May 27, 2012

Ezekiel speaks to a people in exile. Their land has been overtaken, their homes destroyed, their temple plundered. For them, the whole center of their spiritual lives—the Ark of the Covenant, the essence of their journey from Egypt to Jerusalem, from desert to temple, the embodiment of their security—gone. They are like a valley of sun-bleached bones. And Ezekiel (chapter 37) speaks to this “Valley of Dry Bones.” They rattle. The anklebone connects to the leg bone, the leg bone to the hipbone. Ezekiel breathes on “Dem Bones” and a great wind sweeps the valley. Flesh enwraps skeletons and people dance and shout and praise God. Israel is once again, alive and thriving. Acts 2 tells the story of Pentecost. Jesus has been crucified. He rose from the dead and 40 days later, ascended to heaven. Now, he’s gone. The disciples wait. What now? Ten days, they wait. Then, on the day of Pentecost … Sunday, we’ll talk about this.