The Exceedingly Great Army (Ezekiel 37:1-10) 11/08/2020
The Answers of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd RUTC: The Exceedingly Great Army (Ezekiel 37:1-10) 11/08/2020
Something that should never happen to God’s people happened. The nation perished, churches crumbled, and all the posterity became enslaved. It was a time where all hope and the future were lost. If you carefully meditate on the Bible, God countlessly warns that such events will continuously take place during the final days. God does not leave His people to perish. He gave them answers, saved them, and led them to victory and conquest. That is the blessing of world evangelization. God calls them the remnants and the holy seed in Isaiah. In verse 10 of today’s passage which is the core of Ezekiel, they are called the army of God. They were not just any army. They were an exceedingly great army of God.
- Why an army? The Bible emphasizes God’s people as an army at least three times for three reasons.
1) The Israelites were called the army of God from the moment they were saved from Egypt (Exodus 12:41).
Israel had lived as slaves for 400 years in Egypt. It is an inescapable curse, destiny, and fate.
① They came out of the 400-year destiny the moment they killed and spread the blood of the lamb.
What is the blood of the Passover? It is the covenant of Christ. The curse of original sin that I was unaware I was in, the family curse that I did not choose, the curse of Satan of continuous spiritual problems, and the curse of hell where it feels like hell until one actually goes to hell, all ended through His death. We have been liberated. We have become ones who enjoy God’s blessings, not curses.
② They were called the army of God from the moment they came out of Egypt so that they may not lose that blessing once again.
“At the end of 430 years, on that very day, all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt” (Exodus 12:41). In the eyes of people, they were people who came out of slavery but to God, they were hosts (army). This is our identity the moment we are saved.
③ What and who is this army for? It is an army to protect ourself and the blessing that God has prepared.
The soldier must begin with saving himself. The devil prowls around like a roaring lion to destroy me who has been saved (1 Peter 5:8-9). It is to take away my faith so that I may always live in helplessness, despair, unbelief, and the world. This is the reason God said to Noah, “build an ark for yourself” (Genesis 6:14). When I live, my family and children will all live (Genesis 6:18).
2) When Israel finally conquered Canaan, they were called the army of God.
They were told to differentiate those who could go to war from twenty years old and upward before going into the wilderness (Number 1:3). There were wars in the wilderness, but the most important war was the war in Canaan. It was a war to rule and conquer the land. For this, the commander of the army of the Lord appeared to them before the first war in Jericho (Joshua 5:14-15).
① What does the Canaan War signify? It is the war we fight to establish God’s kingdom in our field.
This is the second reason for needing an army. It is to establish a kingdom and protect it. Veteran’s Day is a day of remembering their sacrifices. Now we must all live as God’s veterans. This land where I study, work, and live is the place to establish the kingdom of God. Who is controlling that field? Our enemy, the forces of darkness, is completely controlling it. It said that the whole earth will be covered in darkness (Isaiah 60:2). The forces of darkness have taken control of all politics, economy, society, and culture (John 14:30, Ephesians 6:12, Revelations 18:1-3).
② Christ leads the war and fights with us in the war (Revelations 17:14).
He has given us His authority (Luke 10:19). Darkness is bound by the power of the Holy Spirit and the Kingdom of God is established (Matthew 12:28). Pray that darkness may be bound, and the kingdom of God be established during your personal prayer time in your school, work, and business. The forces of darkness that deceive, create conflict and blocks will be bound and all doors (evangelism doors) will open (Matthew 16:18-19). If there is one person that can be with you in this and pray together, that place becomes the kingdom of God (specialized church) (Matthew 18:18-19).
3) God calls the remnant disciples who will save the age and future, soldiers of Christ (2 Timothy 2:3-4).
① All second-generation remnants must hold onto this covenant and identity. The generation does not simply become enslaved and fails when the generation loses hold of this. It goes beyond that. Churches will close doors and become dead churches. That is the dream of the wilderness of dried bones. Why did the Bible leave such pitiful and shameful facts? It was to wake us up during the final days (1 Corinthians 10:11).
② Oppositely, we will become the summit and those who save the 237 nations if we truly stand as soldiers of Christ.
That is the Remnant Age and the Age of RUTC in which the 7 remnants arose, which is what we have been waiting for and praying for.
- Then how can we live as the army of God and soldiers of Christ? He gives us three answers.
1) First, God asks Ezekiel, “can these bones live?” (verse 3).
① The prophet’s reply was faith and confession of faith that believed that only God could carry out. “O Lord God, you know.”
Where does the faith that believes only that only God can carry out come from? That is the faith that has realized the gospel (Romans 1:17–18).
② It is God’s Son, Christ, who came for God to do this Himself (Matthew 16:16-19).
Christ has finished everything (John 19:30), and His life, power, and authority can renew everything (2 Corinthians 5:17).
2) Now God says, “O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord” (verse 4).
① When we truly hold onto God’s word, the word saves, heals, and raises me as a warrior at that time (1 Thessalonians 2:13).
The Word was God and the Word came among us, and it was full of the Father’s glory and truth (John 1:1-14).
② Hence, we must hold onto the word, meditate on it, and make the life that follows the word into a habit and nature (personal system).
That word is shared as a testimony to someone and that person comes to life and rises as a warrior (field system, disciple system).
3) God said that He would breathe life into them(Verse 5).
① The English says, “I will cause breath to enter you. To let “breath enter” means He will fill us with His Spirit.
This expression was used when creating us (Genesis 2:7), recording the Bible (1 Timothy 3:16), and when pouring the filling of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples (John 20:22-23). This signifies the blessing of the filling of the Holy Spirit that the saved person must enjoy.
② The Holy Spirit is already with the one who is saved (1 Corinthians 3:16, Ephesians 1:13, 1 Corinthians 12:3, Galatians 4:6). Now, enjoy His filling.
Seek this blessing when waking up in the morning and going to bed at night, while studying and doing important things, and during sickness and helplessness. He lets us know the deep things of God and grace (1 Corinthians 2:13). His power works in my weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). He lets me overcome my standard and level (Philippians 4:13). The masterpiece, platform, and blessing of the summit comes forth then.
Conclusion – It does not matter if my reality and form look like dried bones. God can do it. We are those who have been called as the army of God. May you all stand, not as an average soldier, but as soldiers and warriors who are victorious in all fields and problems.