Beyond the Grave - Institute for Biblical Research

BLOCK: Ezekiel's Vision of Death and Afterlife 141
it remained for his successors to develop a clearer picture of an es-
chatological individualized revivification. 142
CONCLUSION
It is remarkable that as recently as 1985 biblical scholars were still
maintaining that "in ancient Israel there was no belief in a life after
death." 143 Many believe that the Pharisaic acceptance of the doctrine
(see Acts 23:6-9) derives from a limited number of late texts which
reflect Persian influence, and that the Sadduceans, who rejected the
notion, were the true heirs of Old Testament belief. It is encouraging
to see that some have reversed the roles of these two parties and are
now insisting that the Sadducean position represented a conscious
departure from both Hebrew and common Semitic beliefs. 144
In his oracles against Egypt and in his vision of the resuscitated
dry bones, Ezekiel offered his countrymen powerful declarations of
hope. There is life after death, and there is hope beyond the grave.
Yahweh remains the incontestable Lord, not only of the living, but
also of the dead. He alone determines the moment and nature of a
person's decease. He alone has the keys to the gates of Sheol, and he
faces no challenge from Mot or any other chthonic power. In this re-
gard Ezekiel, like all other orthodox Yahwists, distances himself
from the prevailing notions of his day. But this vision of resuscita-
tion of dry bones is not only for the nation of Israel. It holds out hope
for all who offer themselves to Yahweh in covenant commitment.
With good reason we who are heirs of the glorious message of the
prophets and apostles may find in this text a dramatic affirmation
that the sting of death may—nay, it will be overcome by the ani-
mating power of Yahweh's Spirit. After all, as Ezekiel had wit-
nessed, and as he had heard on dozens of occasions, the Lord is
Yahweh. He has spoken. He will make good his word.
of Ezekiel's Vision," p. 10). While Ezekiel 37 may represent a determinative moment
for the Old Testament belief in the resurrection of the dead (cf. E. Haag, "Ez 37 und
der Glaube an die Auferstehung der Toten," Trierer theologische Zeitschrift 82 [1973]
78-92), contra many (e.g., R. Hanson, The Method and Message of Jewish Apocalyptic
[OTL; Philadelphia: Fortress, 1964] 368), it is highly unlikely that this passage provides
the first reference to the resurrection of the dead in Hebrew literature.
142. Cf. R. A. Muller, "Resurrection," ISBE (rev. ed.) 4.145-50.
143. J. H. Neyrey, "Eternal Life," Harper's Bible Dictionary (ed. P. J. Achtemeier;
San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1985) 282. Cf. the reaction to this statement by Lang,
"Life After Death in the Prophetic Promise," 144.
144. B. Lang, Monotheism and the Prophetic Minority (Sheffield: JSOT Press, 1983)
25; idem, "Life After Death in the Prophetic Promise," 144-45 (cf. his citation of other
scholars who have come to similar conclusions).