition to this promised return, reunion, and redemption, God also said that his “servant David will be king over them, and there will be one shepherd for all of them” (37:24). This Davidic king would rule God’s people forever—he would “be their prince forever” (37:25). God’s people would follow his commandments (37:24) and dwell in the land of promise for all time (37:25; cf. 37:26). Establishing an everlasting covenant of peace with his people (37:26), God would set his “sanctuary among them forever” (37:26; cf. 37:28). As a promise of unbroken fellowship with his people, God promised that “dwelling place will be with them” (37:27; cf. 37:27). In this act, God’s ongoing presence with his people would cause the nations to know that God is the one who sanctifies his people (37:28). In the final account of this prophecy is hope that God will establish, secure, and purify his people completely, binding them to himself in covenant faithfulness and everlasting life. God will dwell with his people forever, making them his sanctuary—his holy dwelling place.

Biblical Principles

Fruition of God’s Promises. The conclusion to this prophetic narrative describes God’s good promises coming to fruition. It foretells the reunification of divided Israel (37:15–22) and the exiles return to land (37:25). It tells about the complete cleansing and complete salvation that God will bring to his people (37:23). This total salvation would result in an end to idolatry and sin (37:23) and an earnest obedience of God’s commands (37:24). God would establish his relationship with his people as a covenant relationship (37:23, 26–27). God’s covenant promise to his people would be a “covenant of peace” and an “everlasting covenant” (37:26). God’s people would enjoy security and flourishing (37:26). The well-being of God’s people is guaranteed forever because God would take up his dwelling among his people (37:26–28) and because God would appoint his messianic deliverer to rule over his people (37:22, 24–25). This rich tapestry of divine promises depicts a future reality of bliss, surety, and salvation that is uninterrupted and undisturbed.

When disciples place their faith in Christ, they are declaring God’s saving work in their lives and hoping for the great promises of God to come to fruition. Baptized into this faith, Christians profess faith in God as a covenant-making and covenant-keeping God: God is establishing an everlasting covenant of peace with his people (37:26). Baptism initiates disciples into the covenant community of faith that brings them into an accountable relationship with God and other believers. Like God’s promise to reunify Israel (37:15–22), there is only one church under the lordship of the one Lord Jesus Christ, the very Davidic prince prophesied in this passage (37:22, 24–25). Moreover, this baptism is future-looking as it celebrates the fullness of union with God. As baptism asserts union with Christ, it also looks forward to the time when God’s people will dwell with God in unity for all time.

Future Glory. The fruition of God’s promises is the commencement of future glory. The promise that sin, evil, division, and defilement will be “no longer” (37:22; cf. 36:30; 37:23) is matched by the hope that God’s people will enjoy salvation and a relationship with him “forever” (37:25; cf. 37:26, 28). The vision of this future glory supports and sustains God’s people in the life of faith. Without such a vision, the pain of the present can erode joyful hope. As challenging as it is to live in a broken world, the hope of union with God in an unending relationship puts the present suffering into proper perspective. We are as devoted to Christ as we are hopeful in his promises. Because baptism signifies these realities of a future paradise, Christians cannot afford to go through the rite of baptism only to never again reflect on it. In some sense, baptism is something Christians continue to “live up to” throughout their life of faith and on their way to future glory. Together with the community of faith, disciples enter the Christian life in worship and devotion to a God who has magnificent plans of an unparalleled eternity in store for his people.

Conclusion

At the beginning of this narrative, God revealed his word to the prophet Ezekiel. God told him of the gravity of Israel’s sin and the judgment that came upon them. He then told them of God’s New Covenant promises to restore his people into a reconciled relationship with himself. After depicting this resurrection in new creation terms, God revealed his intent to return Israel to the land. This revelation came in the form of a valley of dry bones that were resurrected to new life. In the end, God promised to reunite Israel under the authority of his promised Messiah. At this time, God would bring his promises to fruition and make his dwelling place among his people and bring about complete salvation and cleansing. This prophecy tells a narrative that operates at several levels. First, it speaks of the historical reality of Israel’s exile and God’s promise to restore and return Israel to the land of promise. Second, it tells of the coming of the Holy Spirit (a future reality for Israel’s day) as a sign of the New Covenant inaugurated by the coming of the promised Christ. Third, it foreshadows a time that is future (future for the present-day church), in which God will bring restoration, renewal, and cleansing upon his people. Although this prophecy-narrative is fulfilled in part in the chronology of Israel’s history, it also points to a grand future for the whole people of God at the coming of Christ. Inasmuch as Christian baptism recounts God’s saving work in the life of a disciple and launches Christ followers into the life of discipleship, baptism also foreshadows God’s promised work of restoration, redemption, and renewal at the second coming of Christ.

In this way, baptism reflects on God’s work of redemption in our lives. As an anchor and reference point to our faith formation, it reminds us of the forgiveness of sin, endowment of the Holy Spirit, transformation of our hearts, reconciled relationship with God, and gift of new life. However, as a beacon of hope on the horizon of our brief earthly existence (and all of human history), it also points toward a future time when God will establish the eternal kingdom of Christ, restore creation, remove the presence and possibility of sin, bring the dead back to life, and dwell with his people for all time. Baptized disciples of Christ are anchored in God’s restoring, cleansing, and saving work. They enjoy fellowship with God and long to be God’s unending sanctuary as God dwells among his people for all eternity. The life of faith is lived in hope of God’s promises coming to fruition and future glory becoming our new reality. No simple or superficial ritual, baptism is rather a rich and rewarding rite of passage that nourishes our faith and devotion on the promises of God’s redemptive work—past, present, and future.

Session Synopsis

SESSION 6 SYNOPSIS
Cleansing	In this passage, we learn how baptism anticipates God’s final cleansing of his people. In this prophetic narrative, God confronted Israel’s sinfulness, unfaithfulness, and idolatry. Sinful rebellion against God was the reason for Israel’s exile from the land. But God was gracious to save Israel, as he was also righteous to judge Israel. God promised to restore his people to the land in an act of new creation. To vividly portray this restoration, God had Ezekiel prophesy to dry bones in a valley. Suddenly, in a kind of resurrection, the dry bones became living beings. This resurrection story highlighted Israel’s return to the land and also foreshadowed God’s final salvation of his people. In the end, God would completely save his people, cleanse his people, and dwell among them. He would accomplish this by sending his Messiah to rule over the people of God. This story highlights how future glory motivates Christian devotion and how Christian baptism memorializes God’s past and future acts of salvation on behalf of his people. A summary of this story’s principles is outlined below.
Nature and Consequences of Sin	Sin is rebellion against God and a rejection of his commands. Sin results in violence, impurity, corruption, and idolatry (36:16–21). Sin brings about God’s righteous wrath in judgment (36:18–21). Sin has devastating consequences such as shame (36:30, 32), ruin (36:33, 35, 38), desolation (36:34–36), and destruction (36:35–36). Sin is an assault against God’s holiness (36:20–23). All people will be judged by how they lived before God (36:17, 19). Devotion to God involves a renunciation of sin (36:31–32). Baptism signifies this repentance.
Divine Initiative and Motivation	God takes the initiative to restore his fallen people (36:22–32). God restores his people into a covenant relationship with himself (36:28; 37:12–13, 23, 26–27). God enacts his work of salvation to vindicate his holiness (36:22–23), propagate the true knowledge of God (36:23; cf. 36:36, 38), and increase a hatred of sin (36:31–32). God’s proactive initiative toward us commences our devotion to God.
New Covenant	God establishes his relationship with his people in a New Covenant (36:28; 37:12–13, 23, 26–27). God promises full restoration (36:24; 37:25), total cleansing (36:25, 29; 37:23), inner transformation (36:26), the presence of the Holy Spirit (36:26–27; 37:14 cf. 37:1), covenant relationship (36:28), salvation (36:29; 37:23), abundant blessing (36:29–30), resurrection (37:1–14), reunification of God’s people (37:15–22), an end to all sin (37:23), and earnest obedience of God’s commands (37:24). The fullness of the covenant is experienced by God dwelling among his people (37:26–28). Baptism signifies that a person is in a covenant relationship with God and God’s people.
New Creation	God’s work of salvation is a work of new creation (36:33–38; cf. Revelation 21–22). God’s redemption of his people is connected to the renewal of all creation (36:33–38). As a people of new creation, God’s people should enjoy a vibrant life like a festal celebration (36:37–38). Baptized disciples testify to God’s work of new creation in their lives and their commitment to join God’s new creation work in the world.
Hope, God’s Word, and Future Glory	God’s people live with undying hope that God will fulfill his promises and fully save his people (37:3, 11). God’s word contains the record of God’s faithfulness to fulfill his promises in the past and future (37:4–6, 9–12). For the disciples of Jesus, the future is a final break with the sinful past (36:30; 37:22–23) and the fulfillment of God’s promise of a glorious and unending eternity (37:25; cf. 37:26, 28). Future glory motivates God’s people with self-sacrifice and self-denial. Baptism marks a work of salvation that God has begun in a person’s life and looks forward to the future day when it is completed. Baptism looks back at Christ’s work of salvation and looks forward to the completion of this salvation at the return of Christ.
Messianic Ruler	God promised to establish his Messiah, the prophesied Davidic prince, to rule over his people forever (37:22, 24–25). Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah and the fulfillment of this promise. Baptism is a declaration of submission to the sovereign rule of Jesus Christ, the Messiah.

Personal Reflection: Entering the Story

Apply the Text: The word of God is binding and authoritative, the only reliable guide for faith and godliness. True disciples submit themselves to God’s word. In this movement, you will apply God’s word to your lives.

Reflection Questions

Encourage one person to share a testimony about how this story has impacted them so far. Use the reflection questions to examine your life in light of this biblical passage.

Spiritual Practice

Ministry Practice: Rehearsing the Script

Minister the Text: God’s word is living and active. Through God’s word, the Christian community is edified. In this movement, you will utilize the biblical passage to minister to other believers and build them up in their faith.

Application Questions

Look at the infographic below. Use the questions to think about how to minister this text to other believers.

Missional Outreach: Publicizing the Truth

Witness the Text: The Bible is a message of God’s gracious salvation to the world. In word and deed, God’s people proclaim the good news of the gospel. In this movement, you will use this biblical passage to reach out to unbelievers.

Strategy Questions

Reflect on the infographic below. Consider how you can use this passage to witness to the surrounding world. Use the suggested ideas to prime your imagination. Then, put together a plan to share this passage with unbelievers, Afterward, reflect on this mission experience.