My list of Bible scriptures being taken out of context in the LDS church is growing faster than I can document it.
Yesterday I read Ezekiel 37 about the “stick of Ephraim” and the “stick of Judah.” I get how sometimes the Bible uses metaphor and there might be some differing ideas on what it means. But then there are times when immediately following the metaphor, the writer — get this — TELLS US WHAT IT MEANS!!
Ezekiel 37 is one of them.
Verses 15-17 give the metaphor:
“The word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, take a stick of wood and write on it, ‘Belonging to Judah and the Israelites associated with him. ’ Then take another stick of wood, and write on it, ‘Belonging to Joseph (that is, to Ephraim) and all the Israelites associated with him.’ Join them together into one stick so that they will become one in your hand.”
…and then verses 18-28 (literally 3 times as many verses!) give the interpretation.
Funny how the LDS church never reads this part. I’ll quote just enough to show you what the metaphor means:
“When your people ask you, ‘Won’t you tell us what you mean by this?’ say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am going to take the stick of Joseph—which is in Ephraim’s hand—and of the Israelite tribes associated with him, and join it to Judah’s stick. I will make them into a single stick of wood, and they will become one in my hand.’ Hold before their eyes the sticks you have written on and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land. I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. There will be one king over all of them and they will never again be two nations or be divided into two kingdoms. They will no longer defile themselves with their idols and vile images or with any of their offenses, for I will save them from all their sinful backsliding, and I will cleanse them.”
Turns out the sticks are about combining the Northern Kingdom, Israel, also known as “Ephraim (and all the Israelites associated with him)” with the Southern Kingdom, “Judah.”
At the time of Ezekiel writing this, the “sticks” or nations were separate (and would quickly be corrupting and dissolving into other nations). The prophecy is saying they will be restored back together in one nation one day, where they will worship the true God and not be defiled with idolatry again.
Furthermore, the dry bones earlier in this same chapter is another metaphor meaning the same thing!
It isn’t about physical resurrection. It’s about the land of Jerusalem being metaphorically resurrected in their future. It’s a reassurance that their city would be rebuilt. And then, when Israel is expanded to all the Gentiles, it means that even though we are spiritually dead, we can “come back to life” and know God, even though we are sinners.
The books of the prophets in the Old Testament are virtually entirely about the destruction of Jerusalem and falling apart of Israel/Judah, and then the fact that a “remnant” will be preserved and used later on to restore Israel and welcome in Jesus the Messiah as the new King. These of the latter are the parts that tell about the second coming and millennium—the purpose of which is to show the reunification of God’s people, not to talk about Joseph Smith or any American church! Just the body of Christ at large, the spiritual meaning of “Israel” where Jesus will be King.
All I Possess 