Valley of Dry Bones

Hardshell "patriarch," Elder R. W. Thompson, says this about the Hardshell "interpretation" of Ezekiel and the valley of dry bones.

"These bones . . . were an evidence of a former life, and are far from representing unregenerate sinners, who are dead in trespasses and sins . . . If these dry bones represent any who have not been quickened by the Spirit, then there might be a reason for calling upon dead sinners to hear, believe and obey. As they do not, but do represent . . . Christians . . . If it should be claimed that Ezekiel was an instrument in the hand of God, to the accomplishing of this change, then I would say, He would only be such to those who were dead to their privileges and enjoyments; but were not dead to the fact, that they were God's chosen people highly favored . . ." (pages 1, 4 of THE HARDSHELL BAPTIST, 3/85).

If this statement from Thompson doesn't demonstrate the determination of the Hardshells to believe their theory no matter what the scriptures show to the contrary, then it cannot be so demonstrated.

The Hardshells know that the vision of the dry bones destroys their arguments against human means! So, what do they do? They affirm that those dry and dead bones represent living, regenerated children of God, or Christians!

If you can make "dead" to mean "alive," then you can make the Bible mean anything! Thompson also confesses that if the death of the bones is emblematic of the death of the sinner, then there "might be" a reason for calling upon dead sinners to hear, believe, and obey!" He is going to hold on to his theory no matter what!

Dad printed this article in his paper and called Thompson's interpretation "the correct interpretation!"

Elder Mitchell, another Hardshell, wrote the following on Ezekiel's valley of dry bones:

"This vision of the valley of dry bones has frequently been applied, both in preaching and writing, to represent the unconverted sinner while dead in trespasses and in sins; and the prophesying of the prophet upon these dry bones is said to represent the preaching of the gospel to the unconverted and dead sinner, who is alienated from the life of God through the blindness of his heart, and this preaching to him, it is said, becomes the means by which God gives him life from the dead."

"Now, as we have neither time nor inclination to argue this question, it may suffice to say at present, that neither this narrative of the valley of dry bones, nor any other text, will justify such an application of the subject as we have stated above. "The preaching of the gospel is to them that perish foolishness." To them it is the "savor of death unto death," but to the church and people of God who are born of God, it is the "savor of life unto life," as Ezekiel's prophesy was unto the "whole house of Israel" as represented by the dry bones of the valley. The Lord saith unto the prophet, "These bones are the whole house of Israel." And not only this, but he also saith that they are "my people;" therefore, or for that reason, "prophesy unto them." "Thus saith the Lord, Behold, O my people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.""

"With regard to the valley of dry bones, they are said to be not only dry, but very dry. And though dry and very dry, they are designed of God to represent "The whole house of Israel," who, in their low and degenerate state of worship, were as helpless, and had no more power to revive themselves, or bring themselves back to their former state of peace, joy and prosperity in the land of Israel, than a valley full of dry bones had to clothe themselves with sinews, flesh and skin, and stand up an exceeding great army of living men and women before the Lord. No; Israel was helpless, and nothing but the Almighty and life-giving power of God could again revive them, or bring them back to the simplicity and purity of the worship of God from which they had departed. But there is nothing too hard for the Lord which he has promised or proposed to do. And as he designed to send his prophet to this rebellious, hard-hearted and helpless people, that prophet must have an experience which would adapt him to the work, and enable him to go forth in the Lord's name, speaking with faith and confidence that the word of the Lord should not return unto him void, but that it should accomplish what, the Lord would have it do, and prosper in the very things to which God should send it, even though it should seem as impossible to human reason as it would be for dry bones to rise up into an army of living men. But before the prophet could understand all this, and go forth with confidence, he must first know his own weakness, and be made to feel that he was as passive and helpless in the hands of God as a dry lump of clay would be in the hands of the potter."

"They (God's messengers or ministers) become concerned, not so much about "saving souls" from an eternal hell, as they do for the purity of the church of God in doctrine and in order."

"The prophet thus had an experience of the sovereign and omnipotent power of God in his own case. This experience greatly prepared him to speak even to dry bones in the name of the Lord, with confidence that God was able to make them live." ("The Valley of Dry Bones -- Ezk. 37" - by W.M. Mitchell - THE GOSPEL MESSENGER -- December 1888)

www.primitivebaptist.info/mambo//content/view/375/36/

These two 19th century Hardshell apologists demonstrate their theological stubbornness to what the scriptures teach regarding regeneration by means of the gospel being applied and believed. The story of Ezekiel and the Valley of Dry Bones was one passage that helped to deliver me from Hardshellism. I simply refused to be as stubborn and dishonest with the plain teachings of the word of God. Yes, these dry bones represented the "whole house of Israel," but surely the Hardshells will not overtly say that this means they were all regenerated! This is what they are saying, consequentially speaking.

Jesus identified the imagery of "dead bones" with inner depravity, with an unrenewed nature. (See Matthew 23: 27) Yet, the Hardshells see these "dry dead bones" as a picture of regenerated Christians! Yet, such Christians as are "dead" in their worship! According to these Hardshells the Lord can get credit for resurrecting living regenerated children of God from dead worship, even though he does it through Ezekiel and preaching the gospel, but they will not allow that resurrection to spiritual life, or regeneration itself, if likewise accomplished through means, is all the work of God. They will charge those who believe that the story of Ezekiel shows how God raises the spiritually dead through the preaching of the prophet with denying that God does the work, or that it is all of God. What contradictions! What nonsense!