Breathe on me, Breath of God...
Notice that in Ezekiel's prophetic vision the resurrection of the bones takes two steps, v. 8 ("but there was no breath in them" and v. 10 ("the breath came into them, and they lived", as does Jesus' healing of the blind man who at first saw people only "like trees walking" but after Jesus laid his hands on his eyes the second time "saw everything clearly" (Mark 8, verses 24 and 25). This is taken, sometimes, as laying down a requirement for a two-fold action, of baptism and confirmation, or baptism in water and baptism in the Spirit. But - commenting on this passage in the notes for the New Oxford Annotated Bible, ed. 3, Stephen L. Cook writes: v. 3 “... this vision refers to the reestablishment of the exiles in their homeland.” And, of v. 4-8, that “as in Gen 2.7, life is generated here in two stages.” The meanings of this prophetic vision are dynamic and fluid. In the verses that follow there is a continuing play on the Hebrew term “ruah” with its multiple meanings of breath, wind, and spirit. In Genesis, the Lord forms the dust of the ground into a human being in one action, and in another breathes the breath of life into his new creation. The bones gather together, bone to bone, in a great rattle, but it is only when the spirit is breathed into them that they come to life. And at last we come to v. 14 of Ezekiel, “I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act, says the Lord.” It is the action of God throughout that brings life - not animated dust or rattling skeletons but truly living people who rejoice in life and in God’s faithfulness in Word and action. The promise is one that we also find in a name:
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre has another name: it is also the Church of the Resurrection. The place in which the body of Jesus was laid is also the place from which he arose. And as we seek new life in times when mortality seems so close, we also may recall God’s promise. The one who made us is the one who redeems us is the one who fills us with the Spirit - and brings us fully to life.
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