The Stone in the Sticks

“But behold, according to the scriptures, this stone shall become the great, and the last, and the only sure foundation, upon which the Jews can build.” – Jacob 4:16

In mans journey to know God we have been given the sacred writings of God’s Servants, the Holy Prophets, as evidence of God’s Glorious work among us his children. I do believe that every Christian would agree with this statement, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (2Tim3:16).” Is it safe for us to say that the more scripture we have that has come by the inspiration of God would in fact allow us to obtain a firmer belief in doctrine and as a result would instruct us more fully in righteousness? Let us take a careful look at support in the Bible that will answer the question above.

Ezekiel 37:15-20,

[15] The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying,

[16] Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions:

[17] And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand.

[18] And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these?

[19] Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand.

[20] And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes.

Stick – Hebrew meaning wood (Wooden writing tablets were in common use in Babylon in Ezekiel’s day.) Num. 17:2(1-10)

The Stick of Judah is the Record of the Jews which is the Bible both Old and New Testaments. The other stick spoken of was a record that was entrusted to the Latter-day Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord himself tells us this in a revelation given to Joseph Smith, “Moroni, whom I have sent unto you to reveal the Book of Mormon, containing the fullness of my everlasting gospel, to whom I have committed the keys of the record of the stick of Ephraim (Doctrine and Covenants 27:5).” Also in Revelation 14:6 is says, “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,” once again this is the prophecy of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon or as Ezekiel put it the Stick of Ephraim.

Okay, so one might ask “I thought the bible was complete and that we have all of the words of God in it, we don’t need more scripture.” To this I will say, “There are so-called lost books of the Bible which are documents that are mentioned in the Bible in such a way that it is evident they were considered authentic and valuable, but that are not found in the Bible today. Sometimes called the missing scripture, they consist of at least the following: book of the Wars of the Lord (Num. 21:14); book of Jasher (Josh. 10:13, 2 Sam. 1:18); book of the acts of Solomon (1 Kgs. 11:41); book of Samuel the seer (1 Chr. 29:29); book of Gad the seer (1 Chr. 29:29) these are just to name a few. The foregoing items attest to the fact that our present bible does not contain all of the word of the Lord that he gave to his people in former times, and reminds us that the Bible, in its present form, is rather incomplete.” For more information of this see LDS Edition of the Bible Dictionary under the topic ‘Lost Books’.

The Book of Mormon (Stick of Ephraim) warns those who will not accept further inspiration from God, this prophet Nephi received this revelation from the Lord, “Wo be unto him that shall say: We have received the word of God, and we need no more of the word of God, for we have enough! For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have (2 Ne. 28:29-30).”Furthermore the 29^th Chapter of 2 Nephi illustrates how the Bible and the Book of Mormon compliment each other. It is never our place to limit God as to what he can or cannot reveal.

One more point to finish the knot, let’s turn to St. John 10.

[14] I am the good shepherd(God), and know my sheep(us his children), and am known of mine.

[15] As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

[16] And 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.

With these references in mind now take a glance at a scripture in the Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 15:21.

[21] And verily I say unto you, that ye are they of whom I said: 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.

God not only had his hand the work that brought forth of what we know as the Bible but he is and will continue to reveal Scripture to his children for this reason found in the stick of Ephraim, “And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.”

In conclusion I’d like to leave with a list I’ve come up with regarding the Purposes of the Book of Mormon, Omni 1:25-26; Words of Mormon 1:7-8.

These purposes include the following, Sign of the Fathers work (3 Nephi 21:1-7, Abr. 1:18, 2:6,9-11; Ether 4:17); Confound false Doctrine (2 Nephi 3:12; 29:6-13); Restores truths of Gospel of Christ (1 Nephi 13); Convince Jew/Gentile that Jesus is the Christ (2 Nephi 25:18-19; 26:12); Instruct Latter-day people to become more wise (Mormon 8:34-35; 9:31); Reveals the Enemies of Christ (2 Nephi 28); Proves that Holy Scriptures are true and that God calls/inspires men to his work in these latter-days (D&C 20:11); Lastly shows what the Lord has done for all mankind (2 Nephi 9; Mosiah 3-6,18).

I so testify along the words of Paul that all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. God will and is at this very moment filling the hearts of all people everywhere of his goodness and love. May we always be found searching the words of the Holy Prophets of whom they so testified of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Christ and we have a Father in Heaven of this I bear you my witness.