Congregation Bible Study (30 min.): Rr ch. 10 paras. 8-12 and Box 10A.
8 a) Why was “the whole house of Israel” in a situation comparable to death?
Due to the conquest that the enemies of the people of Israel made at the time, he made them feel like dead like the bones of the vision given to Ezekiel since they died symbolically when the enemies conquered the country.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
What Ezekiel saw were “very dry” bones, this indicated that their situation compared to death would last for a long time about 200 years as Jeremiah 50:33 says: “The people of Israel and Judah are oppressed by those who took them captive ”(From the year 740 to 537).
The house of Israel was in a situation similar to death not only because of what happened in the vision of Ezekiel's bones, which were also very dry, meaning that it is a situation extended in time. This situation is due to the exile of almost all the tribes, it was a symbolic death that gained more force with the exile of that of Judah.
The house of Israel was practically all in captivity, exiled, estranged, marginalized. Although they were alive, it was as if they weren't. They were not alive or enthusiastic, they were symbolically dead for more than 200 years until Jehovah through Ezekiel's prophecies restored hope and life to them.
b) What words from Ezekiel 37: 9 indicate the cause of Israel's symbolic death?
Ezekiel in this verse says that the winds blow and bring life to these people who killed so that they can live again. They were people who died because of others and not naturally. Together they form "the whole house of Israel." This symbolic death begins when the first ten tribes were taken prisoner and exiled and continued with the fall of the kingdom of Judah by the Babylonians.
9. What similar situations did ancient Israel and “the Israel of God” experience?
The ancient nation of Israel was symbolically dead for a long time yet the prophecies would be fulfilled as Acts 3:21 says: "He will be until the times of restoration of all things."
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
In a similar way the "Israel of God" his anointed people suffered a captivity similar to death for a long time began in the second century of our era and lasted for many centuries as Jesus said in his parable of the wheat and the weeds therefore at that time world history calls it the Dark Ages.
Both the ancient nation of Israel and the Israel of God met symbolically death for a long time. In the Israel of God, the congregation of anointed Christians was so long in captivity that it is comparable to this widespread death with dry bones, it lasted more than 200 years, in fact, it was many centuries.
The Restoration prophecies produced a period of symbolic death for all the people of God, who were going through very difficult situations where there is no pure worship but corrupted. Acts 3:21 says that he must remain in heaven until the times of restoration come. This situation is reminiscent of the symbolic death of the entire house of Israel.
"The bones began to gather"
10 a) What prophecy about God's people is recorded in Ezekiel 37: 7, 8?
The vision of the dry bones that come back to life progressively helps them regain their hope of returning to Israel so the faithful exiles see with faith the promise of returning.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
They were reminded of the promises of faithful prophets and told: “They will return to the country and there will be a restoration, they will see the fall of Babylon”, and this happened in a surprising way in the year 539 BC and Daniel faithful man was among them All of this strengthened their faith and hope.
In Ezekiel 37: 7,8 it is recorded that God's people would come back to life, but not directly but little by little. First, that people would be reshaped, as we read in these verses. But they lacked the breath that gives life. By what denotes that it is a gradual process, through which he would again obtain faith and with it life.
b) What factors contributed to the faithful exiles gradually recovering their faith?
This faith would be recovered by various factors, circumstances and feelings. In this paragraph we have seen some reasons that motivated these servants of God. On the one hand, there still remained among the exiles just and upright men of truly pure faith like Daniel. On the other hand, the memory of the prophecies of previous prophets also glimpsed light and hope for their faith like those of Isaiah; And of course, Ezekiel's visions were another breath of life.
11,12 a) In what sense did “the Israel of God” experience a progressive restoration? (See also the box "Pure Worship Is Gradually Restored.")
He lived it centuries after the long spiritual captivity began, it was then that an intense noise was heard as faithful people began to defend pure worship and thanks to them the Bible was translated into English when reading it, sincere people unearthed or understood biblical truths thus showing that the enthusiasm of Russell and his companions for the truth was like tendons and flesh (Ezekiel 37: 8).
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
By unearthing truths from the Bible, the anointed ones helped thousands, these as well as joined the anointed servants of God, the publications were very helpful, such as “the photo drama”, “the finished mystery book”, these tools made the congregation strong anointed thus it was time to stand up in harmony with Ezekiel 37:10.
It underwent a progressive restoration over the centuries due to various events of great importance, which were not easy and took a lot of work and value. Among those cited in the paragraph is the case of William who translated the Bible into English and was executed for it. And the work of Russell and his collaborators in bringing biblical truth to many people who began to know it through many practical and useful tools.
The Catholic Church of that time did not want the Bible to be read by all the people and that is why they did not want it to be translated, they even killed William who translated it into English. But it was such an intense rattle on the part of God that nothing could stop this translation process and many people managed to bring it into other languages.
Charles Russell contributed greatly together with his collaborators and trusted men at a difficult time in human history to unearth all the truths of the Bible and bring light to a world plunged in darkness. It is shown how Jehovah progressively produced this restoration of pure worship, until his people revived in 1919 and intensified his preaching.
b) What question arises about what Ezekiel 37:10 describes?
There are many questions that we can ask ourselves about this important and extraordinary event and prophecy. So we'll see next week, "When and how did this happen?" and for this we will see the events that took place in ancient Babylon.
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