New Life for Old Bones by Glenn A. Hascall Summary In this monologue, Ezekiel tells a little about life in Babylon and a lot about the Valley of Dry Bones. Characters:…
New Life for Old Bones
by Glenn A. Hascall
Summary
In this monologue, Ezekiel tells a little about life in Babylon and a lot about the
Valley of Dry Bones.
Characters:
Ezekiel
Script
EZEKIEL: I am a priest in exile and I long to return home.
Not that life in Babylon has been dreadful. I have my own house and live on
the banks of the Chebar river. My wife was also with me until her unexpected
death.
I was brought to Babylon when I was but a young man and have lived here
since learning this new culture. Many of my fellow exiles stated that we
would all be going home soon. I knew this was not to be. Why? You ask. Well,
the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob also placed within me the gift of
prophecy and I knew that a return to Jerusalem would not happen in my
lifetime.
Just like my compatriot Jeremiah, I was ridiculed and scorned because my
words seemed to lack national pride. Some even said that I was intentionally
holding back a return to Israel because of my words.
They think I do not desire to return to Israel. Would a man dying of thirst
say, "I don't need water."? Would a starving man refuse bread? My heart
aches for my homeland.
It is difficult when one knows the truth because God has revealed it and yet
it is received with such scorn. Yet, Jeremiah can tell you that the burden
of the message makes it impossible to keep silent. Oi, can I relate.
(Pause contemplating whether the following should be said)
May I tell you of a certain message? One that is as vivid to me today as it
was the day that it happened.
I have heard that songs have been sung about that day. Children sing about
the connecting of dry bones. But songs can never truly portray what I saw in
that valley.
God Himself took me to a valley unlike anything I had ever seen.
I immediately think of the words of King David, 'Yea, though I walk through
the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, For You are with
me.' This was the only thought that brought me any comfort as I looked over
the valley only to see human bones stretching in all directions.
God asked me, 'Do you think these bones can live?'
How am I to know the answer to this question? I tell Him, 'O Lord God, You
know.'
Then He tells me to do the most unusual thing, He says, 'Prophecy to these
bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! Thus says
the Lord God to these bones: 'Surely I will cause breath to enter you, and
you shall live. I will put sinews back on you and bring flesh upon you,
cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you will
know that I am the Lord.'
From my point of view I did not need the convincing, but I prophesied
nonetheless. I watched as bone connected with bone and muscle and mass began
to appear and soon skin and hair covered bodies across the valley.
I must tell you that I was much less comfortable standing amidst the dead
that I was standing among dried bones. Yet, there I stood wondering what was
to come.
Then the Lord says to me, 'Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and
say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God: 'Come from the four winds, O
breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.'
This I did and without waiting. I had seen what had happened the first time
and I watched as one man, then another. One dozen - then two begin to
breath. Eyes opened and a vast army stood up. I felt as if I had witnessed
what it would be like to be born twice.
Yet, it was a vision. I would awake in the morning with the memory burning
in my mind. This was finally news of great joy that I could share with the
exiles in Babylon. Just as dry bones had been scattered in the valley of
vision, so had been the people of Israel. Yet God caused the gathering of
bones and the breath of new life to enter into it. This was a glorious
promise from God Himself - that one day He would gather His people together
again and they would no longer be exiled but a united Israel.
We would return to our land and there would indeed come a day when the
national punishment of exile would end and the people returning would have
hearts revived in their worship of the one true God.
This is one message from God in which I am glad I feel a burning to share,
and one that may finally have the hope the Israeli exiles have been waiting
for.
For you see, I am a priest in exile and though I go the way of all flesh -
one day my people will be home and to think that God chose to share such
good news with me. I can do no less than share it with you.
......................................................
Copyright 2001 by Glenn A. Hascall & CMI Publishing
If you use any of these scripts would you please be so kind as to let
Us know? Email us at: glenn.hascall<a>gmail.com