Scripture
Ezekiel 37:1-6 (ESV)
"The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”
AI Prompt
A dramatic image of a Middle Eastern man standing in the middle of a valley of dry bones. The man is speaking with urgency, and the wind is visibly moving his clothing, adding to the drama of the scene. The valley is filled with scattered bones, creating a stark and powerful landscape. The man's expression and posture should convey a sense of intensity and purpose. The wind-blown clothing adds a dynamic element, emphasizing the urgency of his speech. The overall atmosphere is one of solemnity and profound significance, capturing the dramatic essence of the moment in the valley of dry bones.
Process/Reflection
What would it be like to prophesy/preach to a valley full of dry bones? I wanted to explore this a bit with the AI image generator. I love how the wind is visibly kicking up--it suggests the Spirit's power and activity through the proclamation of the Word. I also like the man's gesture--the one thing that I wanted to avoid with this image was any gesture that hinted at the use of magic or incantations. Ezekiel isn't spell-casting. He is preaching. The Spirit of the Lord is taking this word and making the dead bones come together and live. There is an intensity and urgency in the man's gesture, but the upturned palm also suggests a prayerful dependence. These elements should characterize all Christian preaching.