The Valley of Dry Bones and the Lost Tribes: A Covenant Prophecy of Restoration
- Charles
- Jul 22
- 8 min read
Updated: Jul 23
The Vision of the Valley
Ezekiel 37 is one of the most vivid and mysterious prophetic scenes in all of Scripture. The prophet Ezekiel is brought by the Spirit of YHWH into a valley full of bones—scattered, dry, and very many. These bones are not simply remnants of death but symbols of covenant exile. YHWH commands Ezekiel to walk among them, to witness the hopelessness, the long years of scattering and forgetfulness. Then the Sovereign speaks: “Son of man, can these bones live?”
Ezekiel wisely responds, “O Lord YHWH, You know.” This is not doubt—it is reverent trust. Ezekiel stands as a prophetic intercessor, waiting for YHWH to reveal His intention. And indeed, YHWH does. He commands Ezekiel to prophesy not about the bones, but to the bones. “Dry bones, hear the word of YHWH!” This command initiates a process of restoration that mirrors the entire redemptive arc for the House of Israel and the House of Judah—who, though once one nation, were divided, judged, and scattered.
This vision is not just about personal revival or symbolic resurrection—it is deeply tied to the destiny of the lost tribes of Israel. The northern kingdom, exiled by Assyria in 722 BCE, was scattered among the nations and seemingly lost to history. But YHWH never loses track of His people. Though forgotten by men, they are remembered in covenant. The valley of dry bones is a prophetic picture of their awakening.
Covenant Exile and National Death
To understand the significance of the bones, we must recall the judgment that led to Israel’s scattering. After King Solomon’s apostasy, the united kingdom of Israel split in two—Judah in the south and ten tribes in the north. The northern tribes, led by Ephraim, quickly descended into idolatry. Despite repeated warnings from the prophets, they refused to return to YHWH’s covenant. Eventually, judgment came in the form of Assyrian conquest and exile.
This exile was not simply geographical—it was covenantal. The ten northern tribes lost not only their land but their identity, their temple access, their genealogies, and their language. They became “Lo-Ammi” (“not My people,” Hosea 1:9). They were, for all practical purposes, dead—cut off from the covenant, scattered like dry bones across foreign lands.
Yet the covenant YHWH made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob could not be broken. Even in the book of Hosea, where the harshest judgments are pronounced, there is a promise: “In the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ they shall be called sons of the living God” (Hosea 1:10). Ezekiel 37 is the fulfillment of that promise. The bones represent the whole house of Israel—including the ten lost tribes—and their resurrection is nothing less than a national and covenantal rebirth.
The Prophetic Process of Restoration
The restoration of the bones unfolds in a series of prophetic steps. First, Ezekiel prophesies, and the bones come together, “bone to its bone.” This speaks of reassembly—identity and connection being restored. But though they are reformed into human shapes, there is no breath in them. The structure is present, but the life is absent.
Then comes the second command: “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath: Thus says YHWH Elohim: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live” (Ezekiel 37:9). This breath—ruach in Hebrew—is the same Spirit that hovered over the waters in Genesis 1, the same breath that gave life to Adam. It is not mere oxygen—it is divine power, covenant spirit, priestly fire.
When the breath enters them, the bodies live and stand “an exceedingly great army.” This is not a vision of individuals revived for private faith, but a nation reborn for covenant purpose. They rise not to scatter again, but to be regathered, reidentified, and rejoined with Judah under one King.
This step-by-step process is echoed in many prophetic passages:
First, the physical regathering (Isaiah 11:12; Jeremiah 31:8),
Then the awakening to covenant identity (Jeremiah 50:4-5),
And finally the outpouring of the Spirit (Joel 2:28; Ezekiel 36:26-27).
What Ezekiel sees in a single vision is a progressive fulfillment that culminates in the reunification of all twelve tribes under Messiah.
One Nation in His Hand
Immediately after the valley of dry bones, Ezekiel is given another prophetic act: he is to take two sticks—one for Judah and one for Joseph (representing Ephraim and the northern tribes)—and join them into one stick. YHWH explains, “I will take the children of Israel from among the nations where they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; and I will make them one nation in the land…” (Ezekiel 37:21–22).
This is the covenant goal: not simply restoration, but reunification. The lost tribes of Israel are not to be replaced, forgotten, or merged indistinctly into the nations. They are to be regathered, re-covenanted, and restored—along with Judah—as one nation in the hand of YHWH.
This unification is only possible under one Shepherd: “David My servant shall be king over them” (v. 24). In prophetic language, this is Messiah—Yeshua, son of David, the righteous King who gathers the scattered sheep (John 10:16). He does not start a new religion disconnected from the promises of old, but fulfills and gathers the fractured covenant people.
The image of “one nation in His hand” is not symbolic—it is covenantal. It declares that the tribes are still known to YHWH and that their destiny is tied to the everlasting promises made to the patriarchs. The regathering is not the birth of something new, but the resurrection of something ancient—long dead, yet never forgotten.
Identity, Gentiles, and the Mystery Revealed
The New Testament gives further clarity to this mystery. Paul writes in Romans 9 that “not all Israel are of Israel,” and in Romans 11 he reveals that Gentile believers are “wild branches” grafted into the olive tree. But which olive tree? Not a new creation, but the same tree—the covenant tree of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Paul’s message is not about replacement but restoration. Gentiles are not brought into a new structure—they are grafted into a tree that already exists. The mystery is this: through Messiah, YHWH is regathering not only the Jews who believe, but also the lost sheep of the House of Israel and the nations who join themselves to the covenant (Ephesians 2:12–19).
In this sense, the valley of dry bones is a prophetic metaphor for both:
The literal lost tribes of Israel, who will be physically and spiritually regathered; and
The sojourners and nations who, like Ruth, say “Your people will be my people, and your God my God,” and are thereby grafted into the covenant.
All who come through the blood of the Lamb are heirs of the same promise. As Paul declares in Galatians 3:29, “If you are Messiah’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
The Call to Prophesy
What is the role of the faithful today in light of this vision? Like Ezekiel, we are called to prophesy to the bones. We are not called to judge them, bury them, or ignore them—we are called to speak life. The lost tribes may not know their lineage, their language, or their legacy—but YHWH does. And He is awakening them.
The gospel of the Kingdom is not merely about personal salvation—it is the announcement that the King is gathering His people. It is the voice that calls from the tower: “Come from the four winds, O breath!” It is the message that stirs identity, heals generational wounds, and restores the covenant in the hearts of the scattered.
The awakening has begun. Across the nations, believers are being stirred to dig deeper into the covenants of promise. They are asking questions about the Torah, about the Feasts, about their spiritual ancestry. This is not coincidence—it is prophecy unfolding.
As watchmen and sons of the covenant, we must not remain silent. We must rise in the third watch and speak the Word of the Kingdom—not a message of mere religion, but of restoration. The bones are rattling. The sinews are forming. And the breath is being summoned.
A Final Word: Hope for the Forgotten
The valley of dry bones is not a scene of despair—it is a promise in disguise. YHWH has not forgotten His people. He remembers every tribe, every oath, every scattered son. Even when history buries them, even when culture assimilates them, even when religion dismisses them—YHWH sees bones. And He speaks.
If you have felt like one of those bones—cut off, without hope, scattered among the nations—know this: the King is calling. The Shepherd is gathering. The covenant is still alive. And the breath of the Ruach is ready to enter you.
“Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves… and I will bring you into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am YHWH.” (Ezekiel 37:12–13)
Inductive Study
The Vision of the Valley
What do the dry bones in Ezekiel 37 represent according to the vision?(Ezekiel 37:1–3)
Why does Ezekiel respond, “O Lord YHWH, You know”? What does this reveal about prophetic trust?(Ezekiel 37:3)
What is the significance of prophesying to the bones rather than about them?(Ezekiel 37:4–5)
In what ways does this vision go beyond personal revival to national and covenant identity?(Ezekiel 37:11–14)
Covenant Exile and National Death
What event caused the division of the united kingdom of Israel, and what spiritual condition followed?(1 Kings 11:31–33; 2 Kings 17:7–18)
What does “Lo-Ammi” mean in Hosea 1:9, and how does it apply to the lost northern tribes?(Hosea 1:9–10)
How does Hosea foreshadow future covenant restoration after judgment?(Hosea 1:10; Hosea 2:23)
In what ways did the ten northern tribes experience covenantal death?(Jeremiah 31:15–17; Hosea 6:1–2)
The Prophetic Process of Restoration
What is the first stage of the bones’ restoration, and what does it represent?(Ezekiel 37:7)
What is the second stage involving the breath (ruach), and what does it signify?(Ezekiel 37:9–10; Genesis 2:7)
How does the four-wind imagery relate to the scattered tribes?(Ezekiel 37:9; Zechariah 2:6; Isaiah 43:5–6)
What do we learn about YHWH’s Spirit in relation to covenant life and national purpose?(Ezekiel 36:26–27; Joel 2:28–29)
One Nation in His Hand
What does the joining of the two sticks symbolize in Ezekiel 37?(Ezekiel 37:16–17)
What is YHWH’s stated goal in bringing the two houses together?(Ezekiel 37:21–22)
Who is the one Shepherd who unites them, and what does this imply about Messiah’s
identity?(Ezekiel 37:24; John 10:16)
How does this vision reflect not the birth of something new but the resurrection of something ancient?(Ezekiel 37:12–14)
Identity, Gentiles, and the Mystery Revealed
How does Paul describe Israel and the olive tree in Romans 9 and 11?(Romans 9:6–8; Romans 11:16–24)
What does it mean to be “grafted in,” and how does it apply to both Gentiles and returning Israelites?(Romans 11:17–18; Ephesians 2:12–19)
How does Ruth’s covenantal statement model grafting into Israel?(Ruth 1:16–17)
What does Galatians 3:29 say about those who belong to Messiah and their inheritance?(Galatians 3:29)
The Call to Prophesy
What role are believers called to play in this prophetic process of restoration?(Ezekiel 37:4–10; Isaiah 62:6–7)
How is the message of the Kingdom more than personal salvation?(Matthew 24:14; Acts 1:6–8)
In what ways are believers being stirred to covenant identity across the nations?(Jeremiah 31:31–34; Malachi 4:4–6)
How does Ezekiel 37 offer hope to those who feel cut off or forgotten?(Ezekiel 37:11–13; Isaiah 49:14–16)
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Instructions:
Use the worksheet as a printed or digital guide to reflect on each question with Bible in hand.
After completing your responses, consult the answer key for insight, clarity, and further scripture references.
Share with your study group, congregation, or discipleship partner for deeper dialogue.
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