Wesley Corpus

Chapter XXXVII The vision of the resurrection of the dry bones, ver. 1 - 10. The explication of it, ver. 11 - 14 A type of the happy coalition which would be between Israel and Judah, ver. 15 - 22. A prediction of the kingdom of Christ, and of the glories and graces of that kingdom, ver. 23 - 28. And set me down - So it seemed to me in the vision. Which is a lively representation of a threefold resurrection: Of the resurrection of souls, from the death of sin, to the life of righteousness: The resurrection of the church from an afflicted state, to liberty and peace: The resurrection of the body at the great day, especially the bodies of believers to life eternal. And he - The Lord. Prophesied - Declared these promises. As I prophesied - While I was prophesying. A noise - A rattling of the bones in their motion. A shaking - A trembling or commotion among the bones, enough to manifest a divine presence, working among them. Came together - Glided nearer and nearer, 'till each bone met the bone to which it was to be joined. Of all the bones of all those numerous slain, not one was missing, not one missed its way, not one missed its place, but each knew and found its fellow. Thus in the resurrection of the dead, the scattered atoms shall be arranged in their proper place and order, and every bone come to his bone, by the same wisdom and power by which they were first formed in the womb of her that is with child. Came up - Gradually spreading itself. Prophesy - Declare what my will is. O breath - The soul, whose emblem here is wind; which, as it gently blew upon these lifeless creatures, each was inspired with its own soul or spirit. And the breath - The spirit of life, or the soul, Gen 2:7. The whole house - The emblem of the house of Israel. Are dried - Our state is as hopeless, as far from recovery, as dried bones are from life. I will open - Though your captivity be as death, your persons close as the grave, yet I will open those graves. One stick - A writing tablet or a tally, such as is fit to be written upon.