Israel · One nation, one King, an everlasting covenant

Ezekiel 37:15-28

Ezekiel · ~586 BC · Status: Future · Confidence: 60%
“The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions:”
King James Version · the opening — all 14 verses are below
More of Ezekiel 37 on this siteEzekiel 37:1 · Ezekiel 37:21-22 · Ezekiel 37:24-25

The sign of the two sticks joined — Israel reunited under one Davidic king, an everlasting covenant of peace, and God's sanctuary in their midst forever.

Read the whole passage — all 14 verses (KJV)

37:15The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,

37:16Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions:

37:17And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand.

37:18And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these?

37:19Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand.

37:20And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes.

37:21And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:

37:22And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all:

37:23Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.

37:24And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.

37:25And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children’s children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever.

37:26Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.

37:27My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

37:28And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.

Fulfillment References

Ezekiel 34:23-24 John 10:16 Hebrews 13:20 Revelation 21:3

How Traditions Read This Prophecy

Apostolic (Oneness) PentecostalThe 'one king' and 'one shepherd' is Jesus; God's promise to set His sanctuary in their midst forever is fulfilled in the one God dwelling with His people (Rev. 21:3; John 1:14).
JewishThe reunification of Israel and Judah under a Davidic king, with God's everlasting covenant and dwelling — a core hope of national restoration.
CatholicFulfilled in Christ, the Davidic King who unites God's people in the one flock and dwells among them.
ProtestantThe 'one king, David' and 'everlasting covenant' read as the Messiah and new covenant; 'one shepherd' echoed in John 10:16.
OrthodoxChrist uniting His people under one shepherd, God's sanctuary realized in the Church and the new creation.
DispensationalA literal future reunion of Israel under the Davidic Messiah in the millennial kingdom, with the millennial sanctuary.
AcademicScholars read the two-stick sign-act as a post-exilic hope for reuniting the divided monarchy's heirs under an idealized Davidic ruler.
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Bible Prophecy Explorer · based on J. Barton Payne’s Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy catalogue · an openly Apostolic (Oneness) Pentecostal study resource — all traditions presented fairly. Pastor: C. Myles Young, D.Min. · Bishop: Nathaniel J. Wilson, Ed.D.