In Ezekiel 36, the LORD prophesies to the mountains of Israel. The prophecy concerns the current situation–the devastation of the people for their sins, as well as the future return of the people. The mountains have borne reproach, but in the future, they will be populated with the LORD’s people once again. The LORD also testifies to the holiness of His name, and tells Ezekiel that holiness required the punishment of the people. The chapter closes with the LORD’s promise that He will bring His people back and will put His Spirit in them. He will take out their hearts of stone and replace them with hearts of flesh. This is the most promising chapter of promise we have seen in the entire prophecy to this point!
In Ezekiel 37, we read the famous account of the valley of dry bones. Ezekiel is shown a valley filled with dry bones, and the LORD asks, “Son of man, can these bones live?” Ezekiel offers an excellent answer, “LORD, you know.” The LORD always knows, and in this case, He brings the bones together, and then puts the muscle and skin back on them and breathes the breath of life into them. This is a promise that the people will come alive once again. After this image, the LORD tells Ezekiel to take two sticks, one representing Israel and one representing Judah and to tie them together. This symbolizes the nation of Israel will be reunited, and “King David” will rule over it once again. What a tremendous chapter! In one great and miraculous sweep of will, the LORD will restore the land, the people, and the nation.
Ezekiel 38 starts the prophecy against “Gog of the land of Magog.” Many believe this is an end-time prophecy, because the LORD says it will happen in the “latter days.” Gog will come against Israel, and the LORD’s wrath will come against Him. (And tomorrow we will see the final outcome!)
As we return to Matthew 27, we read the events from Jesus being brought to Pilate for judgment by the Jewish leaders, to the time of Jesus’ being put in the tomb. It is literally, a dark time. Judas hangs himself; the people request the release of Barabbas, a murderer, instead of Jesus the innocent one. Jesus is mocked by the Roman soldiers who would crucify Him. When Jesus was crucified, the skies literally turned dark. In His darkest moment, when Jesus felt the weight of the sins of the world on Him, He cried out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” It doesn’t get darker than that. But as the old saying goes, “It’s always darkest before the dawn.” When Jesus was entombed, the Jewish religious leaders went to Pilate and asked for guards to watch the tomb, because of Jesus’ claim He would rise from the dead. As we’ll see tomorrow (and as we already know) the soldiers were no match for what was about to happen!