ng of presumption, not of faith. God 'lets Himself be inquired
of' for that which is in accordance with His will; and, accordant with
His will though it be, He will not 'do it for them,' unless His flock
ask of Him the accomplishment of His own word.

THE DRY BONES AND THE SPIRIT OF LIFE

1. The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the
spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley
which was full of bones, 2. And caused me to pass by them round
about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and,
lo, they were very dry. 3. And He said unto me, Son of man, can
these bones live? And I answered, O Lord God, Thou knowest. 4.
Again He said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto
them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5. Thus saith the
Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter
into you, and ye shall live: 6. And I will lay sinews upon you, and
will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put
breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I _am_ the
Lord. 7. So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied,
there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came
together, bone to his bone. 8. And when I beheld, lo, the sinews
and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above:
but there was no breath in them. 9. Then said He unto me, Prophesy
unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus
saith the Lord God; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe
upon these slain, that they may live. 10. So I prophesied as He
commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and
stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army. 11. Then He said
unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel:
behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are
cut off for our parts. 12. Therefore prophesy and say unto them,
Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O My people, I will open your
graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you
into the land of Israel. 13. And ye shall know that I am the Lord,
when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up out
of your graves. 14. And shall put My spirit in you, and ye shall
live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye k