You probably remember Joe Bidden declaring that we all were approaching a very “dark winter” as covid-19 would overshadow the world. Today, I declare the truth from God’s perspective. Dark seasons, filled with doubt’s and fear are designed to be overruled by God’s light. We see this truth occurring throughout scripture. It would seem the initial response to dark season’s by God’s people is usually fear and doubt. You see this darkness in our present day “cancel culture” where the Light of Truth is being overshadowed and eliminated by people who bought into a lie. What America and it’s people need today is a revival. An Ezekiel dry bones, Hanukkah miracle that revives and restores a faith-filled life.
As we look at Ezekiel 37:11, we hear God’s people say, “we have become old, dry bones all hope is lost, we are indeed cut off.” I’d say this sounds like a Joe Biden’s dark winter forecast. Ezekiel confronts this cancel culture, filled with death and darkness as God commanded him to speak (Ezek. 37:4,9). First to the dry bones to hear the word of the Lord and then to the breath to come from the four winds and enter these dead bodies. It’s God’s breath that brings revival as it restores our lost hope and revives life.
Beginning December 10th, the Jewish celebration of Lights and rededication called Hanukkah begins lasting 8 days. In John 10:22-30, we see Jesus celebrating the “Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah) in winter.” Where the people ask Him, “how long do you keep us in doubt, if you are the Christ tell us plainly.” To which, Jesus responses, “I have already told you and you don’t believe me.” Their doubt darkened their ability to believe and receive the light standing right in front of them. We see Jesus rebuking the doubter’s saying, I’ve told you and shown you but you don’t believe. The similarity between the Ezekiel 37, “doubters” and the people of John 10:24 is striking. Jesus declares to the dry bone doubters come back to life in John 10:27. People that hear His voice are called sheep and it’s His sheep that hear His voice an are known intimately by Him and desire to follow Him. Jesus gives the sheep that follow Him eternal life and they shall never perish, neither shall anyone or anything snatch them out of His hand. Now that’s dry bones that live! In Ezekiel 37:14 we hear the Lord say, “I will put my spirit in you and you shall live.” The take-away from these two scripture examples is we need to position ourselves during this “dark winter” in the testimony of John 10 and Ezekiel 37, and hear God’s voice and receive His breath. In so doing, not only can we live again but we can stand up on our feet as a great army (Ezekiel 37:10).
Question: Are you currently experiencing a dark winter caught in a cancel culture dilemma full of doubt’s about the season of life your in?
Key Thought: We overcome this “dark winter” by the blood of the lamb found in the celebration of Hanukkah with Jesus (John 10:24) and the word of our testimony as we position ourselves to receive Gods restoring breath found in (Ezekiel 37:9). Both illustrate the restoration of life to all that has been lost, destroyed and dead. Now that’s a REVIVAL!
Victor Alinen 