[Commenting on Ezek 37:16-19]
It has long been said in the
Church that these sticks represent the Book of Mormon and the Bible. The word
stick here does not mean scroll in Hebrew, as we often heard. Christians say
that Ezekiel is actually only speaking of tribes, not books, and there is some
merit in this, as we see from the prophecy in Isaiah 11, which the angel Moroni
quoted to Joseph, that these two tribes would be restored to fellowship and
unity.
However, in 2 Nephi, we find the
following prophecy. Words in parenthesis are mine.
“Wherefore, the fruit of thy
loins shall write (Book of Mormon); and the fruit of the loins of Judah
shall write (Bible); And that which shall be written by the fruit of thy
loins, and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah
shall grow together, UInto the confounding of false doctrines, and laying down
of contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins”
- 2 Nephi 2:19-21 (RLDS), 3:12
(LDS)
In 1 Nephi 5:224 in the Book of
Mormon (RLDS edition) / 1 Nephi 19:3 (LDS edition), tells us the words written
in the Book of Mormon, “should be kept for the instruction of my people, who
should possess the land, and also for other wise purposes, which purposes
are known unto the Lord.”
What was this other, wise
purpose?
“ . . . in that day (when this
record would go forth to the world) shall the deaf hear the words of the
book; and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness:
And the meek also shall increase, and their joy shall be in the Lord; and the
poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel . . . They also that
erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn
doctrine.”
- 2 Nephi 11:155-156, 160
(RLDS), 27:29, 35 (LDS)
As we have read, the truths contained
in these two records (The Bible & Book of Mormon when joined together (and acted
upon) will confound false doctrines, lay down contentions, and establish peace
among mankind.
. . .
Since the time of the coming
forth of the Book of Mormon, God has been “physically” gathering the 10 lost
tribes from out of every nation, even the isles of the sea, as the Bible
prophesied would happen, unto the gathering place for Israel (the northern
tribes), even the great melting pot that is the United States of America. But
God will also gather them “spiritually” which is to awaken them to a knowledge of
who they are, and the covenants He has made with their fathers. This is an act
of restoration! It will happen before the eyes of the entire world, and nothing
can stop it. (Douglas Hatton, God’s Strange Act: The Restoration of the House
of Israel [2d ed.; 2025], 146-47, 150, emphasis in original)
