Ezekiel 37:14Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

If, as some interpret, the word of God refers to a universal resurrection, why then specify, And I will bring you out into the land of Israel, when the dead are meant to rise from wherever they have been laid to rest? When He says, I will bring you out from your graves, and I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, then I will settle you in your own land, it is so that, once raised in the land of Israel, you may realize that I, the Lord, have indeed kept My promises. Consequently, those who interpret this as referring to the general resurrection connect the seemingly problematic assertion that these bones represent the entire house of Israel to the resurrection of the saints, about which the apostle in the Revelation (Rev. 20:6) states: Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection; over such, the second death has no power, suggesting there exists a separate resurrection for the righteous and one for the unrepentant. This is further supported by Psalm 1:5, which states: The wicked shall not stand in judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. The land of Israel, promised by the Lord to those resurrected, is, they argue, the one noted in the beatitude: Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5), and: I shall dwell before the Lord in the land of the living (Psalm 114:8). Thus, proponents of the general resurrection theory maintain this perspective.

However, those who offer this interpretation should not criticize us for seemingly rejecting resurrection by presenting a different understanding of this passage. We acknowledge that sacred Scriptures contain far more compelling evidence, which does not provoke doubt, such as in Job (Job 19:26): "Even after my skin is destroyed, yet in my flesh shall I see God" and from Daniel (Dan. 12:2): "Many who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt." In the Gospel, it states: Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Matthew 10:28). The Apostle Paul affirms: He will raise your mortal bodies through His Spirit that dwells in you (Rom. 8:11) and many other similar passages. Thus, it is evident that we do not deny resurrection; instead, we maintain that this passage is not directly about resurrection but employs resurrection imagery (in metaphorical terms) to prophesy the restoration of Israel, which was in captivity in Babylon at that time. We will not provide an opportunity for the heretics by insisting that a general resurrection is not the intended meaning here. The metaphor of resurrection would not have been employed to symbolize Israel's restoration if the concept of resurrection had not been an acknowledged belief, as no one posits the unknown when what is not known is at stake.

The essence of this conveys that, just as it seems improbable that a resurrection is promised to the bones that are parched and lifeless from age, yet this will come to pass, so too will the restoration of Israel, which was exiled and scattered, seem implausible to those aware of God’s omnipotence, but it shall indeed be realized; for, as I have said, the Lord has spoken it, and He will accomplish what He has promised. Thus, in the preceding prophecy regarding the former condition of the mountains of Israel, the Lord asserts: I will turn to you, and you shall be cultivated and sown, and I will greatly increase your population along with all the house of Israel (Ezekiel 36:9-10), affirming that the once desolate house of Israel will inhabit its land, flourishing like a delightful garden, while the forsaken cities will be rebuilt, with the house of Israel multiplying as a flock. The remaining verses carry the same implication, expressed now through allegorical and figurative language, depicting bones that are dry and lacking life, corresponding with the truth that, with man, these things are impossible, but with God, all things are possible (Matt. 19:26). They were drawn out from their graves, from the captivity of sin, and from the bonds of their Babylonian exile. Yet, as previously mentioned, the Jews assert that these fulfillments occurred in the time of Zerubbabel, amidst a significant shift, when the Chaldean empire transitioned to the Medes and Persians, or will occur at the coming of their Messiah, as they believe. We, however, assert that this has been fulfilled following the crucifixion of our Lord the Savior and continues to transpire daily, particularly in those who, like Lazarus (John 11), constrained by their sins, respond to the voice of the Lord and genuinely embody the house of Israel, which once lay in despair without hope for salvation. Upon receiving the spirit of grace and the Lord's outstretched hand, they were rescued from the depths of despair, and those who previously proclaimed: Lord God, You know this, upon being restored, hear the words: O you of little faith, why did you doubt? (Matthew 14:31).