The two sticks symbolize the reunification of the divided kingdoms of Israel—Judah and Ephraim—into one nation under one King.
God told Ezekiel to write the name of the southern kingdom on one stick and the northern kingdom on another, then join them into one stick (Ezekiel 37:16-17). In the explanation that follows, God promises to gather the children of Israel from the nations and make them one nation, no longer divided, with one King and one Shepherd.
Ezekiel 37:16-17 — The two sticks are named after the southern and northern kingdoms and are joined into one stick.
Ezekiel 37:19 — God explains that He will make the stick of Joseph and the stick of Judah one stick.
Ezekiel 37:21-22 — God promises to bring Israel from among the heathen and make them one nation under one king.
Ezekiel 37:24 — The united nation will have David as king and one shepherd.
In Ezekiel 37:16, the LORD tells the prophet: '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.' Verse 17 adds, 'And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand.' The interpretation follows in verse 19: '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.' Then verses 21-22 make the outcome explicit: God will take 'the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone' and bring them into their own land, where '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.' Verse 24 adds that 'David my servant shall be king over them; and they shall all have one shepherd.'
Les Feldick takes the two sticks literally as a prophetic illustration of the two historical kingdoms. He says one stick represents the southern kingdom, Judah and Benjamin, and the other represents the northern ten tribes, called Israel, Ephraim, or the house of Israel. When Ezekiel joins them, 'those two become one' (Clip 1). Les sees this as the same truth as the dry bones: the nation of Israel, scattered among the Gentile nations, is like a dead people, and God is going to bring them back to life by bringing them back to their promised land (Clip 2). He also emphasizes that the whole house of Israel is involved—not just the residue of Judah and Benjamin. He rejects the idea that the ten tribes were lost, saying it 'flies in the face of Scripture' (Clip 7). Les explains that God will take the children of Israel from among the heathen—'heathen' meaning Gentiles—and gather them on every side into their own land, making them one nation, with one King and one Shepherd (Clips 5-6). He uses this as an example of taking God at His Word: we believe the nation of Israel is going to come back together as one nation, no longer divided (Clip 5).
The Scripture names one stick 'For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions' and the other 'For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions.' Les identifies these as the southern kingdom (Judah and Benjamin) and the northern kingdom (the ten tribes, called Israel or Ephraim). Joining the sticks pictures the end of the divided monarchy.
God says, '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.' Les points out that 'heathen' simply means Gentile nations. In the land, God will make them one nation, no longer two kingdoms, with one king and one shepherd. This is why Les reads the two sticks as God's pledge to regather and reunite the whole house of Israel.
Les says no. In Ezekiel 37:11, God says 'these bones are the whole house of Israel.' Les notes there is 'a great move afoot' that maintains today's Jews are only the residue of Judah and Benjamin and that the ten tribes are lost, but he says that 'flies in the face of Scripture.' The whole house of Israel is included in the dry-bones and two-stick prophecy.
Dry Bones as Israel's Dispersion
Les ties the two-stick illustration to the earlier dry-bones vision: the Israelites scattered among the Gentile nations are like dry bones, but God will bring them back to life and restore them to the land of promise.
The Two Sticks Named
Les identifies one stick as Judah and Benjamin, the southern kingdom, and the other as the ten northern tribes (Israel/Ephraim), then notes that Ezekiel joins them into one stick.
Reunited in the Promised Land
Les says the dead people of Israel are brought back to life by being brought back to their homeland, and the two sticks become one.
One Stick for Ephraim and One for Judah
Les walks through verse 19: God will take the stick of Joseph/Ephraim (northern kingdom) and join it with the stick of Judah (southern kingdom) to make one stick.
The Southern and Northern Kingdoms
Les explains the names on the sticks: Judah and Benjamin are the southern kingdom, while Ephraim and the house of Israel are the northern kingdom.
Regathering from the Heathen
Les stresses faith in the promise that Israel will become one nation again, and he clarifies that 'heathen' in the Bible simply means Gentiles.
One Nation Under One King
Les quotes verses 21-26 to show the result: God gathers Israel from every side, makes them one nation, and gives them one king and one shepherd, along with a covenant of peace.
The Whole House of Israel
Les uses verse 11 to argue that the prophecy concerns the whole house of Israel, not just Judah and Benjamin, so the ten northern tribes are not lost.
Ezekiel 37:16: 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:
This verse names the two sticks that will be joined into one.
Ezekiel 37:17: And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand.
This shows the physical picture of the two separate kingdoms becoming one.
Ezekiel 37:19: Say 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.
God gives the meaning: the northern and southern kingdoms will be combined into one.
Ezekiel 37:21: And 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:
This connects the joining of the sticks with God's regathering of Israel from the nations.
Ezekiel 37:22: And 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:
This states the result of the two sticks becoming one: a single nation under one king.
Ezekiel 37:24: And David my servant shall be king over them; and they shall all have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and do my statutes, and keep them, and do them.
This identifies the one king and one shepherd who will rule over the reunited nation.
The two sticks symbolize the two divided kingdoms: the southern kingdom of Judah and Benjamin, and the northern kingdom of the ten tribes, called Israel or Ephraim. God tells Ezekiel to join them into one stick to show that He will reunite the nation under one king.
One stick is for Judah and the children of Israel his companions; the other is for Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and all the house of Israel his companions. Les explains that this is the southern kingdom (Judah/Benjamin) and the northern kingdom (the ten tribes).
God promises to gather the children of Israel from among the heathen, bring them into their own land, make them one nation, and give them one king and one shepherd. Les points out that 'heathen' means Gentiles and that this is part of Israel's future restoration.
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