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Opinion
Watson, Don
2011
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Dry Bones Revival – Corporate and Personal
Submitted: Aug 22, 2011
By Don Watson
In Ezekiel 37 God gives the prophet a vision of scattered dry bones. In this vision, scattered bones, flesh, muscle, and skin miraculously come together and form bodies – lifeless bodies, until Ezekiel calls the Breath of God, the Holy Spirit, from the four winds to bring them to life, making them a great and mighty army. There are few passages in scripture (if any) that, so honestly and powerfully, picture the plight of God’s people. Like Israel, we are in a captivity to sin that is so deadly, God pictures us as scattered bones - not merely dead and stripped clean of any flesh or skin, but bones, dry bones. The lesson is obvious, we need to be revived – we need revival.
After reading this vision, I was struck by the importance, no, really the necessity, that if we are to live in revival, each of us must continually accept the fact that we are not merely dead, not merely bones, but dry bones - completely devoid of any life of ourselves.
I grew up in the Adventist Church, and remember often hearing sermons or series of sermons on revival. The speakers would often quote that "It was our greatest need." And it would result in my parents deciding that we would not eat sugar anymore or watch TV anymore and so I pretty much dreaded revival. Don't get me wrong, I loved going to church - well, Sabbath School anyway. Church was a bit boring but still, it was all, by and large, a good, wholesome atmosphere and community to grow up in. It was the same way with church school. I went through College in Adventist Education, and while it wasn't perfect, it gave me this rich foundation of God and purpose and a lifestyle of being good and loving others.
I wanted to say all of the above to put the rest of our discussion in perspective. In spite of my good experience in Adventist Education and the Adventist Church - and I am still a member - my life began to fall apart at the very seams, the core, the very places that should have been my strength. [I've also discovered I am not alone in what I have experienced in our church] What I am saying is this: In a church where morality and obedience is the very core of our message (We are God's Remnant who "keep the commandments of God." - Revelation 12:17), I, and thousands of others like me, have found it impossible to be moral or obedient. I realize that my personal weakness does not in itself indict the church. I accept responsibility for me, and the repentance, into which God has led me, has been such a blessing! God is teaching me that revival, which we as individuals, churches, and denominations (Not just some of us but all of us) need to constantly experience, is not "a green valley getting greener" (Roy Hession, The Calvary Road); it is not a good car getting a few final dents banged out, but a valley full of dry bones being made to live again and stand up an exceeding great army (Ezekiel 37). If revival is ever to happen and continually be sustained, we must of necessity accept the fact that we are not merely deficient, but dead. We are not merely dead but stripped to the bone of anything of use (Flesh, muscle, skin). And furthermore, we are not merely bones, but dry bones!
Please forgive me for beating this dead horse, but I don't want you to miss what I'm saying here. We need to accept that "God's call to us is NOT to become better Christians - as God sees us there are not any good Christians - but rather [And here it is . . .], Christians honestly confessing that their Christian life is a valley of dry bones and it is that very confession that qualifies us for the grace that flows from the cross and makes all things new.” (Roy Hession, The Calvary Road)
But in addition, (And this is my point) corporate Christianity [Churches and denominations] need the same kind of "dry-bones-understanding" about who they are, and a daily repentance (a constant turning to God).
There is a lot of corporate talk about how good we are and all the wonderful things we have accomplished, and too little honest, open recognition of our sins, weaknesses, and failings - times when we have neglected people - been too busy to corporately care - hurtful in our board meetings, unforgiving in our judgments of the sins of our members.
If we are not careful, there can be a corporate arrogance toward other churches and their doctrines, political positions, and practices that is nothing like the humility of Jesus. We can corporately single out the public sins and practices of the poor, the weak and the non-religious while we ignore and justify our own private sins and practices, because we are rich, religious or powerful. In seeking power and control, we have sanctified uniformity and called it unity; we have discarded the unconditional love, acceptance and forgiveness of Jesus and called it purity and faithfulness; and finally, we have turned the gospel of grace into rules, policies, manuals, and "fundamentals" rather than a real, personal, intimate, unique relationship that each of us can have directly with Jesus Christ and the Divine Trinity.
I suppose there are times we look at the complex and often corrupt workings of corporate Christianity and wonder if revival can take place at all. It almost seems hopeless, but it is not. It is not. Look at what God said to Ezekiel about the corporate mess of Israel. "Then he said to me, "Son of man, these bones represent the people of Israel. They are saying, 'We have become old, dry bones, all hope is gone. Our nation is finished.’ Therefore, prophesy to them and say, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: 'O my people [Hear the passionate love in God’s voice], I will open your graves of exile and cause you to rise again. Then I will bring you back to the land of Israel. When this happens, O my people, you will know that I am the LORD. I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live again and return home to your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, [Yahweh is the God of relationship – I AM] have spoken, and I have done what I said. Yes, the LORD has spoken!' So I spoke the message as he commanded me, and breath came into their bodies. They all came to life and stood up on their feet-a great army." (Ezekiel 37:10-14)
Dear Grace Family these bones are us! But we are not without hope, He “will put [His] Spirit in us,” enter our dry bones and make us alive, a great army - it will take place.
Revival is NOT trying to correct all the foul things that make us dry bones. It is a completely different emphasis. It is a crying out after God to fill us with His Breath, His Spirit, and intimately live in us. But He can never fill a cup that is already full with us and our control, and our goodness. We must allow Him to break us and show us that we are dry bones. That is the criteria for being filled – constantly admitting we are dry bones. And that is the beginning of revival.
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" I realize that my personal weakness does not in itself indict the church."
Where, but the church, did you get the idea of the necessity of "keeping the commandments" and being good was what was required? Weren't these indoctrinated at your earliest memories? Where, but the church could you have learned that all the lists of necessities for Adventists was what was expected of you?
It appears that you have had a "real" conversion; not the decision to be baptized as an Adventist, probably in your early life, but the complete turn-around in the concept which you learned of a more trusting God who accepts you in spite of your imperfections. Had you been taught this, you would not be telling of your conversion, which is the exact description of conversion: To bring over from one belief, or view to another.
It reminds me of our pastor, shortly after he came, telling of his being raised an Adventist, all 16 years of SDA schools, and yet never being converted. Only when he was courting his Pentecostal wife, did she direct him to Galatians and Paul's letters where he finally discovered what becoming a Christian meant. It was not behaviors, which he had been carefully taught, but the God accepts all who come to him. There are too many claiming to be good Adventists by their lifestyles, but who have not been converted.
Personally, I don't think most people are willing to pay the price of authentic revival. Every revival that I have read of usually starts with God showing up in power and baptising people in the Holy Spirit. (Be it individuals in private settings or corporatate meetings). The effects are mindboggling and those that radically submit to God often become world changers. But to be honest, when God shows up, things get messy. Eg. bodies shake, fall; people laugh, cry, have visions, trances; some call out for mercy, others get healed, others delivered and the list goes on... While I hear more and more talk of revival (and reformation), it would appear to me that we are trying to have revival without the Holy Spirit. After all, who needs all that weird stuff anyway?!
Matt,
It would appear that your knowledge of the Holy Spirit is both limited and theoretical. Let me tell you what it really is like from my experience in gift-based ministry. I've never been knocked off my feet, had a vision, etc. What I have seen is God working through me to lead people in serving others. I've long since quit counting how many times God has prepared the path ahead of us and done great things that obviously were beyond human power to accomplish. (I'd love to share stories with you but they don't want us writing books here.) The baptism of the Holy Spirit like fell on those in the upper room on Pentecost comes after an extended time of working closely with Jesus. It is the full outpouring of power once we've learned to use the limited power we are given first.
Are you ready to start experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit working in and through you? Here's how to do it.
First, make yourself available to God. Tell Him you want the Holy Spirit to lead and control you. DO NOT take a spiritual gifts test or study spiritual gifts because you need the Holy Spirit to reveal Himself to you instead of you getting lost in someone's concept of spiritual gifts.
Second, study the miracles of Jesus. The first result of each miracle was an improvement in a person's life. Ask God to show you how He has already empowered you to improve the lives of others around you. Now, I have to warn you about what is probably going to happen next. You're going to see a need and feel God move on your heart to try and meet that need. But you're going to feel your weakness because that need is going to be far bigger than anything you are capable of doing. So you're going to go to your friends and ask them to work with you to meet the need.
Third, you're going to see God work through you in amazing ways. Your faith will be refreshed with an energy like you've never felt before.
Do this and you will discover what it is like to be empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Interesting recipe, William, however rather than judging another readers response to the article, (you concluded response by previous reader was "theoretical and limited" and proceeded to give unsolicited advice) I'd rather encourage discourse on the original topic presented. This explains the request for concise brevity in comments.
Adventist Today is always looking for authors and writers, (even ones who write prescriptively ;)
I welcome you to tell some of your stories for our readers! This subject is sure to bring many responses, especially when accompanied by evidences and experiential anecdotes, which your faith community is crying out to hear.
Thank you, Don, for another excellent submission, and the attendant reminder that revival is not about us "doing it better". My dry bones are thirsty for the Isaiah 58:11 promise....
Matt, i sense a delightful tongue-in-cheek aspect to your reply! It seems we share a bit of this perspective.
Seems, if we can't program, schedule, box, and mete out the requirements, we reject it.
After all, like true education (teach me HOW to think, not WHAT to think)
a free and "messy" baptism is impossible to "control" and sanction approve, judge, or claim.
Dangerous (at least to the power structure of institutional politics).
I for one, for years subscribed to "weird stufff" that is "too pentecostal"
-ie the accepted "corporate teaching"- was not of God.
Now, i want to never again be accused of "being too sober".
I appreciate your profound post on acknowledging our state and long for the joy of faith renewed that lasts. I think the steps given by William were also right on, but I have seen both in the lives of some Pentecostal relatives.
One suggestion--what about changing the term "revival" as it belongs in musty tents and a by-gone age. It can hardly be comprehended by today's culture. The same goes for a lot of other words of the past like "crusades," "temperance," "health reform," etc. The principle is still there but an updated word would be more attractive and not so trite to our younger and even middle-aged members.
Thanks for your encouragement and advice. However, I'm not exactly a novice in re to the Holy Spirit. If you are interested to know at least some of my journey into the reviving presence of the Holy Spirit, then you may like to read a document I posted on Facebook under SDA Holy Spirit Testimonies.
The title: Matt's Personal Journey.
Blessings