GREG LOCKE AND THE MISINTERPRETATION OF EZEKIEL: Distinguishing Interpretation From Fulfillment. Discover the difference between actual and partial fulfillment of prophecy and interpretation that diverts from Scripture interpreting Scripture.

Greg Locke is a prominent American pastor and broadcaster with a growing influence in evangelical and charismatic circles. One of his more consistent emphases is his vocal support of the modern state of Israel, which he and many others within the Dispensationalist tradition claim is the literal fulfillment of various Old Testament prophecies. Most notably, Locke holds that Ezekiel 37, the famous vision of the dry bones, was fulfilled in 1948 with the establishment of the modern nation-state of Israel.

However, Locke's interpretation fails to make a crucial distinction: the difference between interpreting prophecy and identifying its actual, observable fulfillment. In biblical hermeneutics, this difference is essential, particularly in relation to apocalyptic texts like those found in Ezekiel. A close analysis of Ezekiel 37 and 47 shows that Locke's view is built on interpretation rather than fulfillment, and overlooks key textual and historical elements that point to a much deeper spiritual and eschatological meaning.

Ezekiel 37: The Vision of the Dry Bones – Literal or Symbolic?

Ezekiel 37:1–14 presents a dramatic vision of a valley filled with dry bones. These bones are reassembled by divine command: bone to bone, sinews, flesh, and skin form, but they remain lifeless until the breath (Hebrew: ruach, also meaning Spirit) enters them. Only then do they stand on their feet, a vast army.

Many Dispensationalists, including Locke, interpret this vision as fulfilled in the return of Jews to Israel in the 20th century, especially following the Holocaust and the founding of the Israeli state in 1948. However, this interpretation faces significant textual and theological problems:

• The prophecy identifies the bones as "the whole house of Israel" (Ezekiel 37:11), which includes both Judah (Jews) and Ephraim/Israel (the ten northern tribes). The reunification of these two houses has not occurred politically, ethnically, or spiritually.
• The prophecy speaks of spiritual rebirth, not just physical regathering: "I will put my Spirit in you, and you shall live" (Ezekiel 37:14, WEB). Modern Israel is a secular state, and by most accounts, not a nation revived in the Spirit of God.
• The vision is linked to national cleansing and obedience (Ezekiel 36:25–27; 37:23–28). The restoration is not complete without these elements, which are clearly absent in contemporary Israeli society.

Conclusion:

• The dry bones prophecy in Ezekiel 37 is not yet fulfilled.
• The modern return of Jews to the land may be a precursor or shadow, but it is not the resurrection of the whole house of Israel described in the text.
• Without the inclusion of the ten tribes, national repentance, the Spirit of God, and messianic leadership, the claim of fulfillment remains only an interpretation.

Ezekiel 47: Waters Reviving the Dead Sea – Fulfillment in Progress?

By contrast, Ezekiel 47 offers a different kind of prophecy—one that is physical and observable. The chapter describes water flowing from under the threshold of a future temple, eastward through the Arabah, eventually reaching the Dead Sea. As the waters flow, they heal the salty waters, and fish return.

Remarkably, in the past decade, scientists have observed a strange and unexpected phenomenon: freshwater pools and fish appearing near the Dead Sea, particularly in areas where freshwater springs have broken through. In 2016, National Geographic and other publications documented vegetation, aquatic life, and thriving ecosystems in formerly lifeless regions around the sea's sinkholes.

While this may not yet match Ezekiel's full vision—which includes a restored temple and global renewal—it does partially align with the prophecy and provides a tangible signpost.

Conclusion:

• Ezekiel 47 is a case where prophetic imagery matches measurable, natural phenomena.
• It may represent a beginning stage or partial fulfillment, anticipating the fuller Messianic Kingdom.
• Unlike Ezekiel 37, this prophecy does not require symbolic interpretation; it is happening in real time, in observable form.

Key Insight: Interpretation vs. Fulfillment

• Ezekiel 37 = Interpretation-driven, not yet visibly or spiritually fulfilled.
• Ezekiel 47 = Evidence-supported, partially unfolding in real time.

Locke and others in the Dispensationalist tradition promote interpretations that often depend on theological systems (such as Darby's dispensations or Scofield's study Bible) rather than Scripture's internal context and observable alignment. Prophecies like Ezekiel 37 require spiritual rebirth, national unity, and the reign of the Messiah. These elements are not present in the current Israeli state.

Meanwhile, phenomena like the reappearance of fish in the Dead Sea, though not widely discussed by these teachers, offer a stronger case for fulfillment based on literal, visible change in accordance with Scripture.

Final Thought: A Proper Prophetic Hermeneutic

When interpreting prophecy, we must ask:

1. Has it happened exactly as described?
2. Is the language symbolic, literal, or typological?
3. Does it require spiritual realities (Spirit, obedience, Messiah) or merely geographic or political movements?
4. Is there external confirmation or merely internal speculation?

The dry bones of Ezekiel 37 require spiritual resurrection of the entire house of Israel. This will happen at the return of Jesus Christ, when the dead in Christ rise (1 Cor. 15:22–23), the Spirit is poured out, and the remnant of Israel is saved (Rom. 11:26). Until then, the prophecy stands unfulfilled.

But the fresh water flowing into the Dead Sea, bringing life to a region long considered cursed and lifeless, offers a quiet but powerful witness that God's Word is being fulfilled, even if not in the way chart-makers and headline prophets imagined.

Footnotes

1. Ezekiel 37:11–14, World English Bible.
2. Ezekiel 47:1–12; 
3. National Geographic, "Life Returns to the Dead Sea," 2016.
4. Romans 11:25–26; 1 Corinthians 15:22–23; Acts 2:16–21.
5. Scofield, C.I., Scofield Reference Bible, 1909; 
6. Larkin, Clarence, Dispensational Truth, 1918.