Can These Bones Live? by Josprel (standard:non fiction, 2476 words)
Author: Josprel	Added: Aug 09 2006	Views/Reads: 3148/3028	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
A study of prophecy relating to Israel, the Gentile nations, and the Biblical relationship these nations have to near-future events.

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God's judgment upon those who did not believe the dry bones could live
again: “The word of the Lord came to me again, saying, ‘Son of man, 
prophecy and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: ‘Wail, ‘Woe to the day!' For 
the day is near, Even the day of the Lord is near; It will be a day of 
clouds, the time of the gentiles. The sword will come upon Egypt, And 
great anguish shall be upon Ethiopia, When the slain fall in Egypt, And 
they take away her wealth, And her foundations are broken down. 
Ethiopia, Libya, Lydia, all the mingled people. Chub, and the men of 
the lands who are allied, shall fall with them by the sword'” (Ezekiel 
30: 1-5; NKJ). 

Ethiopia did not believe the dry bones could live again: Rendered “Cush”
in Hebrew, Ethiopia corresponds to what today is called the Sudan. The 
Sudanese are a people of dark skin tone, and Moses was severely 
criticized by his sister, Miriam, and his brother, Aaron, for his 
marriage to an Ethiopian woman (Numbers 12:1-16; NKJ). 

Both Miriam and Aaron were envious of the leadership position of their
brother Moses. Miriam instigated an open rebellion against Moses and 
Aaron followed her lead. To justify the rebellion, they used the excuse 
that Moses had married an Ethiopian (Cushite) woman. The Lord punished 
Miriam by striking her with leprosy; however, Moses pleaded with Him, 
“Heal her now oh Lord, I beseech thee.” 

God heard the prayer of Moses. He healed Miriam, though not without
inflicting profound humiliation upon her; she was ostracized from the 
people and shut outside the camp for seven days. 

The Nations and the Millennium: Ethiopia: According to Psalm 68, verse
31, Ethiopia “will quickly stretch out her hands to God,” and shall 
enter into the Millennium. 

Libya (Also called “Phut” in the Bible): Libya did not believe the dry
bones could live again: Writings of the 13th and 12th centuries B.C. 
describe Libya (also referred to as Lubim) as being a hostile, warlike 
people. During the 12th through the 8th centuries B.C., Libyans raided 
Egypt, then enter as settlers, and also served as soldiers in the 
Egyptian armies. West of Egypt, Libya still exists as a nation in our 
time. The Bible is silent regarding the future of Libya during the 
millennial age. 

Lydia (Also called “Lud” and “Ludim” in some versions of the Bible):
Lydia did not believe the dry bones could live again: During the time 
of Homer, the Pelasgic Meonians - akin to the Trojans - occupied Lydia. 
From what race the Lydians originated is a mystery. The Greeks 
considered the Lydians and their language barbarous; nonetheless, the 
Lydians were a highly civilized people. 

Assyria (Modern Iraq) did not believe the dry bones could live again:
After of reign of Solomon, all the leaders of Israel approached his 
son, Rehoboam, who became king of Israel. “Your father made our yoke 
heavy,” they complained, referring to the endlessly soaring taxes and 
other burdens Solomon had imposed on the people to finance and 
facilitate his projects, “now, therefore, lighten the burdensome 
service of your father, and his heavy yoke on us, and we will serve 
you.” 

“Return in three days and I shall give you my answer,” the king replied.


During that period, he consulted with the elders who had served his
father. They advised him to do as Israel's leaders requested, but 
Rehoboam rejected the advice. Instead, he consulted with the young men 
with whom he grew up. They advised him to tell the leaders of Israel, 
“My little finger shall be thicker than my father's waist . . . my 
father put a heavy yoke on you. I will add to your yoke: my father 
chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scourges 
[literally: scourges with metal points or barbs] (1st Kings 12: 9-11; 
NKJ).” 

When the leaders returned for the king's answer, Rehoboam responded as
recommended by his friends. The results were catastrophic. Ten of the 
nation's tribes separated from the two that remained loyal to the king 
and formed their own nation. The king assembled an army of one hundred 
and eighty thousand warriors to do battle against the ten separated 
tribes, but was warned by Shemiah, a prophet sent to Rehoboam by God, 
to not do battle against the separating tribes. He obeyed. The ten 
tribes became known as the nation of Israel; the two remaining tribes – 
Judah and Benjamin – became known as Judah. 

Over the centuries, the nation of Israel digressed into idolatry,
intermixed with gentile races, and became known as the Samaritans 
[Recall the question asked to Jesus by the woman at the well, when He 
requested a drink of water? “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a 
drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” (John 4: 4).] 

The verse adds this revealing comment by way of explanation for those
unfamiliar with the centuries-long feud between Judah and Israel 
/Samaria): “For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans” (NKJ). 

Judah, on the other hand, remained relatively true – with some lapses -
to the worship of Jehovah. Ezekiel, chapter 23, characterizes 
Samaria/Israel and Jerusalem/Judah as two sisters. Both committed 
harlotry with other nations, Jehovah charged. 

Of Samaria/Israel, the older sister, the Lord said, “I have delivered
her into the hands of the Assyrians, for whom she lusted” (Ezekiel 23: 
9). 

Jerusalem/Judah, the younger sister, “became more corrupt in her lust
then she [the older sister, Samaria/Israel] and in her harlotry more 
corrupt than her sister's harlotry” (Ezekiel 23: 11). 

“I will sir up . . . the Babylonians, All the Chaldeans [The Chaldeans
were a warlike, aggressive people from the mountains of Kurdistan. They 
conquered and ruled the world of their era] 

Pekod [Pekod was a powerful Armaenan tribe near the mouth of the Tigris
River. During the time of the Prophet Ezekiel, Pekod was within the 
Chaldean Empire] 

Shoa [The Shoa were a tribe of Semitic nomads who populated the Syrian
desert during the 14th century B. C. Baghdad and assimilated with the 
Armaenans. The Shoa never were conquered] 

Koa [Koa was located east of the Tigris River in the upper Adaim and
Diyala rivers region] 

All the Assyrians “. . . and they shall Judge you according to their
judgment . . .” 

Egypt did not believe the dry bones could live again: Nonetheless,
incredible as it may appear to our generation, during the Millennial 
reign of Christ Jesus, Iraq [ancient Assyria] Israel and Egypt, shall 
join together in becoming a blessing: “In that day there will be a 
highway from Egypt to Assyria [Iraq], and the Assyrian [Iraq] will come 
into Egypt and the Egyptian into Assyria [Iraq], and the Egyptians will 
serve with the Assyrians [Iraq]. In that day Israel will be one of 
three with Egypt and Assyria [Iraq] – a blessing in the midst of the 
land, whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, ‘Blessed is Egypt My 
people, and Assyria [Iraq] the work of My hands, and Israel My 
inheritance” (Isaiah 19: 23-25; NKJ). 

Since this author is making this study during a period of profound
hatred and hostilities between Israel, Egypt and Iraq (Assyria) 
Isaiah's prediction seems fantastic – impossible of fulfillment - if it 
were it not for the prophet's assurance that Egypt “will cry to the 
Lord because of the oppressors, and He will send them a Savior and a 
Mighty One, and He will deliver them. Then the Lord will be known to 
Egypt, and the Egyptian will know the Lord in that day and will make 
sacrifices and offerings; yes, they will make a vow to the Lord and 
perform it” (Isaiah 19: 20-21). 

It shall require a calamity that God permits to fall upon Egypt to bring
the Egyptians to the Lord [“And the Lord will strike Egypt, He will 
strike Egypt and heal it; they will return to the Lord, and He will be 
entreated by them and heal them” (Isaiah 19: 22)]. Once they do so, 
Egypt shall be one of the three nations - the other two being Israel 
and Iraq [Assyria] - especially blessed by God during the Millennium. 

Many contemporary nations did not believe the dry bones could live
again: Many of today's nations did not believe the dry bones could live 
again. Several of them, including the Palestinian nations, Hitler's 
Germany and even Great Britain actively endeavored to prevent the 
rebirth of Israel. But it was God's time for the re-gathering of His 
ancient people from the four corners of the Earth. From almost every 
nation under the sun they came. After His people had been cast into the 
world's “valley of dry bones” for untold centuries, God opened the 
graves and drew together the dry bones, put flesh on them, breathed 
life into the nation, and Israel lives! 

From approximately 446 BC until the United Nation's recognition of the
modern State of Israel in our generation, Israel was under the control 
of Gentile world powers. Sadly, as recorded by the Apostle Paul in 
Romans 11: 25, Israel still rejects Jesus Christ as its Messiah; 
however, Paul added a joyful note,  “.  .  . blindness in part has 
happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles [the time of 
Gentile world dominance] has come in [has been completed]. And so all 
Israel shall be saved, as it is written: ‘The Deliverer will come out 
of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; For this is My 
covenant with them, When I take away their sins'” (Romans 11: 25-27; 
Paul's partial quote is taken from Isaiah 59: 20-21). 

According to Zechariah 12: 9-10, when the Gentile nations finally gather
in a united, final attempt to destroy the nation of Israel, God will 
“seek to destroy all nations that come against Jerusalem. And I will 
pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem the 
spirit of grace and supplication: then they will look on Me whom they 
have pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for his only 
son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.” What a graphic 
prediction of the crucifixion of Jesus and Israel's future recognition 
of Him as the true Messiah! 

Yes, the bones live! -30- © Josprel (Joseph Perrello)
Josprel@verizon.net 


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