The word of Adonai came to me: “You, human being, take one stick and write on it, for Y’hudah and those joined with him among the people of Isra’el. Next, take another stick and write on it, for Yosef, the stick of Efrayim, and all the house of Isra’el who are joined with him. Finally, bring them together into a single stick, so that they become one in your hand.”
–Ezekiel 37:15–17 (CJB)
One of the most powerful prophetic images in the Bible is found in Ezekiel, where the prophet is commanded to take two sticks and join them together into one. One stick represents Judah, traditionally understood as the people of the Bible and their sacred record. The other represents Joseph, which many in the Restoration tradition understand to symbolize the record of Joseph’s descendants. The prophecy declares that these two witnesses will become one in God’s hand, symbolizing the reunification of covenant knowledge and the restoration of divine truth.
Many readers within the Restoration tradition see the fulfillment of this prophecy beginning with the coming forth of the Book of Mormon through Joseph Smith. The Book of Mormon is often described as the Stick of Joseph because it contains the record of Joseph’s descendants who left the promised land. The Bible, preserved through the line of Judah, stands as the Stick of Judah. When these two records are read together, they testify of the same God and the same covenant relationship between God and humanity. In this way, the Restoration movement has long taught that the Bible and the Book of Mormon together begin the fulfillment of Ezekiel’s prophecy.
The Brass Plates and the Gold Plates: the Stick of Joseph
Yet the Book of Mormon also speaks about another ancient record closely connected to the house of Israel: the Plates of Brass. Because these records were originally part of the Josephite tradition preserved in Jerusalem, they represent an important link to their scriptural heritage. They were carried away by Lehi’s family, descendants of Joseph, and preserved among the Nephites for centuries. This unique history places the Plates of Brass at a remarkable crossroads between the two scriptural traditions. Originating in the world of ancient Israel yet preserved among the descendants of Joseph, the plates bridge the spiritual history of both houses. When the writings of the plates are translated and studied in the modern world, they can be seen as strengthening the unity between these two witnesses of God’s word.
The Union of the Stick of Joseph and the Stick of Judah
The Book of Mormon itself teaches that God establishes truth through multiple records. 2 Nephi 12:58-61 [29:8], the Lord declares that He speaks to more than one nation and that His words will come forth from different peoples as witnesses of His work. These records are not meant to compete with one another but to confirm and support each other, demonstrating that God’s message has been preserved across cultures and generations. In this light, the translation of the Plates of Brass can be viewed as part of the continuing fulfillment of Ezekiel’s vision. The Bible, the record of Judah, already stands as one witness of God’s dealings with Israel. The Plates of Brass and the Book of Mormon, the record of Joseph’s descendants, serves as another. When additional ancient writings connected to both traditions come forth, they strengthen the unity between these testimonies. Together they form a chorus of witnesses pointing toward the same divine story.
Ultimately, the prophecy of the two sticks is not only about ancient records but about reconciliation and unity. The joining of the Stick of Judah and the Stick of Joseph symbolizes the restoration of lost knowledge, the healing of divisions within the house of Israel, and the gathering together of God’s word. Each record that emerges and bears witness of God’s covenant adds another thread to that tapestry, helping fulfill the vision that the prophet Ezekiel saw long ago: that the two sticks would become one in the hand of the Lord.
