From: Ephraim & Rimona Frank (:shevet@netivision.net.il)
To: heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org
Subject: Ezekiel 37: The Two Sticks of Judah and Joseph

EZEKIEL 37: THE TWO STICKS OF JUDAH AND JOSEPH

Shalom Fellow Israelite,

In the famous Ezekiel 37 passage, HaShem tells Ezekiel to pick up a
stick, or "a tree", "etz", and to write Judah's name on it. After he
completes the task HaShem tells him to take another "stick", and write
Joseph's name on it (Eze.36:16). HaShem is clearly focusing here on
Israel's Two Houses. Interestingly Judah's stick appears before
Joseph's. This order has been true in the family of Jacob all along, as
Judah was born before Joseph and had taken the leadership in the family
from Reuben, who had lost his firstborn privileges (Chron.5:2).

Subsequent to accomplishing the task, HaShem asks Ezekiel to hold up the
two sticks, which he grips in one hand, in front of the eyes of the
"sons of his people". Upon seeing the prophet and looking at the two
sticks held by him, the people respond: "Will you not declare to us what
you mean by these?" (v.18). The very question indicates that they are
oblivious to the existence of the "two nations". They had lost all
recollection of who they were as an organized society or a
civilization. Once the prophet has the attention of the people, and
they become aware of his presence, HaShem tells him what to say to them:
"Surely I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of
Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his companions; and I will put them on
[or upon] him the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they will
be one in My hand'" (v.19). Obviously this union of the two sticks can
only take place in the hand of the Almighty. This is the same hand that
laid the foundations of the earth and stretched out the heavens (Isa.
48:13). This is the hand that struck Egypt with incredible judgments and
brought His armies - His people - the Children of Israel out of slavery.
This is the hand that sowed the seed of Israel into all the nations
(Hos. 2:23). Now today, this same hand is about to restore these two
nations, houses, 'family trees', and kingdoms making them one in the
land (Eze. 37:21).

In what way have these two sticks been held 'before the eyes' of
HaShem's people? Although scattered into all the nations, the sons of
Israel carried with them their identity papers. Judah carried the
Tanach, and Ephraim carried what he called the Bible. Both had the words
of their One Elohim, and the proverbial eyes of the prophets staring out
at them through its pages. Every time they sat down and opened the Book,
the two sticks were being waved before their eyes. Their Creator had
not forgotten the covenant, nor could He forget His own namesake. For a
given period of time His children, these two groups of people, were to
live in darkness without the light of understanding as it pertained to
their identity. But at the divinely determined time, HaShem, through His
great love, compassion and faithfulness poured out His Spirit and began
to draw a remnant of 'Judahites' (Jews) from the dispersed House of
Judah back to the land. Many lost their lives, in the process of being
drawn by HaShem to return to what was then a hostile area. For about
one hundred years Zion travailed to give birth to the first of the two
nations, and then on May 15th, 1948, after she had reeled in the birth
pangs of the Holocaust, she delivered Judah, to be recognized as the
first of the two sticks (nations) in the hand of the Almighty.
Unfortunately, at that time her beloved Jerusalem and Holy Mountain were
out of reach. As HaShem's prophetic plan unfolded though, in a war with
the surrounding nations in June of 1967 the City of David, her eternal
capital, was liberated.

However, there was still another nation that had to be gathered and
placed in His hand; the second stick, the one that has Joseph's name
written upon it. Therefore once again the Almighty is pouring out His
Spirit, this time "to turn the hearts of the children to the fathers"
(Mal. 4:6). The house of Joseph became "not my people" (Hos. 1:9), it
had lost its identity under HaShem's righteous judgments. Its branches
were burned to ashes ("epher" - to be found in the name Ephraim), and
became dead dry bones (bone = "etzem" in Hebrew, with the first two
letters "etz", meaning tree or stick). For millennia the Ephraimites
have remained in the grave of forgetfulness, buried deep in the dust of
humanity. However, within them still smoldered the forefathers' spark of
life, namely "the faith", which had not been totally quenched.
Therefore, when the winds began to blow from the four corners of the
earth, the ember of the Abrahamic life ignited, and with it a great
sound is being heard, as the dry bones of that House of Israel are
moving with fervor to be joined one to the other. Sinews are binding
bone to bone, flesh is beginning to appear, and skin is starting to
cover them as the Divine breath of life is being infused into them. Soon
they will stand on their feet, an exceedingly great army (ref. Eze.
37:7-10).

Who is this second stick? Who and where is this nation called Joseph?
Who is this exceedingly great army that is to be placed upon the first
stick? Where and who is the arrow for the bow of Judah? (Zech 9:13)
Yes, there is such a nation in the hand of HaShem, a nation walking
alongside their brother Judah at this time, although its people are just
beginning to recognize their Israelite roots. One of their apostles,
quoting the prophet Hosea, points out that this nation, "was once not my
people" (Hos.1:9)...but now you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a
holy nation" (1 Pet. 2:9). The birthmark of "the faith" is a reminder to
this 'second' nation's of its identity. It is the nation which is
fulfilling the blessings given to Joseph (see Gen. 49:22-26; Deut.
33:13-17). It is the stick (nation) in the hand of Ephraim and all the
tribes of Israel, his companions" (Eze. 37:16).

As of yet the two nations have not become one in the land, but it will
not be long and this miracle will become a reality before the eyes of
the entire universe. The mighty hand of HaShem, will move with great
judgments upon the surrounding nations; Lebanon and Gilead will be
liberated, thus making those lands available to a remnant of the house
of Ephraim. "Ephraim shall be like a mighty man...Their heart shall
rejoice in Adonai....I will whistle for them and gather them, for I will
redeem them...They shall remember Me in far countries; they shall live,
together with their children, and they shall return... I will bring them
into the land of Gilead and Lebanon, until no more room is found for
them" (Zech 10:7-10). If one looks at the northern border of Israel, as
it is today, one can see that it forms a perfect graft for the other
branch. "I will put them on him, [that is] the stick of Judah, and make
them one stick....and they shall live on the land that I gave to Jacob My
servant" (Eze. 37:19; 25, emphasis mine).

Judah has become a mighty warhorse. "HaShem has visited His flock, the
house of Judah, and has made them as His royal horse in the battle. From
them come the cornerstone, the tent pegs, the bow for battle, and the
leaders. They will be as mighty men, and they will fight because HaShem
is with them" (Zech. 10: 3-5). Judah has survived because of the tender
mercies ("ruhamah") of HaShem, but he must remember that it was not by
bow, sword, battle, horses or horsemen (ref. Hos. 1:7). Judah must
humbly accept that it is not by his own might, nor by his own power,
"'but by My Spirit', says the Almighty, leader of the armies of Israel"
(Zech 4:6).

"The sons of Judah and the sons of Israel will be gathered together,
they will appoint for themselves one leader, and they will go up from
the land, for great will be the day of Jezreel" [HaShem's sowing]
(Hos.1:11). "Then they shall swoop down upon the shoulder of the
Philistines toward the west; together they shall plunder the people of
the East; they shall lay their hand on Edom and Moab; and the people of
Ammon shall obey them. HaShem will utterly destroy the tongue of the Sea
of Egypt" (Isa.11:14-15a).

Shabbat Shalom,

Ephraim Frank
Judea / Samaria / West Bank, Israel

Shevet Achim

Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in
unity (Ps. 133)

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