The Valley of Bones - From Lifeless & Dead to Limitless & Thriving: How God Brings Life to Dead Things.

Imagine a vast valley, silent and desolate, filled with nothing but dry, brittle bones scattered across the ground—a graveyard of hopelessness. This is the setting of one of the Bible’s most visually gripping and spiritually profound stories: the Valley of Dry Bones from Ezekiel 37. It’s more than a dramatic vision; it’s a vivid metaphor for spiritual death, despair, and the power of God to bring life where none exists.

These bones aren’t just dead; they’re “very dry,” symbolizing complete lifelessness, total decay, and utter hopelessness. Yet, in the midst of this bleak scene, God’s voice thunders with a promise: through His breath, even the most lifeless situations can be revived, restored, and transformed into something greater than ever imagined—a mighty, unified army. Let’s dive into this story of miraculous restoration and discover what it means for you and me today.

The Setting: A Valley of Death and Despair

A valley often symbolizes a very low point—a place of entrapment, defeat, and despair. But this isn’t just any valley. It’s littered with bones, and not just dry bones, but very dry bones. The Bible emphasizes this point to underline just how long death has held its way here. These bones have no trace of life—no sinew, no marrow, no hope. They represent a state of extreme spiritual lifelessness and decay, where every shred of vitality has been extinguished.

But here’s the twist: this isn’t just an individual’s plight; it’s the desolation of an entire people, a large community—a multitude. This is the complete lifelessness of God’s people. In the context of the story, it’s the people of Israel, but prophetically, it speaks to you and me as well.

The Breath of God: Reviving the Lifeless

Enter God. He commands Ezekiel, a prophet, to prophesy (to speak to the bones, and what unfolds is nothing short of spectacular.

Ezekiel 37:1-6 The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by his Spirit and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. He led me all around them. There were a great many of them on the surface of the valley, and they were very dry.  Then he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

I replied, “Lord God, only you know.”

He said to me, “Prophesy concerning these bones and say TO them: 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. I will put tendons on you, make flesh grow on you, and cover you with skin. I will put breath in you so that you come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”

As Ezekiel speaks to the bones, there’s a noise—a rattling sound—and the bones begin to move. Imagine it: bones clattering and snapping into alignment, tendons weaving themselves like threads, skin stretching taut over sinews. (verses 7 and 8) Why didn’t God restore them instantly? Why the dramatic process?

Because restoration is a process, and every detail matters. God is a God of order. Each bone finds its perfect place, showing that His plans are precise and intentional.

So I prophesied as I had been commanded. While I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. As I looked, tendons appeared on them, flesh grew, and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

But even after the bodies are fully formed, they remain lifeless. Why? Because flesh without God’s breath is still dead. The Hebrew word for breath, Ruach, means wind or spirit. It’s the same breath that brought life to Adam in Genesis 2:7, and it’s the breath (Holy Spirit) that brings life here. Without the Holy Spirit, there’s no life—just empty shells.

Genesis 2:7 (CSB): "Then the Lord God formed the man out of the dust from the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being."

God Creates an Army, Not Just a Crowd

Here’s where it gets even better. When God breathes life into these bones, they don’t just become a group of people. No, they become an army. Every word of God is important and should be looked at in detail.

An army isn’t just a random assembly; it’s a unified, disciplined force with strength, purpose, and mission. An army defends territory, protects its own, and advances strategically. Civilians (non-believers) don’t have access to the insider knowledge, the strategies, or the battle plans of an army. Similarly, God’s plans and wisdom are reserved for His people.

“The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, and He will show them His covenant.” – Psalm 25:14

When God restores, He doesn’t just bring people back to life—He reestablishes them as a mighty force, advancing His kingdom with purpose and power. This isn’t a casual gathering; it’s an army—strategic, united, and equipped to carry out His mission. An army defends territory, guards covenant relationships, and protects hearts and minds. Proverbs 4:23 reminds us to guard our hearts, while Ephesians 6:13 calls us to stand firm against the enemy.

Civilians (non-believers) lack access to the strategies, resources, and intelligence of an (Gods) army, and in the same way, God’s plans are revealed only to His people. Through His Word and the Holy Spirit, He grants insider knowledge, as Psalm 25:14 declares, “The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him.”

Those outside His covenant remain unaware of the spiritual strategies at work, but those in God’s Kingdom Army receive both His direction and protection.

The strength of an army lies in its unity and coordination, and so does the church. 

As members of the body of Christ, we each have a unique role, working together under His command. Disunity weakens the church, but when aligned with God’s Spirit, we become an unstoppable force. And make no mistake—God is the Commander-in-Chief, leading His people to victory, restoring life with divine precision, and building an army prepared to stand, defend, and advance His Kingdom.

What’s Dead in Your Life?

Let’s get personal. What’s dead in your life? Not what’s dying, but what’s already decayed—relationships, dreams, spiritual fervor, physical health, or hope itself? Speak life over it. Without God we remain as human flesh in appearance but lifeless within.

A fully formed body, without the breath of God, is nothing more than a shell. This story is not just about God reviving Israel; it's about God's power to revive anyone and anything that has a covenant identity and purpose. That includes me and you. From total hopelessness and decay, God alone has dominion over life and death. We may feel like dry bones—dead, scattered, purposeless—but the Spirit of God breathes new life into us.

So how did Ezekiel bring life to the dry bones? He spoke to what needed revival. He addressed the dry bones, saying, "Dry bones, I command breath to enter you, and you will live." Then, he prophesied to the breath, declaring, "Breath, come from the four corners of the earth," and the breath came. God gives us a pattern to follow.

You might say, "But Ezekiel was a prophet, and the Lord commanded him to speak to the dead and declare, 'Hear the word of the Lord,' and then commanded the outcome." And isn't this entire Bible the Word of the Lord? There was no Bible in Ezekiel's time, so God had to speak directly to him. Isn't the Bible filled with instructions on how to live, words to speak over your life, and principles to live out? Isn't the Bible written by the Spirit of God through men?

Timothy 3:16: "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness." (ESV)

You take this Word of the Lord and this principle and speak to the dead, decaying areas of your life, commanding them to receive the breath of God—not just to live, but to thrive.

How? Write it down. Call it by name. Now, do what Ezekiel did. Speak to it. Prophesy. Command it to hear the Word of the Lord and to receive the breath of God.

Remember Ezekiel's pattern:

Speak to the "dry bones". In your life, this could be your marriage, your children, your finances, your business, your ministry, your health, your relationships—whatever it is, speak to it!

Prophesy to it, commanding it to hear the Word of the Lord and receive the breath of God, the breath of life, the Ruach, Holy Spirit. Stand in faith, then wait.

Trust the process.

There will be a noise and a rattling. It may be dramatic, even unsettling. But don’t fear—it’s the sound of life coming back. Can you imagine the sight Ezekiel witnessed when the bones began to rattle? The very earth itself responded to God's command. The bones, scattered and lifeless, suddenly started to come together.

The sound and the sight must have been deafening and terrorizing—the rattle of bones finding their place, reconnecting, reassembling. That moment was just the beginning.

After the prophesying comes the rattling, and then begins the process.

In your life, too, there will be rattling. It may not be immediate, but there will be movement. Things that once seemed hopeless will start to shift, and though the transformation may take time, it will be undeniable. The turnaround will be so dramatic that it will catch your attention, drawing others in as well. It will be a clear sign of God's power at work, shaping and reviving what seemed lost.

But just as God gave every bone its precise place, He will give every detail and every step of your life that you prophesied to.... the same attention. He will bring everything together with purpose and precision. That marriage, that relationship, that business, that dream you've almost given up on—God is in the process of aligning it all. When you speak the Word of the Lord and its principles, as long as they align with God's teachings, your prayers will be heard. Be sure your heart is right with God, for He only hears the prayers of the obedient, repented, and righteous. Just as the 'bones' in Ezekiel's vision came together, with sinews, flesh, and breath bringing them to life, God will restore and unite what was once dead, causing it to thrive." 

1 John 5:14-15: This is the confidence we have before him: If we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears whatever we ask, we know that we have what we have asked of him.

Psalm 66:18: If I had been aware of malice in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.

But this won’t happen on its own—you must speak to it. This isn’t a passive act; it’s a bold, faith-filled declaration. So step out in faith and prophesy over the dead and broken areas of your life, your family, and your business. Speak life, speak restoration, and watch as God begins to move.

The Valley of Dry Bones teaches us that no situation is too hopeless for God. From utter desolation to absolute revival, His Spirit can bring life to anything that is dead. So, sit down. Write a list of what feels dead in your life. Speak life into it. Prophesy over it.

And as you do, remember: this isn’t just about survival—it’s about thriving as part of God’s army.

Let the rattling begin.

Amanda Allen, the author of Kingdom Revelations, holds the copyright to her works and art. Copyright © Amanda Allen, Kingdom Revelations, 2025. All rights reserved. This article may be shared with acknowledgment of the author and the original source.