Ezekiel Gave Hope
Ezekiel 37
May 17th, 2026
Sunday Recap
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Sunday Recap •
Hey Fams!
Have you ever had a lingering question or been in a difficult situation in which you knew only the Lord could truly answer or provide clarity? God presented an interesting question to the prophet Ezekiel amid a dire setting. The Spirit of God took Ezekiel to a valley of bones and asked him, “Son of man, can these bones live?” Ezekiel replied, “Lord God, only you know.” (Ezekiel 37:3).
God then instructed Ezekiel to speak to the bones, saying, “Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Lord God says to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you will live” (Ezekiel 37:5). Ezekiel did as God said, and as the prophet was speaking, the bones began to rattle and reconfigure into human bodies. After that, God told Ezekiel to prophesy to the breath, commanding it to breathe life into the dead bodies. Ezekiel did as he was instructed, and the beings came to life.
Ezekiel's prophecy was a picture of the people of Israel. They were like dead bones with no hope, but God would give them life. God would make the way for those dead in their sin to have life resurrected.
Then God had Ezekiel take two sticks—one for Israel and one for Judah. He told Ezekiel to take the sticks in front of all the people and join them to make one stick. Through this imagery, God was demonstrating how He was going to take the Israelites out of the nations where they were scattered and bring them into their own land. God was going to unite His people and give them one King to rule over them.
Ezekiel reminded the people of the promise God had made to David hundreds of years before. The new King would come from the family of David, and He would have the power to raise dead, sinful people to life.
Without Jesus, we are like the dead bones with no future hope. We are dead in our sins. But by faith in Jesus Christ, we are made alive (Ephesians 2:1-5). God’s promise to Ezekiel remains true: King Jesus will unite all who trust in Him, and through the Holy Spirit we will walk in His ways.
Thank God for the hope we have because of Jesus. Remind the children in your care of the new life Jesus gives to those who trust in Him. As you point boys and girls to the God who can make dead bones come to life, pray for each kid to understand that nothing is too difficult for God.
***Next Week: Daniel Obeyed God (Daniel 1)
Family Discipleship Plan
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Family Discipleship Plan •
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Read Ezekiel 37 from the Bible.
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Have you ever been to a museum that has a skeleton of an extinct animal? It’s incredible to see how the creature might have looked when it was alive. The museum usually puts the animal skeleton in an exhibit that shows where it might have lived and what it might have eaten. But no matter how hard people try, they can never bring that set of bones back to life. It’s just not going to happen!
Ezekiel was a prophet who spoke God’s message to the people who were exiled. Although this was a hard job for Ezekiel, God gave him a vision. In this vision, God showed Ezekiel a valley of dry bones. The bones represented the people of Israel. Ezekiel prophesied that God would put muscles, tendons, and skin on the bones. He would put breath in them so they would come to life.
Ezekiel encouraged the exiles. Apart from God, they were dead in their sin. But God was offering them life. He would restore their future. We too are dead in our sin. Apart from Jesus, we are like the dry bones Ezekiel saw. God showed Ezekiel His power to make dead people alive. We see God’s power at the cross, where Jesus died to save sinners. God raised Jesus from the dead, and He gives us eternal life to those who believe in Him.
God breathed life into dead bones in front of Ezekiel. The apostle Paul said that we are dead in our sins, but God gives us new life in Him when we trust in Jesus. God will forever be the God of all people who trust in Jesus.
Pray: God, thank You for giving new life to those who trust in Jesus. We know that sin leads to death—both physical and spiritual—so we praise You for sending Your Son to save us from sin. Amen.
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Preschool:
“The Lord is good to everyone.”
Psalm 145:9
1st-5th:
”The LORD is good to all. He shows deep concern for everything he has made.”
Psalm 145:9 (NIRV) -
Mornings
Ask God to give you hope and strength in the areas where you are struggling to trust Him. How does knowing what God through Ezekiel help you to trust Him in your circumstances—good or bad?
Evenings
Ask God to supply unity and hope for your church. Ask Him to give the people a passion for His Word, a love for others, and a commitment to the church’s mission of making disciples.
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For Fun
Use play dough or modeling clay to create people or animals. Ask each family member to describe the creature they made and any details they’d like the family to know about them. After everyone has shared, discuss how these are just play dough creations and don’t really have any life. Explain how the Bible calls our hearts dead in sin—lifeless and without hope—but that Jesus’ death and resurrection bring new life to all who believe in Him. It is God breathing new life into dead hearts to make them come alive!
To Serve
Visit a retirement home or rehabilitation facility. Lead in a game of bingo, sing songs, teach a craft, or just visit with residents. Talk as a family about how your visit can bring joy and hope to others. Before you leave, pray for the residents and ask God to bring hope to their days.