Ezekiel’s Two-Sticks Gathered into One

Initially, when I had written some of this content, I had intended it to be included in my previous post “Barley Harvest, First-Fruits and Ezekiel’s Dead Bones”, as I wanted to include a lot of content from Ezekiel 37. However, it became quite obvious to me, that I had to create a separate post continuing on with Ezekiel 37.

The prophesy mentioned in Ezekiel 37:15-28, concerning the “Two-Sticks” or rather two kingdoms, being the House of Israel, and the House of Judah, was fulfilled and were brought together into the Hand of Yeshua/Jesus upon His death with the ratification of the New Covenant through His blood.

Now, before I go into the prophesy within Ezekiel 37, I am going to first give a little back story on the two houses, as many may not be familiar with such, but are an integral part of scripture and understanding prophesy, and fulfillment of prophesy.

Starting out with King David, he ruled over all of Israel, which was united into one kingdom. The temple was to be built under his son Solomon, of which was promised by YHWH. Solomon, to his own demise, completed the temple, but, because of his grievous sins against Yah/God’s law of marrying foreign women, and worshipping their god’s, God took the kingdom from him:

1 Kings 11:9And the LORD(YHWH) was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD(YHWH) God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, 10And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD(YHWH) commanded. 11Wherefore the LORD(YHWH) said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant. 12Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father’s sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son. 13Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen.(KJV)

The kingdom would be divided, giving Solomon’s servant, Jeroboam, 10 tribes, which took up the Northern part of Israel, called the House of Israel/Ephraim. The tribe of Judah, which was also comprised of Benjamin, would still go to Solomon’s son Rehoboam, and would take up the Southern part of Israel. The reason that the tribe of Judah would go to Rehoboam, had to do with not only the promise that the Seed(Messiah) would come from David, but also that the scepter would not depart from Judah until Shiloh came(Gen 49:10). This I speak on in a blog called “Until Shiloh Comes, if you would like to read more.

1 Kings 11:29And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field: 30And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces: 31And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee: 32(But he shall have one tribe for my servant David’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:) (KJV)

So, after the death of Solomon, the kingdom was split into two kingdoms, or two brides. Eventually, due to continued disobedience, the House of Israel was divorced:

Jeremiah 3:8And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.

Thereby being cast out of the land and covenant with YHWH. History records that in 721 BC the Assyrians captured the capital of Samaria after a three year strong hold and the Northern Kingdom existed no more. Per Deut 24:4 they could not come back into covenant, until the Messiah came. The House of Judah was not divorced, although due to disobedience were also scattered out of the land, but due to the Messianic prophesies they would come back and remain until the scepter passed to the rightful heir.

Matthew 21:43Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. 

EZEKIEL 37:15-25

Ezek 37:15And the word of יהוה came to me, saying,16“And you, son of man, take a stick for yourself and write on it, ‘For Yehuḏah and for the children of Yisra’ĕl, his companions.’ Then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Yosĕph, the stick of Ephrayim, and for all the house of Yisra’ĕl, his companions.’ 17“THEN BRING THEM TOGETHER FOR YOURSELF INTO ONE STICK, AND THEY SHALL BECOME ONE IN YOUR HAND.

18“And when the children of your people speak to you, saying, ‘Won’t you show us what you mean by these?’19say to them, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “See, I am taking the stick of Yosĕph, which is in the hand of Ephrayim, and the tribes of Yisra’ĕl, his companions. And I shall give them unto him, with the stick of Yehuḏah, and make them one stick, AND THEY SHALL BE ONE IN MY HAND.” ’20“And the sticks on which you write shall be in your hand before their eyes.

21“And speak to them, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “SEE, I AM TAKING THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL FROM AMONG THE GENTILES, WHEREVER THEY HAVE GONE, AND SHALL GATHER THEM FROM ALL AROUND, and I shall bring them into their land(SPIRITUAL LAND/HEAVENLY JERUSAELEM).

22“AND I SHALL MAKE THEM ONE NATION (ONE FLOCK) in the land, on the mountains of Yisra’ĕl(ZION). And one sovereign(KING) shall be sovereign over them all, AND LET THEM NO LONGER BE TWO NATIONS, AND LET THEM NO LONGER BE DIVIDED INTO TWO REIGNS(KINGDOMS).

23“And they shall no longer defile themselves with their idols, nor with their disgusting matters, nor with any of their transgressions. And I shall save them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and I shall cleanse them. And they shall be My people, and I be their Elohim,

24while Dawiḏ My servant is sovereign over them. AND THEY SHALL ALL HAVE ONE SHEPHERD and walk in My right-rulings and guard My laws, and shall do them.
25“And they shall dwell in the land that I have given to Ya‛aqoḇ My servant, where your fathers dwelt. And they shall dwell in it, they and their children and their children’s children, forever, and MY SERVENT Dawiḏ (DAVID) BE THEIR PRINCE FOREVER.(ISR 98) 

So, 3 things I want to focus on:

1.) Yeshua brought, and brings ALL together, through Him into ONE:

ONE BODY:

1Cor 12:12FOR AS THE BODY IS ONE and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, ARE ONE BODY, so also is the Messiah. 13For indeed by one Spirit we were all immersed INTO ONE BODY, whether Yehuḏim or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink into one Spirit.

When Messiah died, He brought the two sticks, the two houses together into His Hand(creating ONE NEW MAN) and One Nation/One Kingdom. The High Priest Caiaphas, spoke a prophesy that directly correlated to Ezek 37:

John 11:51But he did not say this from himself, but being high priest that year he prophesied that יהושע (Yeshua/Jesus) WAS ABOUT TO DIE for the nation(House of Judah), 52and not for the nation only(House of Judah), BUT TO GATHER INTO ONE the children of Elohim who were scattered abroad(House of Israel/Ephraim).(ISR 98)

ONE NEW MAN:

Eph 2:13But now in Messiah יהושע YOU WHO WERE ONCE FAR OFF HAVE BEEN BROUGHT NEAR BY THE BLOOD OF THE MESSIAH. 14For He is our peace, WHO HAS MADE BOTH ONE, and having broken down the partition of the barrier, 15having abolished in His flesh the enmity – the Torah of the commands in dogma – so as to create in Himself ONE RENEWED MAN FROM THE TWO, thus making peace, 16and to completely restore to favour both of them unto Elohim IN ONE BODY through the stake, having destroyed the enmity by it.(ISR 98)

ONE KINGDOM:

1 Peter 2:9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, AN HOLY NATION, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 10Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

2.) We are brought into the LAND, our inheritance, upon completion of our race, of which the Spirit was given as a deposit(Eph 1:14), and gains us access to the Kingdom. I quote this from “Barley Harvest, First-Fruits, and Ezekiel’s Dead Bones”:

When Yeshua/Jesus was resurrected from the dead, so were the saints that had died previously, under the old covenant, and were offered as the barley harvest of first fruits: those that were awaiting for a “better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.”(Heb 11:16), were raised with Him. They no longer needed to be in Abraham’s bosom, as the promise was brought through Christ for those who were faithful.

Matthew 27:51And see, the veil of the Dwelling Place was torn in two from top to bottom, and the earth was shaken, and the rocks were split,
52AND THE TOMBS WERE OPENED, AND MANY BODIES OF THE SET-APART ONES WHO HAD FALLEN ASLEEP WERE RAISED(And Enrolled into the Kingdom Hebrews 12:23), 53AND COMING OUT OF THE TOMBS AFTER HIS RESURRECTION, they went into the set-apart city and appeared to many.(ISR 98)

They entered into it through with a proper payment made by our Kinsman and heir of the “first-born”, being “Enrolled into the Kingdom”:

Hebrews 12:22Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to myriads of angels 23in joyful assembly, TO THE CONGREGATION OF THE FIRSTBORN, ENROLLED IN HEAVEN. You have come to God the judge of all men, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. (BSB)

This was considered the “first-fruits” of the ripe harvest.

Lev 23:10WHEN YOU COME INTO THE LAND WHICH I GIVE YOU, AND SHALL REAP ITS HARVEST, THEN YOU SHALL BRING A SHEAF OF THE FIRST-FRUITS OF YOUR HARVEST TO THE PRIEST.

Those who had previously looked forward to the promise(Heb 11:39-40), were resurrected with Messiah(dry bones Ezek 37:11-14), and brought into the spiritual land, through the Spiritual Seed. They were longing for what was promised, but were not alive to obtain it, as it was not made available to them until Christ came to bring restoration to the Father, and mankind.

3.) This brings me into my last point, we only have One King, who does not reign on earth, nor will He. Let me focus in on verses 22, 24-25 of Ezek:

22“AND I SHALL MAKE THEM ONE NATION (ONE FLOCK) in the land, on the mountains of Yisra’ĕl(ZION). And one sovereign(KING) shall be sovereign over them all, AND LET THEM NO LONGER BE TWO NATIONS, AND LET THEM NO LONGER BE DIVIDED INTO TWO REIGNS(KINGDOMS).

24while Dawiḏ My servant is sovereign over them. AND THEY SHALL ALL HAVE ONE SHEPHERD and walk in My right-rulings and guard My laws, and shall do them. 25“And they shall dwell in the land that I have given to Ya‛aqoḇ My servant, where your fathers dwelt. And they shall dwell in it, they and their children and their children’s children, forever, and MY SERVENT Dawiḏ (DAVID) BE THEIR PRINCE FOREVER.

As I mentioned earlier, King David ruled over all of Israel, before they became divided. Yeshua, One greater than David, likewise would rule over the whole House of Israel, bringing the two divided kingdoms back, yet not from an earthly throne, but heavenly. Yeshua stated Himself that His Kingdom is not an earthly Kingdom.

John 18:36Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world; if it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jews. But now, My kingdom is not of this realm.” (BSB)

As mentioned earlier, the House of Israel became divorced, and as such could not come back into covenant until the New Covenant was offered through faith in Yeshua/Jesus. They became known as “the lost sheep of the House of Israel”. When Yeshua died, His blood ratified the New Covenant, which also nullified the previous marriage covenant made with the House of Judah, and they became a widow. In order for both houses to be redeemed, bringing it back to one House called the House of Jacob(Israel) YHWH had to come in the flesh and die. This becomes a fulfillment of the Kinsman Redeemer and Levirate Law(Lev 25:25-27,Deut 25:5-19). If you are not familiar with such you can read my blog post about the book of Ruth, and the role of the kinsman, as well as why the son of Ruth and Boaz was handed over to Naomi, a widow, redeeming the rights of the first-born, “Sandal Strap not Worthy to Loosen”

This is why the New covenant was made with the House of Israel, and the House of Judah, (Jer 31:31-34) as this was a New Covenant(Marriage) offer for them; not with the blood of goats, but rather with the blood of YHWH Himself.

Jer 31:32 IT WILL NOT BE LIKE THE COVENANT I MADE WITH THEIR FATHERS WHEN I TOOK THEM BY THE HAND TO LEAD THEM OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT—a covenant they broke, though I WAS A HUSBAND TO THEM,” declares the LORD(YHWH). (BSB)

Not only did YHWH come in the flesh to redeem Israel, but to also take the Kingdom back as the rightful heir.

Isaiah 9:6For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.7Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. HE WILL REIGN ON THE THRONE OF DAVID AND OVER HIS KINGDOM, TO ESTABLISH AND SUSTAIN IT WITH JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS FROM THAT TIME AND FOREVERMORE.

I also wanted to make a brief mention of a passage that is mentioned above in the picture of the throne of David, as one of the commentaries that I read, really brings this into perspective:

Jeremiah 22:30Thus saith the LORD, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah.

Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Childless – No child to sit on David’s throne. See 1 Chronicles 3:17 note.
Jeconiah was the last king of David’s line. His uncle indeed actually reigned after him, but perished with his sons long before Jeconiah’s death (literally 10): and yet from so dead a trunk, from a family so utterly fallen, that spiritual King came forth whose name is “Yahweh our righteousness” Jeremiah 23:5-6.

One King:

♦Matthew 2:3But Herodus The King heard and he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him. 4And he gathered the Chief Priests and the Scribes of the people together and was asking them, “Where would The Messiah be born?.” 5And they said, “In Bethlehem of Judaea”, for thus it is written in The Prophets: 6″You, Bethlehem of Judea, were not the least among the Kings of Judaea, for from you shall PROCEED THE KING WHO SHALL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.”(APE)

Luke 1:31And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him THE THRONE OF HIS FATHER DAVID: 33AND HE SHALL REIGN OVER THE HOUSE OF JACOB FOR EVER; AND OF HIS KINGDOM THERE SHALL BE NO END.(KJV)

ONE flock, and ONE Shepherd:

John 10:14I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 15As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; AND THERE SHALL BE ONE FOLD, AND ONE SHEPHERD.(KJV)


Finally, I would like to bring in a prophesy from Zechariah:

♦Zechariah 11:10And I took my staff, even Beauty, AND CUT IT ASUNDER, that I might BREAK MY COVENANT which I had made with all the people. 11And it was broken in that day:12And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed FOR MY PRICE THIRTY PIECES OF SILVER. 13And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD. 14THEN I CUT ASUNDER MINE OTHER STAFF, even Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.(KJV)

Not only was the covenant broken by the people as stated in Jeremiah 31:32, as both houses played the harlot to their Husband; but YHWH Himself broke their covenant as well, as it ENDED. The staff mentioned here “Beauty” is in reference to the House of Judah. The other staff “Bands” is the House of Israel. The union between The House of Judah and the House of Israel according to the flesh(physical) also became no more.

TO CUT ASUNDER, TO FELL OR CUT DOWN (LXX TO FELL A TREE) TO CUT DOWN A TREE.

Strongs’s Hebrew: 1438 cut asunder, in sunder, down, off, hew down
A primitive root; to fell a tree; generally, to destroy anything — cut (asunder, in sunder, down, off), hew down. 

Matthew 3:7…O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: 9And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 10AND NOW ALSO THE AX IS LAID UNTO THE ROOT OF THE TREES: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

The above from Zechariah 11, was a coming and fulfilled prophesy of the Messiah,(YHWH come in the flesh) being sold for 30 pieces of silver(Zec 11:12):

Matthew 27:9Then what was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price set on Him by the people of Israel, 10and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord had commanded me.”

The Scriptures error in stating it was from the prophet Jeremiah, as it was a fulfilled prophesy from Zechariah. This was the cutting off of the covenant with the House of Judah, bringing them to utter destruction as His wrath was poured out on them in 70AD, you can read more on a blog called “In Their Generation” .

Luke 19:43For the days will come upon you when your enemies will barricade you and surround you and hem you in on every side. 44They will level you to the ground— you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.” (BSB)

Ironically given the imagery here, we can go over to Romans 11, and understand WHY the natural branches were cut off, as their covenant WAS BROKEN, but could be grafted in again through faith in the NEW Covenant offer. Remember, Paul wrote the book Romans in the first century, around 56-57AD, and was not speaking on behalf of the current state of Israel.

Rom 11:17And if SOME OF THE BRANCHES BE BROKEN OFF, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; 18Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. 19Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. 20Well; BECAUSE OF UNBELIEF THEY WERE BROKEN OFF, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 22Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 23And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. 24For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree? (KJV)

Trees are liken to people:

♦Mark 8:23And taking the blind man by the hand He led him out of the village. And having spit on his eyes, laying hands on him, He asked him, “DO YOU SEE AT ALL? ”24And he looked up and said, “I SEE MEN LIKE TREES, WALKING.”(ISR 98)

♦Jer 17:7Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.8FOR HE SHALL BE AS A TREE PLANTED BY THE WATERS, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.(KJV)

But, they are also liken to KINGDOMS.

Matthew 13:31He put before them another parable: “The KINGDOM OF HEAVEN is like a mustard seed that a man planted in his field. 32Although it is the smallest of all seeds, yet it grows into the largest of garden plants and BECOMES A TREE, SO THAT THE BIRDS OF THE AIR COME AND NEST IN ITS BRANCHES.” 

What is so powerful to me about this picture, and the imagery, which I have already seen in my mind: You cannot separate Christ from His Kingdom, anymore than you can separate the Tree of Life from eternity.

When John the Baptist preached Matthew 3:7…O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?… 10AND NOW ALSO THE AX IS LAID UNTO THE ROOT OF THE TREES: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

He was warning them that their Kingdom would be no longer, their Tree(kingdom) would be cast into the pit of hell, as well as the little trees(people) be thrown down with it.

Matthew 21:42Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THE SAME IS BECOME THE HEAD OF THE CORNER: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

43Therefore say I unto you, THE KINGDOM OF GOD SHALL BE TAKEN FROM YOU, AND GIVEN TO A NATION BRINGING THE FRUITS THEREOF. 44 AND WHOEVER SHALL FALL ON THIS STONE SHALL BE BROKEN; BUT ON WHOMEVER IT SHALL FALL, IT WILL GRIND HIM TO POWDER.

This is the Kingdom and STONE that Daniel prophesied about:

(LISTEN CAREFULLY)

Daniel 2:44In the days of those kings, the God of heaven will SET UP A KINGDOM THAT WILL NEVER BE DESTROYED, NOR WILL IT BE LEFT TO ANOTHER PEOPLE. It will shatter all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, BUT WILL ITSELF STAND FOREVER. 45And just as you SAW A STONE CUT OUT OF THE MOUNTAIN WITHOUT HUMAN HANDS, AND IT SHATTERED the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold, so the great God has told the king what will happen in the future. The dream is true, and its interpretation is trustworthy.

Messiah brought both houses together in His hand upon His death, nullifying the Old Covenant, and Ratifying the New…thus IT WAS BROKEN IN THAT DAY(Zec 11:11) And Making ONE NEW MAN FROM THE TWO.  The EARTHLY Kingdom(Tree) WAS THROWN DOWN and the SPIRITUAL KINGDOM was RAISED UP…the ROOT OF JESSE, the OFFSPRING OF DAVID(Isa 11)…WHO SITS ON HIS THRONE FOREVER.

One Body. One Kingdom. One King. One Throne.  One Tree.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *