24. Enigma of a Jewish Prepared Old Testament
When events happen through time it is best to obtain more than one perspective
of the events and histories. Every one, every group, has their distinct
perspective of bias. For example from a Christian perspective, the Jews killed
and cruxified the Savior, Jesus Christ. The Jews from their perspective as a
people, they do not recognize Jesus Christ as the Son of God and have chosen
much of their own records in defense that Christ was not the promised Messiah
for various lines of logic and reason according to Jewish interpretation of
the records of the Old Testament which they have kept and recognize.
Understandably, any records which may have clearly stated the facts of a
Christ who is the Son of God, have been edited, ignored, left out and lost
to the Jews as it does not support their particular biased perspective. But
such was once there as may been seen in the book of Moses (JST Genesis) of
the Pearl of Great Price, the revealed scriptures of the Book of Mormon and
such ancient records at it refers to, and also the book of Abraham. And yet
even still with the Jewish Bible alone, from a Christian perspective a work
such as Handel's Messiah can be developed out of the scripture of the Jewish
Old Testament which does indeed support the concept of Jesus Christ the Son
of God and the Savior of the world.
Now just as a Jewish perspective would tend to so bias the Jewish works
against any such Christian perspective, so is a Jewish perspective going to
so diminish an Ephriamite or House of Joseph perspective. Even still we do
know from the Jewish Old Testament Bible that Ephraim recieved the firstborn
birthright blessings of the Covenant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, having been
bestowed by Jacob that in the positional place of his firstborn son, instead
of the unworthy Rueben, the birthright came to Joseph and Joseph's sons,
particularly Ephraim (JST Genesis 48). And what is more interesting, is that
Rueben was at least honest enough to recognize his unworthiness and did not
persue to thwart either Joseph or Joseph's son Ephraim in the matter and to
the extent to which Judah did.
It was Rueben who settled his brothers to cast Joseph in a pit for a while
instead of instantly murdering him in the heat of emotion. And it was Rueben
who had full intent to returning to retrieve Joseph from the pit once the
emotions of his brothers had settled down. However, it was Judah who then
persuaded his other brothers into selling Joseph to the passing caravan. While
some argue that this may have saved Joseph's life, it would seem that Rueben
had already done that, and what Judah had done was to rid himself of Joseph
forever, that if he would not be allowed to be rid of him by murder he would
be rid of him by selling him into slavery into a far away land.
This Jewish perspective comes fully into light, not only in that they
record events in a manner favorable to Judah and unfavorable towards
Ephraim in that Ephraim was to be the head of Israel and Judah never did
so recognize Ephraim as such in the details of their record. Thus much
about the genealogy happening in Ephraim and Israel are not always well
presented in the Jewish record. Indeed, Judah becomes center stage, and the
House of Joseph, Ephraim and Israel become the sideline.
Even the ancestry of King David is presented with a very Jewish slant. That is
while the Law of Moses as the letter of the law should have prevailed and
the ancestral lines of Obed through Mahlon and Elimelech should have been
more rightly presented as the ancestors than that of Boaz as the vicarious
means of performing the task of raising up seed to the dead. Obed and
therefore Jesse and the whole of the House of David should have by law, counted
the ancestral line of Mahlon and Elimelech as their legal and rightful line
rather than Boaz's Jewish family line.
Some say that Elimelech's and Boaz's line must be the same. But that does
not hold. The lines of my sister's children through their male heir is
that of my brothers-in-law. And they are not necessarily anywhere never
to being closing related to me. In fact it is preferred if they are not.
Likewise, Boaz was not the nearest next of kin as 'Such a One' was. And it
may be that 'Such a One' could have been of a similar ancestral line as
Elimelech being more closely related. But Boaz stated himself that he was
not the 'next of kin' in the matter, he was just kin as the next level.
And in many of these items there is direct evidence that supports that
the House of David was in fact legally and rightfully of the House of Ephraim
through some source tieing back to Rachel and her son Joseph. And it is
quite clear that the family is both strategically positioned and very much
potentially that very link. And after a trip through these some 100+ items
through out this text, which in varying degrees support and substantiate that
conclusion, certainly the matter is most feasible.
But you would not expect a Jewish perspective to so subtantiate it to be
the case. First, from a Jewish perspective Jesus Christ was not the Messiah.
Second, many Jews do not even accept that there is to be a Son of God at
all, just some person who will be the deliverer, but not of a divine nature.
Thrid, the Jews have set their records to lay their own claims to the
House of David as being Jewish through Boaz's son Obed raised to the dead
and the House of Elimelech and Mahlon even though there is much evidence
which says it is more rightly of Ephraim. Fourth, betwix the envy and
and vexation of Judah for Ephraim, Joseph, and Israel, one can hardly expect
the Jewish world to promote 'their' King(s) as being of the house of Joseph.
Fifth, the Jews have their own perspectives about thier feast days and
ordinances. They do not interpret the Law of Moses as being symbolic of the
Lamb of God and the coming Christ, they are settled into their very limited
perspectives of what their own 'religion' and faith in God is all about,
which does not include a 'God son' Jesus Christ. They are the 'old jars' into
which the 'new wine' of Christ's Gospel doth not fit though it is and has
been all fulfilled in Christ.
And there are likely other reasons why a Jewish bias in the preparation of
the Old Testament is quite a stumbling block rather than the most benefical
steppingstone to Christ that it could otherwise have been. This bias in the
compilation and editing of the Old Testament Bible must certainly be
considered. And while Christians and the rightful House of Ephraim may finds
many answers there, it must also be considered that the Jewish perspective
has clouded, distorted, hidden, changed, and even lost and destoryed much to
which Christian and those of the House of Ephraim would like to be
privilleged to.
This is what makes the reocrds of Joseph and the stick of Joseph so much of
interest. That would be another perspective and light upon a matter so
narrowly administered and brought to the world by the biased hand of the Jews.
The brass plates of Laban may one day open that perspective wide to the
concepts of Christ and of Ephraim and the seed and role of Joseph in the
world. Yet we know much already and learn more daily. We have the Book of
Mormon, We have other modern revelations. We have a portion of the record of
Abraham. We have an additional portion to the record of Moses. And we have
much in an Inspired Version of many of the Bible scriptures. And one day
we will have access to the prophets Zenos, Zenock, Ezias and others which
are upon the plates of brass. Until then we are somewhat confined with an
Old Testament prepared from a limited Jeish perspective. Yet for now, with a
grain of salt as far as it is translated correctly, it does supply much.
In Particular Chronicles
When considering the enigma of the Jewish prepared Bible one aspect stands
out particularly concerning the record of the two books of Chronicles. While
the historical books of Samuel are thought to have been originally written
by Samuel and perhaps edited a bit in transcription and Kings is likely taken
from such records of the Kings; the record of Chronicles seems to be
unmistakably written in whole from a post Babylonian Exile era, perhaps about
450 B.C. The first clue is that the Jewish genealogies in Chronicles run past
Zerubbabel and the author is at least contempory with him. Further the very
name by which it is referred to 'Paraleipomena' - "things omitted" or
"supplements" speak from a historically past perspective of post Samuel and
Kings, by adding to the record. And what in particular is added? If it is
post Babylon, then whatever is added or adjusted is diffinately from the
one sided skewed Jewish perspective. And this is key as to whose genealogies
and just who is being favored and emphasized in Chronicles. Consider the very
'Jewish Perspective' of what is stated in 1 Chronicles 5:1-2:
"Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he was
the firstborn; but forasmuch as he defiled his father's bed, his birthright
was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the
genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright. For Judah prevailed
above his brethren, and of him came the chief ruler; but the
birthright was Joseph's:)" - 1 Chronicles 5:1-2
Now inquire, 'Who's Genealogy' is being spoken of here? It merely states
"The Genealogy". There is but 'One Genealogy' which is of prime
interest and that is the one so reckoned through whom the Messiah shall come
for 'Blessed is he through whose seed Messiah shall come' (Moses 7:53). And
if there needs to be such a qualification as to after 'which' genealogical
line 'The Genealogy is to be Reckoned After', there logically seems to be
competeing lines. And who are the two major competitors to the linage of
Messiah so stipulated in verses 1 & 2? Of all of Judah's brethren, who is
being specifically denoted in verses 1 & 2 that 'his was the birthright' but
NOT the genealogy because 'Judah had prevailed'? It is the lingage of the
birthright. It is the linage of Joseph and the sons of Joseph whose genealogy
is being stipulated that Judah's has prevailed above? And just what
genealogical claim did Joseph and his sons have in the Messiah that the Jews
from their post Babylon perspective would desire to argue and contend
against that 'the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright'?
This graphic at the right
illustrates the 'Covenant Blessings' from Abraham (Abraham 1:4) to the 'Seed'
and of the fathers so promised to Enoch (Moses 7:53) flowing down to through
Isaac and Jacob. And thence per Judah's blessing under the hand of Jacob
(Genesis 49:10) concerning the 'sceptre' from between his feet 'UNTIL'
Shiloh come. And also thence per the 'birthright' (1 Chronicles 5:1-2) through
Joseph.
Now that the blessings of the fathers did remain in Joseph there is D&C 27:10
to consider, that through and by Joseph did those promises remain, and NOT
trough Judah. And that Shiloh, who is Jesus Christ, would remove the sceptre
from Judah is so stated, though the Jews claim Shiloh to be through them per
their Jewish perspective that 'the genealogy is not to be reckoned according
to the birthright' of the covenant but according to the bloodline of Judah
(1 Chronicles 5:1-2).
Clearly the competing entities as per Judah's usurption is Judah against
Joseph and Joseph's sons particularly Ephraim who is Israel, so named by
Jacob's blessing of bestowal upon him (JST Genesis 48). And even in the days of King David did
Judah and Ephraim contended over who held the greater right in David (2 Samuel
19:43). And in the fourth chapter of the book of Ruth, even against the
right of the Law of Moses of Levirate marriage did the Jews insert their
prefered genealogy above that of Elimelech, Mahlon and Naomi the true legal
and rightful ancestors (Ruth 4:18-22), Obed being the considered son of
Naomi by all the people and by Boaz himself. And it was the properties of
the House of Elimelech (God is King), which did descend to Obed, Jesse and
David, those Ephrathites or Ephraimites of Bethlehem in Ephratah (Micah 5:2).
But despite Judah's usurption to the Covenant and ancestry of the Messiah the
fact remains that in Joseph is the birthright and the genealogy by right of
the Law of Moses. Messiah ben Joseph is Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ as
Shiloh will remove the sceptre from Judah and reveal that it is in Joseph
through Ephraim that the blessings of the Lord of the Second Coming do come
unto all of Israel. Even the blessings of the Messiah through that birthright
were preserved in and throuh Ephraim. Thus as this graphic at the left
illustrates, Judah does have a genealogical bloodline connection to Jesus
Christ. But in that Boaz did but 'raise up seed to the dead', the 'Covenantline'
and the right to the blessings of the fathers, the covenant of birth, did
come unto Jesus Christ by way of Ephraim through the line of Nun, Joshua and
thence to Elimelech and Mahlon by right of being Ruths first husband and
the Law of Levirate marriage as stated in Deuteronomy 25:5-10 and by Boaz
himself in Ruth 4:5 & 10, and also as stated by the community in Ruth 4:16-17.
And likely most purposefully, it is the blood of the bloodline of Judah, that
blood of the world, which is shed for the sins of the world, while it is
the covenant blessing of the right of the birthright by which Christ does
redeem his people though Joseph and his companions in the latter-days. And
while Judah does have a 'bloodline' stake in Jesus Christ by virtue of Boaz,
it is only their ignoring the Law of God, which puts Christ of the House of
Elimelech and Mahlon, that they do solely claim the genealogy to the Messiah,
but by that Law of God, Obed was the seed of the dead Mahlon and Obed as
was Jesse, David and even down to Jesus, whom the Pharisee did site as a
Samaritan, are they all Ephraimites/Ephrathites of the tribe of Ephraim by
the legal law and right of God's Law.
Now one final note ought to be mentioned here. The Chronicler or the writer
of the Chronicles does but assume the role of historian and not prophet.
His view, thought perhaps that of the Jewish perspective, is not that of
a prophet of God as stated by God. And just whom does a prophet of God state
as who has and does prevail? Even in Jeremiah's day he states that
that 'God is father to Israel, and Ephraim is his firstborn' (Jeremiah
31:9). Through the prophet Joseph Smith the Lord states that the 'richer
blessing is upon Ephraim and his fellows' (D&C 133:34) and that the covenant
blessings of the fathers did remain through Joseph (D&C 27:10). And in
Jacob's blessing of Joseph it states that Joseph's blessings have
prevailed ... unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills (and these
'everlasting hills' have a particular meaning to LDS members, just listen to
the Tabernacle Choir broadcast to hear it): they shall be
on the head of Joseph' (Genesis 49:26) and even clearly does Jacob state
of Joseph 'from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel' (Genesis 49:24).
Here is God's word through his prophets and patriarchs, Jacob, Jeremiah
and Joseph Smith. What is the Jewish historical perspective of Judah as
stated in Chronicles having remained in the land (prevailed) when compared to
the voice of God and his servants concerning the everlasting covenant? Has
not God power to yet have Ephraim and his companions prevail over Judah? Yes!
It is important to understand that Jesus was the son and heir of the
'brithright' of Israel and not just merely the heir to the sceptre of David
through the 'bloodline' of Judah. That the bloodline should take a presitence
over the 'covenant line' of the birthright is merely a Jewish perspective
presented post the Babylon exile and certainly is not that eternal perspective
of God. It is a part of this text to so restore that birthright of Israel
heirship to Jesus Christ, to state that Jesus is the son and heir of the
covenant. And while the Melchizedek Priesthood itself is without patriarchal
or parentage inheritance, certainly the blessings of the covenant are and
they ought to come in and through and by the rightful covenant birthright
even in the case of Jesus Christ. And they do as so put forth here. Jesus Christ
is the Son of the Covenant, the Firstborn of the Father in the Spirit,
the Only Begotten Son of the Father in the flesh and the birthright Son and
Heir of the Covenant in Israel. He is Messiah ben Joseph as well as Messiah
ben David. And we ought to retore to him his covenant right of that birthright
in Israel, as being they who have prevailed in the Lord.