9. What similarities are there between the experiences of ancient natural Israel and those of “the Israel of God”?

⁹ Restoration prophecies concerning Israel, such as the ones spoken by Ezekiel, have a larger fulfillment. (Acts 3:21) Just as the ancient nation of natural Israel was “killed” and remained symbolically dead for a considerable time, so “the Israel of God,” the anointed Christian congregation, was killed symbolically and experienced deathlike captivity for a long time. (Gal. 6:16) In fact, the captivity of the anointed congregation as a whole continued for so long that their spiritual condition could well be compared to that of bones that “were very dry.” (Ezek. 37:2) As explained in the preceding chapter, the captivity of the anointed Christian congregation began in the second century C.E. and lasted for many centuries, just as Jesus had indicated in his Kingdom illustration of the wheat and the weeds.​—Matt. 13:24-30.

4. What stood out to Ezekiel in the vision he received?

⁴ Read Ezekiel 37:1-10. In a vision, Ezekiel is set down in a valley plain that is covered with bones. As if to make sure that Ezekiel felt the full impact of the vision, Jehovah ordered the prophet to “pass all around” those widely scattered bones. As Ezekiel walked on the valley plain, two things about the bones especially stood out to him: their number and their condition. “There were very many,” he observed, and “they were very dry.”

5. What two commands did Jehovah give to Ezekiel, and what happened after Ezekiel carried them out?

⁵ Then Jehovah gave Ezekiel two commands that would set in motion a progressive restoration. The first command was: “Prophesy over these bones,” telling them to “come to life.” (Ezek. 37:4-6) As soon as Ezekiel prophesied, “there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones began to come together,” after which “sinews and flesh” came on the bones, “and skin covered over them.” (Ezek. 37:7, 8) The second command was: “Prophesy to the wind,” telling it to “blow upon” the bodies. When Ezekiel prophesied, “breath came into them, and they began to live and to stand on their feet, an extremely large army.”​—Ezek. 37:9, 10.

“Our Bones Are Dry, and Our Hope Has Perished”

6. What words of Jehovah helped Ezekiel to understand the vision?

⁶ Jehovah next revealed to Ezekiel how the vision was to be understood, saying: “These bones are the whole house of Israel.” Indeed, after the exiles had learned of Jerusalem’s destruction, they felt that they were as good as dead. Therefore, they lamented: “Our bones are dry, and our hope has perished. We are completely cut off.” (Ezek. 37:11; Jer. 34:20) Then in response to their lament, Jehovah revealed that this gloomy vision of bones actually contained a bright message of hope for Israel.

7. What did Jehovah reveal to Ezekiel, as recorded at Ezekiel 37:12-14, and what assurance did this give His exiled people?

⁷ Read Ezekiel 37:12-14. Through this vision, Jehovah assured the exiles that he would bring them to life, lead them back to their land, and let them settle there. Moreover, Jehovah addressed them again as “my people.” How uplifting those words must have been for the despondent exiles! Why could they be certain that this promise of restoration would come true? Because Jehovah himself stood behind it. He declared: “I myself, Jehovah, have spoken and I have done it.”

“Bones Began to Come Together”

10. (a) What development regarding God’s people was foretold at Ezekiel 37:7, 8? (b) What factors must have gradually restored the faith of God-fearing exiles?

¹⁰ In ancient times, Jehovah foretold that his people would experience a progressive restoration to life. (Ezek. 37:7, 8)

11, 12. (a) How did a gradual restoration occur among “the Israel of God”? (See also the box “Pure Worship​—Gradually Restored.”) (b) What question is raised by the statement found at Ezekiel 37:10?

¹¹ How did a similar gradual restoration occur among “the Israel of God,” the anointed Christian congregation? Many centuries into the long period of deathlike captivity, “a noise, a rattling sound,” was heard as God-fearing individuals rose up in behalf of true worship. For instance, in the 16th century, William Tyndale prepared a Bible translation in English. The Roman Catholic clergy were angered that the Bible could now be read by the common man. Tyndale was killed. Even so, other courageous individuals continued to produce Bible translations in additional languages, and spiritual light gradually spread throughout the dark world.

¹² Later, when Charles T. Russell and his associates began to work zealously to restore Bible truths, it was as if “sinews and flesh” came on the bones. Zion’s Watch Tower and other publications helped honesthearted ones to discover spiritual truths, which moved them to join themselves to God’s anointed servants. In the early 1900’s, God’s anointed people were further energized by such tools as the “Photo-Drama of Creation” and the book The Finished Mystery. Shortly thereafter, God’s time came to make his people “stand on their feet.” (Ezek. 37:10)

“They Began to Live and to Stand on Their Feet”

13. (a) Beginning in 537 B.C.E., how did the words found at Ezekiel 37:10, 14 see fulfillment? (b) What scriptures indicate that some members of the ten-tribe kingdom returned to Israel?

¹³ Beginning in 537 B.C.E., the Jews in Babylon saw the fulfillment of the vision. How? Jehovah brought them to life and made them “stand on their feet” by delivering them from captivity and letting them return to Israel.

14. (a) How do the words at Ezekiel 37:24 help us to determine the time of the prophecy’s principal fulfillment? (b) What took place in 1919? (See also the box “‘Dry Bones’ and ‘Two Witnesses’​—How Do They Relate?”)

¹⁴ How did this part of Ezekiel’s prophecy see a larger fulfillment? As Jehovah revealed to Ezekiel in a related prophecy, the principal fulfillment of this restoration prophecy would occur some time after the Greater David, Jesus Christ, began to rule as King.b (Ezek. 37:24) And indeed, in 1919, Jehovah put his spirit in his people. As a result, they came “to life” and were released from their captivity to Babylon the Great. (Isa. 66:8) After that, Jehovah allowed them to settle on their “land,” that is, in the spiritual paradise. How, though, have Jehovah’s modern-day people become a “large army”?

15, 16. (a) How have Jehovah’s modern-day people become a “large army”? (b) How does this prophecy of Ezekiel help us to cope with trialsome circumstances in life? (See the box “Help to Get Back on Our Feet.”)

¹⁵ Not long after Christ appointed the faithful slave in 1919, God’s servants began to experience what Zechariah, a prophet serving among the returned exiles, had foretold when he said: “Many peoples and mighty nations will come to seek Jehovah.” The prophet depicted those seekers of Jehovah as “ten men out of all the languages of the nations.” The men would take firm hold of “a Jew,” spiritual Israel, while saying: “We want to go with you, for we have heard that God is with you people.”​—Zech. 8:20-23.

¹⁶ Today, those of spiritual Israel (the anointed remnant) and, by extension, the “ten men” (the other sheep) together do indeed form “an extremely large army,” numbering into the millions. (Ezek. 37:10) As soldiers of Christ in this ever-growing army, we closely follow our King, Jesus, onward to the blessings that lie ahead of us.​—Ps. 37:29; Ezek. 37:24; Phil. 2:25; 1 Thess. 4:16, 17.

THE year 1919 saw the fulfillment of two related prophecies: one regarding “dry bones,” the other about “two witnesses.” The vision of “dry bones” foretells a very long period (which turned out to be many centuries) that ends with the coming to life of a large group of God’s people. (Ezek. 37:2-4; Rev. 11:1-3, 7-13) The prophecy about the “two witnesses” describes a short period (fulfilled from late 1914 to early 1919) that ends with the coming to life of a small group of God’s servants. Both prophecies depicted a symbolic resurrection, and both prophecies saw a modern-day fulfillment in 1919 when Jehovah caused his anointed servants “to stand on their feet,” leave their captivity to Babylon the Great, and be gathered in the restored congregation.​—Ezek. 37:10.

Note, though, that the fulfillment of these two prophecies differs in an important way. The prophecy of the “dry bones” foretells the coming to life of all members of the anointed remnant. However, the prophecy of the “two witnesses” foretells the coming to life of some members of God’s anointed remnant​—those who were taking the lead in the organization and who were appointed as “the faithful and discreet slave.”​—Matt. 24:45; Rev. 11:6.a