Not only as an item of additional evidence but also to the end of an
increased level of understanding of the position of the Messiah in the scheme
of things, we now turn to the topic of the 'Branches of Joseph'. By now it
has been well stated that Christ was rightfully and legally the covenant heir
of the house of Joseph of Egypt through whom all the blessings of the fathers
were preserved and did remain. We have even cited upon various occasions the
verse from Joseph patriarchal blessing under the hand of Jacob which states
that 'from thence in the shepherd and stone of Israel'. But now,
given that Christ is legally and rightfully of the lineage of Joseph and thus
a party to the covenants of the fathers by such right of lineage, just how
does Christ fit into the whole of Joseph's patriarchal blessing which begins
with reference to the 'branches' of Joseph? Consider this that
when the beginning of Joseph's blessing references the
'branches', the primary BRANCH
and SEED of Joseph will be that very
Shepherd, the Stone of Israel, even
JESUS CHRIST as the Son of David.
Now reread the whole of Joseph's blessing from that perspective, that when
the branches of Joseph are first made mention, that they DO INCLUDE that very
primary BRANCH, even JESUS CHRIST, the MESSIAH who was to come in and through
the right of Jospeh as the FIRSTBORN of the Covenant of the Fathers from the
foundation of the world.
Here then is the entire patriarchal blessing of Joseph given by Jacob's hand
To begin, it seems almost too obvious that Joseph's posterity would be so
stipulated as branches and that the Messiah himself would be called by that
very name, the BRANCH. Yes, Jesus is the BRANCH who is also called by and
named after the name of JEHOSHUA or JOSHUA, being JESUS, which is but the
Greek transliteration into English of the name of JEHOSHUA or JOSHUA. Of
course in tern the son of Nun was renamed by Moses by that very significant
name JEHOSHUA which does but mean JEHOVAH IS SALVATION and so Nun's son was
called after one of the sacred names of the Messiah which was known before the
world was, having been given to Jehovah in the preexistance by the Father
before the world was. But as one of the promised branches, even the very
central BRANCH upon which the plan of salvation did rest; we well look to
understand the rest of Joseph's blessing concerning such BRANCH and branches
as the verses of the blessing will show forth understanding.
Now most commonly it has been given the 'the wall' refers to the Ocean of
water, over which the branches of Joseph did run. But this is not totally
accurate though very applicable to the seed of Lehi, Ishmael and Mulek. But
it is not applicable to confine the meaning of 'the wall' to merely the
ocean barrier as the wall over which the various branches of Joseph do run,
for many such branches of Joseph are scattered throughout the world and many
did so remain in the eastern hemisphere and not cross the ocean at all. And
this is also the case of the lineage of the Messiah. It did not cross the
ocean and back again in relation to the promised land of Jerusalem. Thus
another meaning for 'the wall' must also be understood and applied.
Now as just stated, most often it has been interpreted that 'the wall' being
spoken of here is that of the ocean. But that is not the only applicable
interpretation when one considers all of the 'Branches of Joseph' which are
scattered, both according to the Bible and to the Allegory of the Olive Tree
given by the prophet Zenos and rehearsed by Jacob the son of Lehi (Jacob 5).
Often the 'Vineyard of the Lord' is presented as having a wall built round
about it. This would be in parallel to Israel being the nation of the Lord,
the vineyard of the Lord, and all those nations outside of the boundries of
borders of that nation and vineyard of the Lord could well be seen as being
outside of 'the wall' of the Lord's vineyard. Thus all scatterings of the
branches of Joseph out side of the nation of Israel would be the case of the
branches of Joseph running over the wall and being scattered into the nations
of the world. This is a more complete and applicable understanding than to
just limit 'the wall' to being that of the ocean barrier, though even in the
latter days of the Lord's restoration, many of those of Joseph will also
eventuate their journey to having come over that ocean wall to live in and
be a part of the very land of promise, the Americas, even the land of Joseph.
When one begins to consider that Ephraim and Manasseh, the two sons of
Joseph, were given the title and name of 'Israel' by the hand of Jacob (see
JST Genesis 48:5), it can be seen the application that all spoken of 'Israel'
is so applicable to the most fruitful of Israel, even the seed of Joseph.
That is, that the whole of the Kingdom of Israel, being the same as the
kingdom of Ephraim or Joseph and from that perspective, which associates the
seed of Joseph as being Israel, one can then take the next step of analysis
and consider that all relevant references to the various 'branches' spoken of
in the Bible are but references to the most fruitful 'branches' of the house
of Joseph. This includes of course 'the BRANCH' which the scriptures set
forth as the very Messiah himself.
What first comes to mind is the fact that Joseph was 'THE fruitful bough' of
the house of Israel. And the word 'fruitful' recalls to mind that the name
of Joseph's son of promise, Ephraim also means 'fruitful'. The significance
of this tie in can only be imagined, but we of the latter day church
understand that it is the seed of Ephraim who is taking the Gospel of Christ
to the world. And it this latter day work which will bring about the blessing
of all the nations of the earth as God's Kingdom does roll forth to fill the
earth.
It should be noticed that the word 'branches' in the blessing of Joseph of
Egypt is plural. There are to be more than one branch of Joseph's lineage
to account for growing forth from this 'fruitful' bough of the seed of Joseph.
We know from the Book of Mormon and particularly from the Alegory of the
Tame and Wild Olive Trees contained in Jacob 5, that the families of Lehi and
Ishmael are to be considered one branch that was taken across the ocean to
this promised land and planted in one of the earth's most choice spots.
From the allegory of Enos, we comprehend that the branch we most often
consider as being of of Lehi is
divided into two just as the Lamanites and the Nephites did divided
themselves one from the other. And we further understand that the corruption
of the divided branch would over come the fruit from the good branch,
consuming and destorying it, as the Lamanites did the Nephites. Yet Lehi's
party consisted not only of the descendants of Lehi but also the descendants
of Ishmael. And further the division of Lamanites and Nephites further
included the descendants of Mulek as being grouped with the Nephites. Now
with our 'enlightened' understanding that the house of David was rightfully
and legally of the seed of Joseph/Ephraim, we can now understand more as to
the why and wherefore that Mulek was also brought over the well's wall of the
waters of the ocean to the promised land, included in Zenos' allegory as one
of the branches grafted in unto the land choice above all other land, even
the land of Joseph, and did in fact become a part of that 'righteous branch'
of Joseph known as the Nephites which was raised up upon this the American
Continent.
In the Book of Mormon it is of great interest that Lehi will speak referencing
Joseph's prophecies and include the one which speaks of 'a righteous
branch' out of the fruit of the loins of Joseph unto the house of
Israel (see 2 Nephi 3:5)', and that he does apply it to those of Lehi whom
the Lord did bring unto the land of promise. Of course this is Joseph's land
of inheritance (Ether 13:2-8). And all whom the Lord did bring to is was of
the house of Joseph, which not only included Lehi's family of Manasseh and
Ishmael's family of Ephraim, but also Mulek's party as that house of David
which also legally and rightfully was that Ephrathite or Ephraimite family of
Mahlon and Elimelech who were of the covenant house of Joseph after the
linage of Nun and Joshua.
Now Mulek was the son of King Zedekiah, who was the son of King Josiah, who
was of the house of David. And in one very real sense the 'sceptre' would not
depart from Judah or 'between his feet' (Genesis 48:10) as Boaz was of Judah
and it was Boaz who did act as the surrogate progenitor of Obed born of Ruth.
Yet according to the Law of God, Obed was legally and rightfully of the house
of Mahlon, the house of the dead to which Obed the first born of Ruth, the
wife of Mahlon, was raised up to, even the house of Naomi and Elimelech. Thus
the blood of Judah was infused into the rightful and legal linage of the
covenant line of the house of Joseph. And we have well set forth how it is
that the house of David was rightfully traced back through Mahlon and
Elimelch, Ephrathites or Ephraimites. And though there came a time when David
of his own self during the days of his rebellion against God did chose Judah
over Israel or Ephraim, it was still the everlasting fact that Israel, that
is Ephraim did have the 'greater right' in David or through David, it being
the 'righteous seed of Jesse' that would become the Lord and the Messiah of
the covenant of the Firstborn in and of Israel, whom Ephraim was (Jeremiah
31:9). And thus the Messiah was 'hid in Judah' though being of Joseph. And
therefore, the Lord was not bring 'Judah' over to the promised land when he
led Mulek's party to the land of promise, He was leading the family of the
rightful heirship to the house of Joseph, Ephraim, as well as David or Jesse.
And the branch of Mulek could well
be considered as another one of these branches of Joseph which had crossed
over the wall of the well and the ocean water to the promised land. So now
we have three such branches in Lehi (Manasseh), Ishmael (Ephraim) and Mulek
(David/Ephraim).
We know that the 10 tribes of Israel were headed by Ephraim and when
Israel is spoken of, the kingdom of Ephraim and Joseph is considered. But
we should also note that the line of the kings of Judah did also by right
belong to the tribe of Ephraim and were of the house of Joseph. This would
make the house of David or Jesse to be considered as another branch of David, which takes on
additional significance when speaking of the 'root', 'stem', 'rod', 'shoot',
or branch of Jesse. Now the
10 tribes of Israel/Ephraim were scattered and sifted amoung the nations of
the earth. And this later included those descendants of the royal house of
King David, which are also to be considered of Ephraim though of the bloodline
of Judah. And though not fully explored here, if one considers that Christ
was marriage and had offspring, as so conjecture, then one could even
postulate there being a branch of Jesus
amoung those many branches of of 'fruitful' Joseph and his
appropriately named son which means 'fruitful' and which name is that site
of 'fruitful' Ephrath where Rachel was laid to rest an later morned the
lose of children to the scattering and then to the bloody sword of that most
wicked King Herod.
It is interesting to note that the English Royal house does claim in part to
be descendants of the royal house of David thus possibly identifying another
such branch of Joseph as being that of the related European and English Royal branch. Thus they claim
to be of the
of the same linage as the 'root of Jesse' or the same lineage as the Christ,
being of the house of David. It is further of interest to note that many
early restored church leads during the time of Joseph Smith, also claimed to
be of the same linage as the Savior, Jesus Christ. And thus they are of the
same root of Jesse. And as already discussed, Joseph Smith was one amoung
these. And thus this identifies another of the branches of Joseph, And
as elsewhere discussed, Joseph Smith was a 'pure Ephraimite' and the only
way possible for him to be both by right of Ephraim and to be of the 'root
of Jesse' it that Jesse himself was legally and rightfully an Ephraimite.
And we know that Joseph Smith was that descendant of Joseph of Egypt to
commence the work of the latter-day blessings of the nations of the world
according to the Covenant of Abraham, was for Joseph Smith that 'pure
Ephraimite', a descendant of Joseph of Egypt.
Now from Joseph would come various branches which would be scattered. There
was of course the 'wicked branch' who were scattered when the
Assyrians did carry away the ten tribes about 723 B.C., which included
Ephraim and Manasseh. Then there were those who Lehi qualifies as a
'righteous branch' spoken of by Joseph who Lehi applies to be his
party and those who were brought unto this land of promise. And then Lehi
qualifies that another 'righteous branch', which would also be
descended from Joseph and Ephraim, WAS NOT this particular 'righteous branch
of the seed of Joseph'. And that is when Lehi explains that was 'not that
particular branch of the Messiah'. Now, ONLY IF that particular branch of
the Messiah was to come from Joseph is that qualification even necessary.
For the branches of Judah or any of the other tribes ARE NOT being spoken of
in Joseph's prophecies. Only those branches of Joseph are referenced in the
prophecies of Joseph and significantly likewise, in the writings of Enos,
which were more specifically to that portion of 'Israel' which came under
the umbrella of Ephraim, as the title of Israel fell more specifically and
was given upon the sons of Joseph, particularly Ephraim (JST Genesis 48:5).
Now the prophet Enos was more particular a prophet unto the
Kingdom of Israel. And the Kingdom of Israel was that of Ephraim, the sons
of Joseph being given the right to the name and title of 'Israel' (JST
Genesis 48:5). And thus when the allegory of the olive tree is analyzed,
it ought to be noted that the 'THREE BRANCHES' being particularly mentioned
as more specifically being considered as the branches of the covenant which
were preserved and did remain through the seed of Joseph (D&C 27:10).
Now these three branches of Joseph were all scattered (Samaria and a part of
Judaea was not scattered but was grafted into of the wild branches).
THE FIRST, the 'wicked branch' was scattered
in the Old World, particularly the nations of Europe, the poorest spot of the
pagan world and also the dark ages of that world (Jacob 5:20-22).
THE SECOND, which was that of
'THE BRANCH of the Messiah'. (Note: The
Branch of the Messiah was that of the house of David and that house was also
of a legal and lawful descend of Joseph (SEE:
Messiah ben David ~ Messiah ben Joseph).
And it would be carried away into Babylon reaching
their captivity there even before Lehi's party did reach America.
Of couse symbolically Babylon is representative of the sins of the world, the
poorest place of them all, even poorer than the poorest, as that Branch of
the Messiah would have descended below them all. And from that branch would
be produced much fruit, even the early Christian church and those who would
follow Christ and from that group they would be 'gathered up that which would
be preserved unto the Lord of the vineyard (Jacob 5:23).
And THE LAST was placed in a good spot -
South America (Jacob 5:25), even that which was choice - North America - above
all other parts of the land of my vineyard (Jacob 5:39-43). (It should be
noted that this 'last', by the way, would have also include a part of the
house of David in Mulek's party as they also were scattered in the New World,
the Americas.
The rightful line and heir of the covenant was 'hide' in that poorest of all
spots, which was even poorer than the poorest. It was that line which would
'in all righteousness' have the blessing and the rights of the covenant
preserved unto it by the legal and rightful linage of Joseph (D&C 27:10).
For the covenant promises of the fathers WAS NOT preserved in JUDAH. They
WERE preserved and did ONLY remain in and through JOSEPH. For it is the LORD
himself who states that HIS FIRSTBORN is EPHRAIM (Jeremiah 31:9). Thus it is
that the linage of the house of David unto the Lord Jesus Christ was in an
through Joseph Messiah ben
David ~ Messiah ben Joseph. For the Pharisees did say 'well' that
Jesus, being of the House of David, could be correctly considers a Samaritan,
even that Good Samaritan who we know him as; though they slandered him as
being possessed of the devil (John 8:48-49). And this is why it was Rachel
who did weep for the slain babes of the house of Joseph by the edict of Herod
as recorded by Matthew and Jeremiah (Matthew 2:16-18, Jeremaih 31:15). And it
is this linage of the Messiah out of Joseph which will come to the land of
Joseph and receive the Kingdom at Adam-ondi-Ahman, the rightful heir of that
kingdom of Joseph established by the hand of Ephraim as assisted by Manasseh
(Ether 13:2-8). And as King David, being the 'Beloved' of the Father, he will
rule Zion as Joseph's King and rightful heir, the King of kings, the Lord of
lords. Yes Boaz was but the surrogate father, a kinsman by maternal marriage
of Elimelech. For it was he who did raise up seed unto the dead house of
Mahlon and Elimelech. And Obed was raised as the Son of Naomi. And they like
Jesse also, were well stated to be Ephrathites, meaning Ephraimites and of
the legal and rightful seed of Joseph (Ruth 1:2, 1 Samuel 17:12, Ruth 4:5,
10; Deuteronomy 25:5-10).
Now the latter-day braches of Joseph
have been and are still being
brought over the well's wall to the promised land. Some of these like
Joseph Smith are of the lineage of Jesse as well as of Joseph of Egypt.
Other branches of Joseph having been brought and still being brought over to
the promised lands of the Americas, are largely of the tribe of Ephraim but
not nescessarily of the descend through Jesse. Thus one might consider these
to be two more of the many branches of Joseph being identified as his
seed returns to the original lands of Adam.
These famous words from our own Moron Tabernacle Choir broadcast are but
reminders of who and where we are. As the last verse states, the fuit and
branches of Joseph would reach to the 'utmost
bound of the everlasting hills'. And here we are as a very
distinct Ephraimite branch of the branches of Joseph, as the LDS branch of Christ's restored
gospel, having raised His Ensign to the world and becoming His children.
And this brings us to our last point of tie in. We know that Adam's
land was here in central United States, as that is the location of
Adam-ondi-Ahman. Adam-ondi-Ahman was the sight where father Adam gathered
all of his children before his death to bless them. And it is in that
region where Adam made sacrifice to the Lord after being expelled from the
Garden of Eden.
Now Adam was the first man, and it was with Adam that the promises of the
fathers and the covenant of God where made. These covenants where the
covenants of the gospel and the promise of the redeemer to come of Adam's
seed to redeem man from the fall. Thus this land of promise is well
considered to be the very land of the promised covenats of God with man
and the promises of the fathers.
It is not of little significants that it is Ephraim, the seed who inherited
the birthright or the firstborn and the covenant of the fathers and the
Covenant of Abraham, who is by right being brought in majority numbers to
this land of Adam's promise today. And in this vein, the 'land of promise'
takes on a new identity. This is the original land of the promise of
the fathers, that Christ would come of the seed of women to redeem the world
from its fallen state.
It was these very promises of the fathers that Abraham was seeking after
and did obtain in the Abrhamic Covenant, which included the right of
ancestry to the Christ. It is the fulness of this set of covenant promises
from the fathers by way of Abraham that Isaac, Jacob, Joseph
and thence to Ephraim, did inherit. Thus is is by right that the worthy
of Ephraim can reside in peace upon this land of promise today.
And as stipulated to the Nephites, this land is only to be possessed upon
the basis of righteousness and accepting the Lord God of this land, which
is Christ. today we live as 'One Nation Under God' and from that God we
claim certain unallienable rights, amoung which is that first very basic
right we fought for in our pre-mortal existence in heaven. And that was
the rights to ancency, to live in the liberty of freedom of choice.
As to all the rights of justification by which this earth does exist, it is
known that the wicked when rippened in their iniquity, will be wiped from
the face of this land of promise. It happened to all the children of Adam
with the exception of the family of Noah and the city of Enoch. It happened
to the entire Jaredite nation. It happened to the Nephite nation when they
fell from such great knowledge of the Christ and into their state of
wickedness. And in stages of pruning, it has happened to the remnant of
the children of Lehi, until today many are turning to the Lord and producing
good fruit. And though the seed of Joseph in Ephraim is being brought to
these shores in this latter Gentile ages of the restoration of the gospel,
the pomises still remain. We need to remain one nation under God. And the
gospel needs to continue to venture forth, turning the hearts of the children
to their fathers and even the very Father of the Gospel, Jesus Christ, the
the Father of our spirit, God the Father.
To this end are the various branches of Joseph brought to this land. To this
end are those of Ephraim raised up in the Church today. We are of the house
of Joseph, we are of the seed of Ephraim. And many of us are also of the
lineage of the 'root of Jesse' who is also rightfully and legally the seed
of Joseph and Ephraim, any others are. Yes even Christ is of the rightful
seed of the covenant of the fathers from Adam on down to the line of the
house of Jesse as the chosen seed of Joseph and Ephraim as set out in the
presentation. He is the Christ. The one and only Messiah. The only
begotten of the Father in the flesh. And he is the rightful heir of the
covenant, bring to full bear the fur righteousness of the covenant. It is
he who doeth fulfill all righteousness and fulfills the laws and the
covenants of God, and those God made unto man.
"¶ Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well;
whose branches run over the wall:" ~
Genesis 49:22
"¶ Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well;
whose branches run over the wall: The archers
have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: But his bow abode in
strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the
mighty God of Jacob;
(from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)
Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the
Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of
the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb: The
blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors
unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of
Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his
brethren." ~ Genesis 49:22-26
upon the head of Joseph as contained in the Jewish Old Testament. Whether
complete or not and as to what there may or may not have been beyond this
that could have shed further understanding is not known. Perhaps with the
coming forth of the brass plates more will be had upon the matter. But for
now we can only attempt to draw from this five verse blessing some
understanding of the blessing of Joseph in relation to the promised seed of
the Covenant, the Messiah. That the central theme of Joseph's blesing would
therefore seem to be more and centered upon the Messiah, and than that of
Jospeh being the one who is so stated to be he who is 'blessed as being
through whose seed Messiah would come, yea, the very King of
Zion (See Moses 7:53), it is of pivotal concern what might be
ascertained concerning the Messiah from Joseph's blessing.
The BRANCH
Over the Wall
All the Various Branches
"And again we leave you, within the shadow of the
everlasting hills. May peace be with you, this day and
always." ~ Mormon Tabernacle Choir Broadcast Parting Words