Tuesday, August 28, 2012

sticks or nations


   
"As for you, son of man, take a stick for yourself and write on it: 'For Judah and for the children of Israel, his companions.' Then take another stick and write on it, 'For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel, his companions'” (Ez. 37:16).

In this famous Ezekiel 37 passage, YHVH tells Ezekiel to pick up a stick, or “a tree”, “etz”, and to write Judah’s name on it. After he completes the task YHVH tells him to take another “stick” and write Joseph’s and Ephraim’s names on it (Eze.37:16). YHVH is clearly focusing here on Israel’s two houses (see also Is. 8:14).  He even challenges the people of the two nations, by telling the prophet to hold the two sticks up in front of their eyes. Upon seeing them, they will inquire of him:Will you not show us what you mean by these?” (Ez. 37:18).

YHVH tells them what these two “etzim” are, although He doesn’t do it directly. Instead, He foretells their destiny. In the context of this prophecy He answers their question, saying that these are two nations divided into two kingdoms (ref. v.22).  The first of the two nations that YHVH exiled out of the land was the northern kingdom of Joseph/Ephraim. We can read about their prophetic destiny in Hosea chapter 1 (and in many other biblical references).  Later, the nation of Judah was also cast off their land for the same reason - iniquity and sin.   Both these peoples were expelled from the land and scattered into all the nations.  Thus both lost their national identity.  However, according to His word, YHVH intends to restore both “etzim” (trees/nations).      

When the time finally came for the restoration of the two nations, Judah’s stick/nation appeared 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).  Even the apostle Paul recognized this order in the family of Jacob, when he wrote: “to the Jew first” (Rom 1:16; 2:9-10).  Yeshua also came first to the people of Judah, as did the outpouring of the Spirit of Holiness. 

In the last hundred years, YHVH has been restoring by His Spirit the national identity of the House of Judah.  Once this first “etz” was brought back to the land, the Spirit began to unveil the “hidden ones” of the House of Joseph/Ephraim.  Why would He do this?  Obviously to fulfill His word that He spoke through His prophets of old.  Because YHVH is faithful, He will gather the second of the two “etzim” trees/nations and restore it as well, just as He did the first one.  But in order to have two trees become “one in His hand”, He must first have two separate and distinct “etzim”.

How did He bring about the restoration of the first “etz”?  When the time came He stirred the hearts of a handful of Jews, and they responded to the call.  So it will be with the second nation.  There are a number of us who have been stirred for years over this move of the Holy One of Israel.  So far we have only seen the Spirit bring back to remembrance our ancestral identity as Ephraimites, but is that all there is to the story?  No!  We, also, like our brothers from the first “etz”, must become a nationally recognized people (the second stick/tree).  We obviously cannot be of this first nation of Judah; we must be of the second tree/stick, and have our own government and national identity, just as the prophet was told to write: “For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel, his companions.”

It should be apparent that our government is a theocracy ruled by a King.
This King must be of the House of David and anointed by YHVH to rule over His nation (Jacob/Israel).  Every subject must pledge allegiance to the King and His government - the Spirit of Holiness (ref. Rom 14:17). We all should know by now who this King is, and be mature in our responsibilities to serve Him.  The angel Gabriel, sent by YHVH, announced before His birth who He would be:  "Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Yeshua/Jesus (which means salvation). "He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and YHVH will give Him the throne of His father David. "And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end" (Luke 1:31-33).  Paul and Barnabas, after returning to Antioch, preached the gospel in a synagogue, confirming that the gospel is about Yeshua the Messiah Son of David (Acts 13:32-44).

At this point in time the Greek-originated form of government, that is, democracy, governs Judah.  This is why it becomes paramount that Yeshua Son of David governs us, who form the second tree/nation.  Yeshua returned to His Father in the heavens in order to take up residence in the hearts of His called out ones, and govern them through the Spirit of Holiness.  The establishment of an Ephraimite nation here on this earth will not work without each of the subjects having this kingdom dominion in his heartBoth Judah and the Palestinians declared their national identity before they had a piece of land to call their own.  Thus, we must not be ashamed of our national roots either, especially since we have a government not of this world order.   Peter, writing to the aliens, that is the “people living along side, or in, the heathen nations”, tells them that they are a Holy nation (ref. Pet.1:1; 2:9). He tells them that to be a nation and to have a national identity is perfectly acceptable, even while living amongst the other nations.  This is what Judah did 50 years before the other nations recognized their national identity (although there are some that still do not acknowledge its existence).  We too must raise the level of our consciousness at this time, to be compatible with the prophetic word concerning us.  Ephraimites, we are the second stick or nation. But because we have a righteous King, after the order of Melchizedec, ruling us, and a holy government in our hearts, we remain at this point a separate and distinct “etz” (nation) from Judah!  We have to become accustomed to being obedient bondservants and subjects of our King.  

May we all “examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith for do we not know this about ourselves that Yeshua the Messiah [son of David] is in us” (2Cor. 13:5)!

Ephraim                     08/08/03

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