Ezekiel 37:8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

and there rested the lifeless forms of men devoid of spirit.

The sequence of the original creation precedes that of the new creation. Just as the body of the first man, Adam, was formed before the breath of life was infused into him, so too was this new creation shaped, with flesh and veins developing and skin enveloping it. Yet, at that point, it remained lifeless and inert; however, through God's divine will, it is once again endowed with life and sensation.

Reflect on Ezekiel's vision regarding the valley filled with dry bones. Recall how, as he described, bone connected to bone, and then they were clothed with tendons, flesh, and skin, yet the breath was still absent from them. The Prophet was instructed to proclaim to the breath, and upon his utterance, life surged into all of them. This valley of bones symbolizes humanity in its fallen state, who, in their separation from God, possess no inherent life within themselves and lack the Spirit, as the Apostle teaches.

There existed distinct bodies, formed by the divine might of God, akin to the creation of the first man's body. The bones were interconnected with veins and enveloped in flesh and skin; however, these bodies were lifeless and static, as they were devoid of spirit or soul.