Reflection on Ezekiel 37

¶ … Ezekiel 37

Vanquishing the Dark

Anastasia's story compares to Ezekiel 37 in an allegorical way. As such, there are certain elements of the former tale that allude to occurrences that took place in that of the latter. Anastasia never physically died, and her bones were not separated from her limbs and they were not stripped of their flesh, as was the case with the bones that were found in the Ezekiel 37. However, Anastasia physically experienced the symptoms of death and a disassociation of her limbs and other parts of her body due to a highly graphic rape. Because she was raped, she believed that "God had abandoned her that particular night months ago." In this respect, she spiritually died and lost her faith in much the same way that a person might physically die -- such as those people whose bones were found in Ezekiel 37.

However, the comparison between Anastasia's story and Ezekiel 37 becomes complete during a critical part in her testimony in which the young woman experiences "the feeling of God enveloping her with a hug." This feeling helps her to gain control over her emotions and her body, and to complete her testimony and give convincing evidence against her attacker. Additionally, that feeling from God enabled her to experience the feeling of her body "healed," in much the same way that the bones, limbs, and flesh became attached again to the bodies in Ezekiel 37.

Anastasia appears to be a Christian who has lost her faith. The reader can infer that she was not Jewish because she had a Christmas tree in this story. If anything, Anastasia can be considered an atheist at the beginning of the story, because she believes that God has abandoned her. However, she certainly seems like a Christian at the end of the narrative, due to the fact that she experiences a sensation similar to a hug from God and becomes physically and spiritually empowered again.

There are many different elements of the story of Jeush, which is found within the short story "But the Dark Vanished" that are faithful to Ezekiel 37. In the latter work the author describes a setting in which there are numerous dry bones. He receives words from God that upon God's command, those bones will be restored to people and a full army will emerge. Moreover, God then says he will restore that army to its rightful land in Israel.

Many of these same occurrences take place in "But the Dark Vanished." However, there is a shift in perspective in which the story is told through one of the soldiers of the vanquished army who has been slain. In this story, Jeush can literally feel his bones coming together again, and feel the flesh and sinew required for a proper body being reconstructed. He is eventually able to breathe and function again, and is with his army with which he was fighting with prior to his death. Additionally, the rest of his army is also restored, and it is noted at the end of this story that the nation of Israel is also still standing and that Jeush and his army can return there. Virtually all of these points are faithful to the narrative in Ezekiel 37.

The details that that are not contained in Ezekiel 37 and which are found in "But the Dark Vanished" certainly fit with the overall purpose of the biblical passage. The vast majority of those details pertain to the way that Jeush and his army died. Jeush recollects the battle he was waging against the Babylonians with weapons that were appropriate for this time period. Perhaps even more importantly he hears a voice saying many of the same commands that God told Ezekiel to issue in order to resurrect the army. In this respect, then, all of these details are merely providing descriptions of facts of Ezekiel's story.