In Zechariah chapter 3 is speaks Messianically of
'Joshua/Jehoshua and His or Thy Fellows' who are 'men wondered at' that makes them
sound to be quite peculiar indeed (Zechariah 3:1, 8 (1-10), see Commentary on Zechariah 3). From before the foundation
of the earth
In resolving a troublesome debate between his deciples as to who would or should be greatest among
them, Jesus responed, "He that would be the greatest among you, let him be thy servant." This is
exactly who Jesus has called the 'greatest' and 'noblest' to be, that is they have been made the
servants of all the rest in fulfilling the promises of the Lord unto bringing to every nation,
kindred, tongue and people the very word or gospel of God, and who further as such does offer to
be their saviors upon mount Zion. That is they have come forth to provide the ordinances and temple
performances vicariously unto all who ever have lived. Who but Christ's own peculiar people, his
fellows, even Ephraim and his companions is there set to perform this great service unto the
children of God according to the fulfilling of the Covenant of Abraham and also according to the
promises of the 'fathers?'
The Kingdom of Judah's representation to the world of Israel has basically been, "We, not
thee." Yet today there is another representaion of Israel to the World that now states, "Thee
with we." Jesus and his fellows as the latter-day Kingdom of Israel, that is Ephraim and his
companions are reaching out to all world in and through the Gospel of Jesus Christ are offering
the invitation that says, "Come and join with those who have prevailed with and in the Lord, that
is Israel, sons and daughter of Abraham, Noah, Adam, Jesus and God." Jesus once said alluding to
the Gentiles, "Even of these stone can God raise up children unto Abraham."
How fitting it was that Jesus came with his deciples out of Galilee, out of the Nothern Kingdom
to offer His salvation to the Jews of Jerusalem. How appropriate it was that Jesus was born and
came out of that outlying region of Ephratah of Ephraim about Bethlehem as he who was but little
among the thousands of Judah all round about him (Micah 5:2). In deed, as Benjamin once held
Zelzah (1 Samuel 10:2) as their propety claim next to their mother Rachel's tomb, so it was also
that Ephraim of Joseph held Ephratah as their property claim next to their mother Rachel's tomb.
And from thence did the Messiah of Ephraim come as the descendant of Jesse, Obed, Mahlon and
Elimelech, Ephtrathites meaning Ephraimites, unto who Boaz was but the maternal near kinsman who
did provide himself as surrogate in order to raise up seed to the house of Mahlon and Elimelech,
and that Naomi had a son in Obed, who further held that family land there in Bethlehem-Ephratah.
It was even that very land which was his by family right that Jesus was born upon, for the one,
the very little remnant of Ephraim did return to come forth out of Ephratah to stand and offer
to the thousands of Judah his gospel first. But they rejected him, and thus now they will be last.
And now that Messiah of Joseph and Epharim has called forth his fellows and they who have been 'Hid
with Christ in God' (Colossians 3:3) from before the world, and now with them he has brought forth
his fullness of the true Gospel again to bless the whole earth, and not just the living but also
every soul who hath ever lived is being provided for if they will but come forth unto Him, his
Church and His fellow servants who are serving them and providing for them the one true path, way
and avenue unto Salvation and even Exhaltaion and Eternal Life, if they will but come unto Him.
Now, like in the past items, here again you will have noticed that many of the past items that have
been emphasised separately are here joined to gether in this item's presentation. It is simple a
matter that intelligence cleaves unto intelligence, and light unto light. And so it is that such
all combines into the whole truth of the matter. As said in Isaiah, line comes upon line, precept
comes upon precept, here a little and there a little; until it does continue to combine and enlighten
the soul and the spirit in understanding.
And so it is here that the precept is turned unto that of God's, that is Jesus Christ's followers,
as being that peculiar people that where to be wondered at. And today this 'peculiar people' stand
before you offering to you to come and become as it were 'peculiar too' to be a treasure unto God
above all people, joining yourself unto Israel, unto those who do prevail in and with the Lord.
For in truth all the earth is His (Exodus 19:5) and he but what you to come unto Him that he may
bare you up on the wings of eagles and bring you out of that 'world of Egypt' that 'land of Babylon'
that is but that world of captivity and wickedness proliferated by that man of darkness and sin.
Today is that day where in He, the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, a
righteous nation, the nation of Israel (Deuteronomy 14:2). For it is by the birth of baptism and
that of the Holy Ghost that you may become an adopted son or daughter unto Christ, and he will be
as a Father unto you and place you with him chosen people Israel. Let the LORD avouch thee this
day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his
commandmants (Deuteronomy 26:18). Come ye, and be with we as children of Abraham and Israel for
His Peculiar treasure (Psalms 135:4). And thus He may say of thee, 'I have gat me men and women
singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sort
(Eccesiastes 2:8) be they black and white, bond and free, male and female; for he remembereth the
heathern; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile (2 Nephi 26:33).
In the waters of baptism, and by the principles of repentance and forgiveness will he redeem all
from all iniquity who come unto him. And thus he will purify himself a peculiar people (Titus 2:14),
even 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 (1
Peter 2:9).
Be no more put off from Israel, but join yourself there to, that ye might become of Israel too, my
chosen people, my fellows, my friends, my peculiar people, people to be wondered at. It is this day,
the last day as it were, that Christ has sent forth his chosen fellow servants to gather all in that will
be gathered in unto him to be tied and bound into shelves of the harvest. Come join with the grain
of the harvest. Be not left to be burned as stuble in the field. He hand is reached out to you still.
Will ye but come unto him?
To understand that Christ is of Ephraim, even the very leader of his chosen people, his adoption
by your kindred kinsman, Christ has himself shown forth the full validity of the principle of such
adoption in and of himself. It was Ephraim upon who Jacob did lay his had and set for to receive
the greater blessing of the 'birth-right' of the everlasting covenant. And it is by such right of
kinship that the priesthood doeth come by right unto man according to the laws of eartly
righteousness. That Christ was so 'adopted' by the surrogate performance of Boaz unto raising up
seed by Ruth the wife of Mahlon unto the house of Mahlon, though Mahlon was dead; even so as
Boaz was that near kinsman he did so 'adopt' the first born son of Ruth unto the house of Mahlon.
And it was sanctioned by the Law of God, which God had put into effect by that Law given through
Moses (Deuteronomy 25:5-10) and performed by Boaz (Ruth 4:5 & 10). So just as that make Christ
heir of Ephraim and the birthright of the covenant, then so also does the 'surrogate' adobptive
baptism of rebirth bring you to be born of him as sons and daughters of the Lord Jesus Chrsit,
and being of his seed, ye are adopted as being of Israel, even as being of Ephraim and his
companions are to be of Israel, and even one people in and of the Lord, his fellows even unto
immortality and eternal life (Moses 1:39).
It is the effective law of God. Christ and his chosen fellow servants have been hid in God unto this
very purpose. And now they have been brought forth to serve as the servants of the harvest, bring
the very Gospel and opportunity unto all men, that if they but 'look' unto him; they may be
saved. The simpleness of the way is set before all this day. This last day which is and will
become that Day of the Lord unto bring salvation, immortality and eternal life unto the souls of
the world.
Yes Christ was of the blood of Boaz, and thus was of the blood of Judah. But just as the Gentile
may be changed unto being one with Ephraim and Israel by their baptism and the changes brought
about by the rebirth and adoption unto Christ unto a new may and of Israel; so also was Christ so
adopted unto the birthright of the covenant of Ephraim, by that vicarious performance of Boaz unto
the raising up seed to the dead that the inheritance of the dead, the everlasting covenant right
of the dead, was taken and put upon him unto making him of the house of Elimelech and of the
covenant firstborn of the earthly covenant right by right of adoption unto that Ephrathite family
by who it did come unto him to have through Obed, Jesse that Ephraimite (1 Samuel 17:12) who
was the father of David.
And so what does it mean to be 'hid with Christ in God?' What does it mean to be of Ephraim and
his companions? What is it to be of Jehoshua and his fellows? Joined with and unto that brotherhood
of Christ in the birthright covenant of Ephraim and the obligation to bring the gospel unto every
nation, kindred, tongue and people, bot the living and the dead; it does mean quite a bit. As part
of the consideration of Christ being both Messiah ben Joseph and Messiah ben David; that is being
of a lineal descent of Jesse as well as of Ephraim, or of the house of Joseph, I would
say it does mean quite a bit (D&C 113:3).
Over these many items, often redundantly speaking of such as they all do interrelate and belong
one unto the other and really just cannot be separated out, it has continued to be put forth in
many evidences and in many ways just how and why it is that Jesus Christ is of the covenant
birthright linage of the house of Joseph. And while still being of the undenyable blood line of
Judah, it is by his right of that adoption of the near kinsman performance that all righteousness
had been maintian according to the manner of the world and relationships here in and with. And
for the same reasoning that Christ was to be baptized though without sin, in order to fulfill
all righteousness in terms of earthly covenants, so also it has been set out in terms of the right
to the covenant according to both heavenly and earthly right, that the Lord and Savior certainly
did poscess both rights and did come by them both legally and according to all such laws of God
in Heave and in such relative operation as performed by right on and of the earth.
Joseph Smith was told that because he was of the proper earthly linage, he was one who had the
right unto the priesthood of God. That earthly linage was made quite apparant as what was stated
in the Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 3:14-16. There is it plainly stated that the prophet by right of
being the descendant of Joseph of Egypt, would be called according to those promised made by the
Lord unto Joseph of Egypt, that he would be called to be the latter day prophet. Thus Joseph
Smith's lineal right is comfirmed that he was of the birthright from Joseph, and Brigham Young
did further state of Joseph Smith, that he was a 'pure Ephraimite.'
Now with that summary of 'right' that Joseph Smith held, by what right did Jesus Christ have unto
the ancestral descent of right to the priesthood as did Joseph Smith? Now certainly Joseph Smith,
like Jesus Chrsit, is presumed to have held priesthood and priesthood right in the premortal life.
So did Jesus Chrsit, even great and vast powerful priesthood rights for sure, he being that Great
God Jehovah in the spirit. But like Joseph Smith, and any other prophet who has come to earth,
there has been some lineal right so established by which they have come unto the priesthood of
God and even further in both the case of Christ and Smith, that right to the covenant birthright
which is but maintained by earthly birthright?
Now today the priesthood is 'in the Church' open to any worth male reguardless of their immediate
earthly parentage. That is they can be as pure a gentile as can be, but yet they may have access
to the priesthood of God. Why? That is easy to be said, and that is because 'they have been
adopted' into the lineal ancestry. They have been adopted into Israel with Ephraim. And therefore
that have a right to all the blessings of the priesthood, even celestial or temple marriage.
With Christ, it would seem that he would need to 'show his credintials' in both respect. That he is
a Son of God, twice over speaks much upon the one side. But in all righteousness what about the
other. Certainly Judah was of Israel, but Judah was not of the 'priesthood birthright' to hold the
fulness of the priesthood, even he right of the birthright and the everlasting covenant thereof.
So wherein did Christ have that right? Or was Christ an exception to the rule? Certainly he had in
place all the 'powerful affluence.' But seemingly by both the eartly law of God in the Law of Moses
through the adoptive law of kinsman adoption, he was of the house of the Ephrathites Mahlon and
Elimelech. And also he had the 'traditionally' held Hebrew law, that by adoption, he was the
son of Joseph the carpenter, who was of the blood of ?Judah? only? NO, as here set out the whole
of the house of Obed, Jesse, David and etc. down to Joseph the carpenter, they were all also of
the house of Joseph just as much as Jesus was, by that earthly right.
Thus by right of heaven and earth, Jesus was heir of the covenant birthright, just as was Joseph
Smith, and without exception. But there is a little bit of a oddity, though it be an oddity of
interest only. For said of Jesus, if read correctly, that he was the BRANCH and ROD, the topic
subjects of the sentence struction talked about in Isaiah 11:1-5. And thus when further spoken
of in D&C 113:4, it is most appropriately said of him, he is, 'who is partly a descendant of Jesse
as well as of Ephraim, or of the house of Joseph.' For most properly considered he was indeed
the Only Begotten Son of God, and only 'partly a descendant' of anyone else. Isn't that interesting.
Those who 'pitch' that Joseph Smith is who is spoken of in D&C 113:3-4, best brush up on their
rules of *English grammar and diagramming of sentences to fined that Brand and Rod is what Isaiah
11:1-5 spoke of and which is also the question asked as to the identity of the 'Rod' in D&C 113:3-4,
who is Jesus Christ. Another point already covered elsewhere but used in support of the further
evidence set forth here in building understanding line upon line, precept upon precept. [Yes,
Joseph Smith and even a number of other such time and location present Ephraimites may well
qualify for being 'him' and/or 'those' who are being spoken of in D&C 113:5-6.]
* Brief English lesson: D&C 113:1
That sentence is poorly structured as to what was really being stated by Isaiah, for it has taken
the double preposition adverb 'of the stew of Jesse' and mixed it with the 'subjects' of the
parallel compound sentence, which the pronoun 'who' does directly refer to. That is both 'Rod' and
'Branch' are the antecedents of the pronoun 'who' in terms of 'Who is spoken of in
the 1-5 verses of Isaiah 11?' Thus disregarding the poorly applied direct object of the double
preposition adverb '[of] the stem of Jesse' from the sentence for proper understandablitiy, it is
Jesus Christ 'who' is the 'Rod' and the 'Branch' that is being spoken of in Isaiah 11:1-5 and
he it is that is the Rod and Branch used in verse 1. Thus D&C 113:3, asking about the
'Rod,' is actualy asking about 'who' is spoken of in Isaiah 11:1-5. And D&C 113:4 is telling us exactly
what is the lineal ancestry of Jesus Christ, at least that 'part' that is not of God his Father.
To see 'who' the antesedent of the pronoun 'Who' was in the question according to the subject(s)
and true context of the parallelism of Isaiah 11:1, the following roughly and loosely sentence
diagrams are given as to the my ability with 'typed out' representations of my old sentence
diagramming remembered tools:
Looking at the 'New King James Version' may help:
Thus with the Rod paralleled with the Branch, it is clearly seen that
the Branch and Rod are the subjects and further that 'they' can be none other than Jesus Christ
'who' is growing or coming forth out of the trunk, roots or 'stem' of Jesse.
And then the parallel second sentence is diagrammed:
This is but grade school - high school grammar of sentence structure diagramming and understanding
here. This is what was learned in order to further teach grammar in order to obtain proper reading
comprehension. At least in school I was taught it. I do not know if it is still taught or even
remembered. By those who would make of a part of the prepositional phrase that motifies the verb
to be the topic of the first five verses of Isaiah 11:1-5, rather than the 'Rod' and the 'Branch'
just to inflate Joseph Smith, when brother Joseph has enough where else one may esteem him, seems
to me to be reaching without proper comprehension.
So why would the Lord seem to stat a misleading matter such as 'it is a servant in the hands of
Christ?' Well the first two questions seem set on pinning down one to give an interpretation
relative to Jesus Christ. And the Lord, while giving a properly correct answer, may not have wanted
it so easily understood as the world was not ready to see him as a descendant of Joseph or Messiah
ben Joseph as a possed to Messiah ben Judah.
Further as for the Lord stating: 'it is a servant in he hands of Christ'—certainly Jehovah has
taken his life, as being the Messiah, into his own hands, at it was his own 'free' agency choice to
be our Savior and condescend to suffer, and bleed and die for our sins. And this just as it was
Isaac's choice to be obedient to his old and aged father Abraham, who the younger and stronger Isaac
could have well resisted rather than to allow Abraham take and bind him as the 'lamb' to be killed
and burned upon the branches that Isaac had carried to the spot of the sacrifice. No struggle did
Isaac make, but allowed himself to be taken to be killed. So also Jesus of his own agency allowed
himself to be that welling sacrifice for sin in the Garden of Gethsemane. He could have walked away
at any time, but with his life 'in his own hands' as the promised 'Christ' he did not, stepping
up three times as it were before it had been accomplished, And only accompanied by the spirit angel
of his brother the Holy Ghost, who had stepped appart from him so that he did it all on his own
alone, taking his life in his own hands to do it.
138. Jehoshua and His Fellows
~ Hiden with Christ in God ~
(Even Ephraim and His Companions)
"Therefore, thus saith the Lord unto you, with whom the priesthood hath continued through the
lineage of your fathers—
"For ye are lawful heirs, according to the flesh, and have been
hid from the world with Christ in
God—"
~ Doctrine and Covenants | Section 86:8-9 (8-11), also Colossians 3:2-3, also 1 Corinthians 2:7
Let Him/Them Be Thy Servant(s)
But that is just another such witness that Jesus was and is of and associated with Ephraim. And here
it is that the concentration is upon Jesus, who is Jehoshua, that is Jehovah in whom their is
redeption come unto the world. And this time he has again established his one true church abount
his friends, even his fellows of whom himself is a part of according to the covenant promises given
unto Abraham and back to Adam. But also from Abraham to Isaac and Jacob, which Jacob bestowed them
upon his birthright son Joseph and his adopted sons of Ephraim and Manasseh. And it was unto Ephraim
who was given the birthright, even to include the ancestry of the Messiah to come.
By What Earthly Right?
(note: from the sentence structure of Isaiah 11:1, a
presumed preposition ought to be placed into the sentence to make it match the structure of the
original and a lower case 's' as to that which matches the original also.)
Rod | shall come forth SUBJECT | VERB (PHASE)
\ \
\out of (from) the stem PREPOSITIONAL PHASE
\ MODIFYING THE VERB
\of Jesse \DITTO
Here clearly the subject of the first part of the compound parallel sentence is the 'Rod' with
'out of or from the stem' and 'of Jesse' being modifying prepositional phrases attached to the
verb. That is the 'subject' of verse one and the next four verses of Isaiah 11 relate to 'Rod'.
And the 'Rod' and the 'Branch' is/are the antecedents which the pronoun 'Who' of the ill phrased
question does refer to.
"There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse,
and a Branch shall grow out of his roots." Isaiah 11:1 NKJV
Branch | shall grow
\
\out of his roots (Jesse's roots)