Today’s reflection from the Visual Commentary on Scripture can be found here. It focuses on a painting entitled Ezekiel: Resurrection painted by Richard McBee in 1980. McBee was compelled by the grim events of the Nazi holocaust of the Jews and his engagement with Ezekiel’s dry bones vision is read through that experience.
This is a good reminder that Scripture can function very differently depending upon the experience and perspective of the reader/hearer. Whereas for Christians Ezekiel is commonly read as prefiguring the resurrection of Jesus, for Jews the story continues to be resonant of hopes for a secure homeland after so many episodes of dislocation and cruelty in their larger story.
Despite all the horrors of deportation, exile, and various wilderness wanderings of societal suffering and strife, Ezekiel and this painting contain a hopeful dimension. As you reflect on the valley of dry bones story and its interpretation in this painting, here is some Scots fiddle music of lament that also seems shot through with a wistful hope.
Place of Wondering 