Fig Trees and Dry Bones Don’t Have Ears
Fig Trees and Dry Bones Don’t Have Ears
By Steve Backlund
Fig trees don’t have ears. Neither do dry bones. Dead people don’t hear very well either. Yet Scripture contains fascinating examples of words being spoken to things that seemingly could not hear.
In Mark 11:12–14, Jesus spoke directly to a fig tree that had no fruit: “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.” The next day, the disciples discovered the tree had withered. In Ezekiel 37, God brought Ezekiel into a valley filled with dry bones and told him, “Prophesy to these bones.” Ezekiel spoke, and eventually they became “an exceedingly great army.” Then in John 11, Jesus stood outside the tomb of a man who had been dead four days and cried, “Lazarus, come forth!” Lazarus came out of the tomb.
Fig trees don’t have ears. Bones don’t have ears. Dead people cannot naturally hear. Yet words were spoken, and something happened.
Why does Scripture place such significance on speaking when there is apparently nobody—or nothing—capable of listening? I believe these stories reveal something that many have greatly underestimated: Our words are not merely containers of information. There is more happening when we speak than simply communicating ideas.
Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” Ephesians 4:29 says our words can “impart grace to the hearers.” Jesus said, “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). Scripture repeatedly connects words with life, grace, faith, and spiritual activity.
The Spirit Moved and God Spoke
We see this from the opening verses of the Bible. Genesis 1:2 tells us the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said: “Let there be light”; and there was light (Genesis 1:3).
The Spirit was already moving, and then God spoke and something happened. Certainly, God does not need our words in the sense that He is powerless without them, yet throughout Scripture we see a fascinating relationship between the activity of the Spirit, words being spoken, and things happening.
Ezekiel 37 is a clear example. God gives Ezekiel an unusual assignment: “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!’” (Ezekiel 37:4). Ezekiel was not speaking to the bones’ understanding, but he was “prophesying” in a way that empowered the supernatural.
Jesus Spoke to Things
Jesus also demonstrated this repeatedly. He didn’t merely talk about the fig tree; He spoke directly to it. We see the same pattern when a violent storm threatened the disciples. Rather than simply describing what was happening, Jesus spoke to the storm and said, “Peace, be still!” (Mark 4:39). He also spoke directly to sickness and demons, and at Lazarus’ tomb He cried, “Lazarus, come forth!” (John 11:43).
Certainly, words are powerful when people hear, believe, and respond to them; yet fig trees, storms, dry bones, and dead men suggest there is more happening through words than simply transferring information from one mind to another.
Words Can Carry Grace
Ephesians 4:29 gives us another remarkable insight: “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”
Paul doesn’t say our words merely communicate grace. He says they can impart grace. We have all experienced this. Someone speaks to us, and we are different afterward with greater courage, hope, purpose, peace, etc.
Jesus said, “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). This verse reinforces us that our words carry something beyond information.
What Are We Giving Voice To?
Proverbs 11:11 adds another fascinating dimension: “By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted, but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.”
A city doesn’t have ears either, yet Scripture makes a remarkable connection between what people say and what happens to a city. The blessing of the upright has an impact, and so does the mouth of the wicked. Our words are more influential than we may realize.
This challenges how we talk about cities, states, nations, and specific groups of people. We can become experts at describing the darkness (what is wrong) and speaking negative conclusions about the future. We may think we are simply describing reality, but our words can actually influence the spiritual atmosphere and direction of the places we are talking about.
Recently I drove by a high school, reached out my hand toward it, and said, “I bless this high school.” Nobody there heard me, but I believe those words mattered. I was releasing a blessing, rather than criticism or hopelessness.
Faith-filled words don’t deny what is wrong; they refuse to let what is wrong determine what we speak. Ezekiel could have accurately described how terrible the valley looked, but God told him, “Prophesy to these bones.” He was giving voice to heaven’s perspective rather than simply narrating earth’s circumstances.
Words Give God Something to Work With
This is one reason declarations have become so important to me. They are not magic formulas, and we are not manipulating God through our words. Declarations are one way we intentionally put God’s truth into our mouths and give voice to what we believe He is saying.
God chose to work with Ezekiel’s words. Jesus demonstrated the authority of spoken words. Paul says our words can impart grace. Proverbs says death and life are in the power of the tongue—and that by the blessing of the upright a city is exalted.
Perhaps we have greatly underestimated what God can do with words filled with faith, hope, truth, grace, and blessing.
Fig trees don’t have ears. Bones don’t have ears. Cities don’t have ears. Lazarus was dead. Yet words were spoken, and something happened.
I don’t pretend to fully understand everything that happens in the spiritual realm when we speak, but I do know Scripture gives tremendous significance to the words we speak. My prayer and belief for all of us is that we will receive greater divine wisdom and understanding about speaking to things that have no ears. I believe this will take us on a journey of greater long-term influence, much of which we may not fully see or understand until we are in heaven.
Declarations:
Cities and regions are influenced by the blessings I speak over them.
When I speak in agreement with God, things happen that would not have happened if I had remained silent.
When I bless a place, something is released even when no one hears me.
My words agree with heaven’s perspective rather than simply describing earthly circumstances.
Heaven accomplishes things through my words that I will never see or fully understand in this lifetime.
