Danny BurnleyBones! Do you realize that the word “bones” is mentioned 97 times in the Bible – five times in the New Testament and 92 times in the Old Testament?
The first mention of bones is found in Genesis 2:33: “And Adam said, this is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” The last mention of bones is in Hebrews 11:22: “By faith, Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.”
In the 37th chapter of Ezekiel, the Lord carried Ezekiel out in the spirit of the Lord and set him down in the midst of the valley, which was full of bones, and the Lord said unto him, “Son of man, can these bones live? Ezekiel answered, ‘O Lord God, thou knowest.'” The Lord commanded Ezekiel, “Prophesy upon the bones, and say unto them, hear the word of the Lord. Three times the Lord commanded His prophet to prophesy unto the bones and he prophesied as he commanded and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceeding great army!”
With more than 2,000 churches within our state convention, pastors can be encouraged as we consider this subject of “bones.” If Ezekiel could preach to dead men’s bones and they could come alive and become an exceeding great army, then we, as preachers of the gospel, can glean from this word “bones” and learn some valuable lessons.
As we stand from Sunday to Sunday and preach, we, too, should realize that we are preaching to “bones” as did Ezekiel in his day. I want to devote some thought for the next four articles within “The Pastor’s Corner” to four particular bones to whom we preach. These four bones are the Jawbone, the Knucklebone, the Wishbone and the Backbone. Be encouraged!
First, consider the Jawbone. In Jude, verses 15 and 16, we read of the ungodly: “These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouths speaketh swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage” (v. 16).
In verses 18 and 19, we are told that these are “mockers – who walk after their own ungodly lusts – sensual, having not the spirit.” The Jawboners are found in the Old Testament, six times in Exodus and Numbers, where we read that the people “murmured against Moses.” In Deuteronomy 1:27, they “murmured” in their tents. In Luke 5:30, the Pharisees “murmured against the disciples”; in John 6:41, “The Jews – murmured at him (Jesus), because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.” In Exodus 16:7-8, when the children of Israel came to the wilderness of sin, Moses and Aaron addressed the people, saying, “That he (the Lord) heareth your murmurings against the Lord, and what are we that ye murmur against us?”
What is the message to the Jawbones? “Do all things without murmurings and disputing: that ye may be blameless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:14-15). Preach to the bones!
Editor’ note: First of four articles. Next: “The Knucklebone.”