Narrative Lectionary 646 (NL414): Ezekiel: The Valley of Dry Bones - December 07, 2025

Working Preacher's Narrative Lectionary

When everything feels dead and hope seems lost, can dry bones live again?

In this powerful episode for the Second Sunday of Advent, hosts Rolf Jacobson, Kathryn Schifferdecker, and Craig Koester explore Ezekiel's stunning vision of the valley of dry bones—a message of hope for exiles who believed they were completely cut off from God.

The conversation unpacks the rich Hebrew word "ruach" (spirit/breath/wind) that runs throughout Ezekiel 37, revealing how God promises to breathe new life into seemingly hopeless situations. Unlike Jeremiah who wrote from Jerusalem to the exiles, Ezekiel himself was living in exile, speaking directly into the despair of a displaced people whose city had been destroyed and who felt abandoned by God.

This isn't just ancient history. Whether you're an individual feeling spiritually dried up, or part of a congregation that seems to have lost its vitality, this text speaks directly to that despair. As the hosts emphasize, the Israelites' lament—"our bones are dried up, our hope is lost, we are cut off completely"—represents the deepest kind of spiritual crisis. Yet God's response through Ezekiel is a vivid, visual promise: I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live.

The discussion highlights how Advent functions as a season of holy waiting and exile, longing for home. Kathryn notes Michael Chan's powerful observation that "Ezekiel's audience lives life with an open wound," and that the journey to genuine hope begins with "a hard stare into the eyes of truth."

This isn't false optimism—it's hope grounded in the God of life who has the power to bring resurrection even from death-dealing situations.

Whether you're preparing a sermon, teaching a Bible study, or seeking personal encouragement, this episode offers both scholarly insight and pastoral wisdom for one of Scripture's most memorable visions of hope.

TIMECODES: 00:00 Advent Life and Exile 02:54 Ezekiel's Vision of Hope 05:52 The Power of God in Despair 09:00 Understanding Yahweh's Promise 11:07 Hope Amidst Exile

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Follow along with the commentary on Ezekiel 37:1-14 written by Michael J. Chan at https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/narrative-lectionary/ezekiel-valley-of-dry-bones/commentary-on-ezekiel-371-14-12.

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Watch this episode on YouTube at https://youtu.be/1fjYO_GrPX8.