Ezekiel 37

Ezekiel 37:1

THe hand of the LORD was upon me] Chap. 1. 3.

full of bones] He sheweth by a great miracle, that God hath power, and also will deliver his people from their captivitie, in as much as he is able to give life unto the dead bones and bodies, and to raise them up again.

Ezekiel 37:2

valley] Or, champian.

Ezekiel 37:3

can these bones live] By any way or naturall power that thou knowest?

Ezekiel 37:4

Prophesie upon these bones] Be thou the instrument of mine Almightie word, by which in vision these bones shall seeme to thee, to have life put into them: for a signe, that by my power, my people shall be reestablisht in their former estate.

Ezekiel 37:7

there was a noise] A signe of Gods glorious presence, shewing his power, in a miraculous and supernaturall work.

bone to his bone] Joyning themselves again into their naturall joynts.

Ezekiel 37:9

wind] Or, breath.

and say to the wind] According to some, to the soul of man: and according to others, to the holy Ghost it selfe, whose personall propertie is to quicken, and cause all things to live. Psalms 104:30.

come from the foure winds] For to signifie the restauration of the people from all those places where they had been scattered.

and breathe upon these slain] Send the soul and spirit of life into every one of these dead bodies, by the operation of thy divine power. He seemes to have respect to the manner of the creating, and infusing the soule into Adam, described Genesis 2:7.

Ezekiel 37:11

Our bones are dried] We are destroyed beyond hope of restauration: We are in Babylon like dried bones in a sepulchre, Psalms 141:7.

Ezekiel 37:12

I will open your graves] Isaiah 26:19. Hosea 13:14. Joh. 5. 28, 29.

Ezekiel 37:13

when I have opened your graves] That is, when I have brought you out of those places and townes, where you are captive.

Ezekiel 37:16

then take another stick] Which signified the joyning together of the two houses of Israel and Judah.

Ezekiel 37:19

I will take] That is, I will gather together, and unite all mine elect, of what nation soever they be, into one spirituall body: annihilating by the crosse of Christ, the divisions and enmities of the nations, as of Judah, and of the ten tribes, oftentimes used by the Prophets for a figure of the division which was between the Jews and the Gentiles. Isaiah 11:13. Eph. 2. 14, 15, 16.

stick of Joseph] Of the ten tribes, represented by this stick of Joseph, by reason that the tribe of Ephraim had ruled over them.

Ezekiel 37:22

And I will make them one nation] Isaiah 11:13. Jeremiah 3:18. Hosea 1:11.

one king shall be king to them all] John 10:16. That is, the Messias.

Ezekiel 37:23

their dwelling places] Wheresoever they shall be, in exile or captivitie, as in Babylon, in Egypt, and other places of the world, where either willingly, or by compulsion, they have been partakers of Pagan idolatries. Jeremiah 44:8. Ezekiel 14:3. & Ezekiel 20:30. 39.

Ezekiel 37:24

David my servant shall be king over them] Isaiah 40:11. Jeremiah 23:5. & Jeremiah 30:9. Chap. 34. 23. Daniel 9:24. Hosea 3:5. Jesus Christ, the sonne of David according to the flesh.

and they all shall have one shepherd] John 10:16.

Ezekiel 37:25

land that I have given unto Jacob] Meaning that both Judah and Israel shall returne to Canaan, a type of the heavenly Jerusalem, wherein all the elect by Christ shall dwell.

Ezekiel 37:26

covenant of peace with them] Psalms 89:3. Chap. 34. 25.

multiply them] Chap. 36. 37.

and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them] I will be present in my grace, word, and spirit, in their assemblies, and in their heart: of which spirituall presence the Tabernacle, and Sanctuary, heretofore were signes, and pledges. Leviticus 26:11-12. 1 Corinthians 3:16. 2 Corinthians 6:16. Ephesians 2:21-22.

Ezekiel 37:27

I will be their God] Chap. 11. 20. & 14. 11.

Ezekiel 37:28

do sanctifie Israel] That is, do take it, and consecrate it to my selfe, and by my presence do keep it holy, and inviolable, against all manner of injuries and offences.