Is there One Davidic Servant to come or more?

[Bryan LJ]

I will get to the point. There is a Davidic Servant. He is Christ but there are others to come also. Yes, there is more than one Davidic servant to come still. I believe there has been some confusion on the topic. I will try to explain. Joseph Smith explains this topic the best.

1st Davidic Servant = Christ (These aren't going to be in any real chronological order)

D&C 113:1 Who is the Stem of Jesse spoken of in the 1st, 2d, 3d, 4th, and 5th verses of the 11th chapter of Isaiah?
2 Verily thus saith the Lord: It is Christ.

Isaiah 11:1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
2 And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;

I love the description "stem" it reminds me also the the term "True Vine" which Christ is that everyone should connect back into for their nourishment. Before we proceed to the next two I wish to say that Joseph Smith is one of my all time favorite prophets but that he did not fulfill these roles, nor did he have the lineage. Brigham said, "The Book of Mormon came to Ephraim, for Joseph Smith was a pure Ephraimite, and the Book of Mormon was revealed to him.”The Book of Mormon came to Ephraim, for Joseph Smith was a pure Ephraimite, and the Book of Mormon was revealed to him. ”The Book of Mormon came to Ephraim, for Joseph Smith was a pure Ephraimite, and the Book of Mormon was revealed to him.”

2nd Davidic Servant

3 What is the rod spoken of in the first verse of the 11th chapter of Isaiah, that should come of the Stem of Jesse?
4 Behold, thus saith the Lord: It is a servant in the hands of Christ, who is partly a descendant of Jesse as well as of Ephraim, or of the house of Joseph, on whom there is laid much power.

And again: Isaiah 11:1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

The scriptures are like onions. They have multiple layers of information but I will say this, the Rod is a descendant of Jesse, but he comes forth from the Stem who is Christ. He literally has the blood of Christ running through his veins. He also will have a personal connection to Christ and be a witness of Him as all other true prophets. These servants are talked about REPEATEDLY in the scriptures. There are so many clues. We need to look for key words to find them. So far we have these KEYWORDS for this servant, ROD, POWER, BRANCH (Which IMO is a reference to the Stem and the Rod both, their connection)

D&C 85:7 And it shall come to pass that I, the Lord God, will send one mighty and strong, holding the scepter of power in his hand, clothed with light for a covering, whose mouth shall utter words, eternal words; while his bowels shall be a fountain of truth, to set in order the house of God, and to arrange by lot the inheritances of the saints whose names are found, and the names of their fathers, and of their children, enrolled in the book of the law of God;
8 While that man, who was called of God and appointed, that putteth forth his hand to steady the ark of God, shall fall by the shaft of death, like as a tree that is smitten by the vivid shaft of lightning.

More key words given for this servant: MIGHTY, STRONG, SCEPTER OF POWER (like a rod), HOUSE of GOD, STEADY the ARK. These give more clues to his identity and mission. Generally someone in the scriptures who is MIGHTY treads down their enemies.

Rev. 11:4 These are the two olive trees, ..... 5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.

Wait!!! It said that the one mighty and strong is killed like a TREE hit by a shaft of lighting!!!! Could that be a reference to an Olive Tree? Is MIGHTY a good word to describe a wartime prophet that defends Jerusalem? Has anyone yet fulfilled this prophecy? What does a TREE look like hit by a shaft of lightning?

Lightning tree.jpg (356.81 KiB) Viewed 3266 times

Maybe that's what the world does to a prophet or two that torments them for 3 1/2 years?

I want to touch on this prophet's mission in Jerusalem... In Zechariah 4 they call this witness Zerubbabel whom was someone that rebuilt the temple in ancient days. Maybe this servant sets in order the house of God in the same way? Back in the days of Moses the Ark of the Covenant wasn't steady. It traveled with the Levites and the tabernacle (temporary house). Maybe "steadying the Ark" is building a House of God for it to stay in and be steady? There is so much more in the scriptures on this if you look at the clues left!!! Onto our next servant.....

3rd Davidic Servant

D&C 113:5 What is the root of Jesse spoken of in the 10th verse of the 11th chapter?
6 Behold, thus saith the Lord, it is a descendant of Jesse, as well as of Joseph, unto whom rightly belongs the priesthood, and the keys of the kingdom, for an ensign, and for the gathering of my people in the last days.

I actually feel this servant proceeds the last. Onto keywords: ROOT, PRIESTHOOD, KEYS, KINGDOM, ENSIGN, and GATHERING

What do ROOTS represent? IMO, COVENANTS. An ensign to the nations and a gathering? I believe this servant's role is in establishing Zion. This servant is talked about so much throughout the scriptures!!!! I believe he is the SERVANT spoken of that helps the Lord in Jacob 5. If I had the time to parse through the mission of Elijah and all the quotes where Joseph Smith (In 1844 he taught this more than once) said that he was still to come!!! He spoke about this prophet that was to restore ALL things.


(Prophecy about Joseph Smith)
2 Nephi 3:24 And there shall rise up one mighty among them, who shall do much good, both in word and in deed, being an instrument in the hands of God, with exceeding faith, to work mighty wonders, and do that thing which is great in the sight of God, unto the bringing to pass much restoration unto the house of Israel, and unto the seed of thy brethren.

(Reference to end times servant whom John the Baptist wasn't)
JST John 1:26 And they asked him, and said unto him; Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not the Christ, nor Elias who was to restore all things, neither that prophet? (Elias in the Greek which this came from can also be Elijah)

And the angel said to Joseph Smith: (Remember the KEYWORDS that I previously pointed out)

JSH 1:38 And again, he quoted the fifth verse thus: Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
39 He also quoted the next verse differently: And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers. If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming.

More keywords: PLANT (This is why I referenced Jacob 5) and PROMISES (This is linked to ROOTS/ COVENANTS). Also note that the whole earth would be wasted at the Coming of the Lord if it were not for this work!!! What is this work? Remember the other keywords? An ENSIGN and a GATHERING. If ZION-like people cannot be established then people cannot without the glory of the Lord who is to come, for He will burn them up.

Isaiah 11:10 ¶And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.

One more thing. There is a prophecy of what happens to another servant that contradicts what happens to the one mighty and strong. This is another reason why I believe that there are more than one:

3 Nephi 21:7-10 And when these things come to pass that thy seed shall begin to know these things—it shall be a sign unto them, that they may know that the work of the Father hath already commenced unto the fulfilling of the covenant (note it says fulfilling of the covenant not establishing it like Joseph Smith did) which he hath made unto the people who are of the house of Israel.....For in that day, for my sake shall the Father work a work, which shall be a great and a marvelous work among them; and there shall be among them those who will not believe it, (Note: People of the covenant will not believe this man) although a man shall declare it unto them. But behold, the life of my servant shall be in my hand; therefore they shall not hurt him, although he shall be marred because of them. (THEM= marred by the people of the covenant) Yet I will heal him, for I will show unto them that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil.


Some say this was Joseph Smith. He did have a tooth chipped but he was never healed from it. He still had that whistle in his voice later in life and when he died, he simply died. I don't buy that this was Joseph.

Question, why would the people of the covenant (most likely our church) try to hurt/ kill a servant of the Lord?

In closing, this already is a LONG post!!! If people want I can go more into these things. There is more..... I wish to say this, the adversary is aware of how these servants come about. Most prophets throughout history were not Levites/ priests/ church leaders but came from outside the establishment. Satan is well aware and because he is aware he has provided pretender after pretender. When true servants arrive they may appear to be like these other "quacks" because this is how it was set up to be. The devil is cunning. The first Davidic Servant was killed and He came back to Life, another one or two will be killed, scattered (reference to what Daniel says) as if by lightning and brought back to life again and the other when attacked will heal and not die. We live in interesting times.....

[FoxMammaWisdom]

A lot of people in the HG area would love to see this post Bryan, but never venture out of that area. Do you mind posting it there too?

[natekriv]

Great post. Your reference to section 85 has a problem though (in my opinion). The mighty and strong one is to replace the one who falls like a shaft of lightning and tries to steady the ark. There are two different people that are referenced in the verse you referenced. One who has yet to come, and the other who at some point has or will fall from grace.... Loved the rest and amen.

[Arimathea]

Brian, it is the branch of the Root of Jesse that is the Davidic Servant. The verse you are referring to is telling you that the Branch is related to the Root of Jesse ... Joseph makes it clear in D&C 77 that the Elias who comes before Jesus is John the Beloved ... As John ate the book of his mission, as did Ezekiel and Isaiah, Joseph said that he will be the one to gather all Israel and to restore all things ... which will be fore the coming of Jesus. John has been here for 2000 years, he was a member of the very first presidency and he still holds the keys. He was translated for a reason. Many believe that the Angel UriEL is JOhn the Beloved and is over all the Earth. MichaEL is Adam (over the air - he was given breath when he was created; GabriEL is Noah (he is over the water element) and RaphaEL is Enoch who is over the fire element - ascension. I found your post very interesting. Who better to be the Davidic Servant since he has been on the earth for 2000 years. You will find a book very interesting called "Awake and Arise" which is all about Isaiah and the last days Davidic Servant. It will blow your paradigm away. It is one of the most important books I have ever read.

[Bryan LJ]

Brian, it is the branch of the Root of Jesse that is the Davidic Servant. The verse you are referring to is telling you that the Branch is related to the Root of Jesse ... Joseph makes it clear in D&C 77 that the Elias who comes before Jesus is John the Beloved ... As John ate the book of his mission, as did Ezekiel and Isaiah, Joseph said that he will be the one to gather all Israel and to restore all things ... which will be fore the coming of Jesus. John has been here for 2000 years, he was a member of the very first presidency and he still holds the keys. He was translated for a reason. Many believe that the Angel UriEL is JOhn the Beloved and is over all the Earth. MichaEL is Adam (over the air - he was given breath when he was created; GabriEL is Noah (he is over the water element) and RaphaEL is Enoch who is over the fire element - ascension. I found your post very interesting. Who better to be the Davidic Servant since he has been on the earth for 2000 years. You will find a book very interesting called "Awake and Arise" which is all about Isaiah and the last days Davidic Servant. It will blow your paradigm away. It is one of the most important books I have ever read.

I appreciate your reference to John is Section 77, to be honest I haven't completely figured out what John's role is yet.

14 Q. What are we to understand by the little book which was eaten by John, as mentioned in the 10th chapter of Revelation?
A. We are to understand that it was a mission, and an ordinance, for him to gather the tribes of Israel; behold, this is Elias, who, as it is written, must come and restore all things.

I do believe John is an Elias, but I still don't think it dismisses Elijah's role. As said by Joseph Smith concerning Elijah:

"He shall send Elijah the prophet and restore all things in Christ." (1841)

"Why send Elijah because he holds the Keys of the Authority to administer in all the ordinances of the priesthood and without the authority is given the ordinances could not be administered in righteousness." (1840)

"The world is reserved unto burning in the last days—he shall send Elijah the prophet. (future tense) and he shall reveal the covenants of the fathers in relation to the children.—and the children and the covenants of the children in relation to the fathers."(1843)

"The keys are to be delivered, the spirit of Elijah is to Come, The gospel to be established the Saints of God, gathered Zion built up" (1844)

Back to the ROOT of Jesse... Have I said who I think it is? I think someone should claim any of these roles until they have done the work? I have claimed that Christ is the Stem of Jesse and I have stopped there. My question about John is, does he also have the blood of Ephraim if he is the ROOT? (Section 113)

Let's look more at the work this ROOT does. Then when the work is done we will know who the servant is for sure:

Isaiah 11: 10 ¶And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.

11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.

12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

I've already stated that I believe setting up an ENSIGN is establishing Zion but as someone else pointed out to me, the fact that this servant uses the OUTCASTS of Israel to do this is fascinating!!! But first let us define what ISRAEL is referring to.I subscribe to two different interpretations to what the House of "Israel" encompasses. One is that it is literally speaking of all of Israel. The other I subscribe to is that it IS referring to the LDS church.

Here is why I believe that. Throughout Isaiah he says stuff like, "Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last." Would someone please tell Isaiah to quit the idiocy and that Israel and Jacob are the same person? J/K Actually Isaiah is fully aware of what he is saying. If you think about it, Jacob was born as Jacob. It is a reference to his bloodline, the Jews, etc. However Israel is a covenant name and encompasses those who come into the fold of God by covenant. In the D&C it refers to the LDS church as the Gentile church, therefore IMO it is the perfect word for Isaiah to say when he is speaking of the LDS church because they have been adopted into the House of Israel by covenant.

Therefore Isaiah says this servant assembles the "outcasts of Israel", reworded in our language, gathers those who have been cast out of the church (from the covenant people of the Lord). What is interesting is that this story is told so many times through the scriptures. In Daniel 2 where he interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, the image is built up already and there is also a mountain built up already, but there is a stone that is cut out of the mountain without hands... that stone is used to break down the statue, that remnant, that outcast, (also a reference to Christ being cut out) then that stone is used to make a different mountain that eventually fills the whole earth. The old mountain isn't mentioned again. Same with Revelation 12, there is a woman which is the Church of God. She is travailing in birth. How long are women pregnant? 40 weeks? 40..... 40 years in the wilderness for the children of Israel before they have a new beginning? Some say Christ was in the dead for 40 hours before He was brought back to life? How many days did it rain when Noah went on the ark? Maybe, just maybe the number 40 repeats with the birth of the man child/ Kingdom of God? For the woman, the church of God, gives birth to the kingdom of God. He/ the Kingdom is a separate entity afterwards and it is he that rules with a rod of iron/ word of God.

I have based my views based on the many times in the scriptures that the same story is repeated and repeated. I'm sure as God's work unfolds my views will continue to evolve as more information comes. We may find that one has one layer of understanding and that another has a different but it doesn't mean that they both can't be right. However I do think the last poster is talking about a different role than I am. The Spirit of Elias and Elijah are different things....

[Bananikka]

Didn't Christ fast for 40 days?

[Hogmeister]

This is my current understanding. But open to new revelation (line upon line, precept by precept) as always.

Isaiah 11:1 (Avraham Gileadi translation)
A shoot will spring up from the stock of Jesse
and a branch from its graft bear fruit.

Commentary by Avraham Gileadi is necessary to understand the allegory and my interpretation: Just as chapter 10 ends with imagery depicting the archtyrant’s hewing down trees, so chapter 11 commences with tree imagery infused with hope. Only in this instance the tree that represents God’s people—likely an olive tree (cf. Jeremiah 11:16; Hosea 14:5–6)—isn’t bearing fruit, at least not good fruit. The horticultural process Isaiah describes shows that its purpose is to cause the tree to again “bear fruit” (yipreh). While its “stock” or “trunk” (geza) is identified with Jesse, the father of King David, the “shoot,” “watersprout,” or “sucker” (ḥōṭer) that springs from it is wild by nature.
A third member in Isaiah’s olive tree allegory is the “branch” (nēṣer) that bears fruit, representing the final stage of a threefold process. First, when an olive tree no longer bears good fruit, it can (1) be cut down; or (2) kept growing if one or more limbs show signs of life. In this case, such a limb is the watersprout, the kind of shoot that grows straight up from a tree’s trunk but doesn’t itself bear fruit. For that reason, farmers lop them off in the spring. If the watersprout can keep the tree alive, however, then it may be permitted to grow until it becomes sufficiently strong to support a graft.
Isaiah reveals an identity for the branch in the “sprig,” “root,” or “graft” (šōreš ) of Jesse that appears in verse 10. When grafted into the shoot or watersprout, the sprig—a tame olive tree variety—may eventually grow into a fruit-bearing branch and become a newly regenerated tree. As with the sprig (v 10), the stock, shoot, and branch represent persons who are instrumental in enabling the tree—God’s covenant people—to again bear fruit. Because of the principle of the one and the many, each person additionally represents the people who are associated with his particular phase of the process.
A shoot will spring up from the stock of Jesse. The wild nature of the shoot or watersprout suggests a connection with Gentiles who interact with Israel’s ethnic lineages (cf. Romans 11). Certain kings and queens of the Gentiles, for example, play a key role in Israel’s end-time restoration: “Thus says my Lord Jehovah: I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles, raise my ensign to the peoples; and they will bring your sons in their bosoms and carry your daughters on their shoulders. Kings shall be your foster fathers, queens your nursing mothers” (Isaiah 49:22–23; emphasis added).
The assimilation of many Israelites into the Gentile nations following Israel’s exile has led to two groups of end-time lineages of God’s people: (1) ethnic; and (2) assimilated. The wild nature of the shoot suggests an identity with Israel’s assimilated lineages. While these keep the tree alive, in the end they bear no fruit and are cut off so that the sprig may be grafted in. In that event, the assimilated lineages who are cut off represent God’s people who are destroyed in his Day of Judgment, while the assimilated lineages who sustain the graft are the kings and queens of the Gentiles.
A shoot . . . stock . . . branch. The identity of the shoot, stock, and branch appears from clues in Isaiah’s olive tree allegory. The words “of Jesse” (vv 1, 10) yield a Davidic identity for these individuals. The sprig that is grafted into the shoot—which becomes the fruit-bearing branch (v 1)—is God’s end-time servant who represents Israel’s ethnic lineages (cf. vv 10–12). The shoot into which the sprig is grafted is a servant of God who represents Israel’s assimilated lineages, specifically the kings and queens of the Gentiles. The stock is Jehovah, who represents his people Israel.

We have the following interpretation/guidance from the Lord in D&C 113:1-6
1 Who is the Stem of Jesse spoken of in the 1st, 2d, 3d, 4th, and 5th verses of the 11th chapter of Isaiah?
2 Verily thus saith the Lord: It is Christ.
3 What is the rod spoken of in the first verse of the 11th chapter of Isaiah, that should come of the Stem of Jesse?
4 Behold, thus saith the Lord: It is a servant in the hands of Christ, who is partly a descendant of Jesse as well as of Ephraim, or of the house of Joseph, on whom there is laid much power.

My comment: I believe this servant (the rod) with much power is one or possibly several gentile but Christian western nations that are only partly (partly a decendant is an important key to identify this servant) decendants of Jesse and Ephraim, as blood is mingled with the gentiles, with power to keep the trunk/stock/stem (Christianity) alive until the time of graft. I think latter-day Jerusalem (city of David) = USA (also a modern day Egypt = superpower protecting the Lords people from modern day Assyria) has been given much power (rule from the city of David) and a constitution to protect and help the grafting process. Observe that "the rod" will eventually be cut off to make room for the natural branch to come after.

5 What is the root of Jesse spoken of in the 10th verse of the 11th chapter?
6 Behold, thus saith the Lord, it is a descendant of Jesse, as well as of Joseph, unto whom rightly belongs the priesthood, and the keys of the kingdom (to rule with priesthood authority), for an ensign, and for the gathering of my people in the last days.

My comment: Observe that this is not the root of the whole tree, it's the root of the grafted branch that connects it to the stem or trunk (Christ). I believe this "root" or decendant is the sanctified (the fish has not been sorted yet) LDS church which is Isaiah's righteous end-time or millenial servant ref JST Rev 12. The "root" of the rod is what remains after the rod (USA and possibly other western nations) is cut off. Jesse was the father of King David and had 8 sons at the time David was anointed by Samuel. David was the youngest. Joseph was the father of Ephraim who inherited the birthright blessing from Jacob/Israel through Joseph the first son to be born of Jacobs 2nd wife Rachel. Reuben, the firstborn son of Jacob’s first wife, Leah, lost his birthright blessing and double portion of inheritance because of immorality (Gen. 49:3–4). The birthright then went to Ephraim through Joseph, who was the firstborn son of Jacob’s second wife, Rachel. It is interesting to note that both David and Ephraim was raised from being the least/last to become the exalted/first. This is the Lords pattern. Into this "root", the sanctified LDS church, New Jerusalem or in other words the kingdom of God on earth, will the other tribes (the natural branch) be grafted and finally bring forth good fruit.

[Hogmeister]

I think D&C 85:7 (one mighty and strong) could possibly be connected to the "root" of jesse or the 2nd servant unto whom rightly belongs the priesthood (Davidic rule) whereas verse 8 (man called of God and anointed = USA) is connected to the 1st servant or the "rod" (partly a decendant = have some but not complete or lasting claim over the throne of David/New Jerusalem) that will eventually be cut off to make room for the remaining root and the natural branch (the returning 10 tribes).

[isaacs2066]

I tend to see the rod and the branch as the same. Most biblical scholars think that the second half about the branch is a restating of the first part about the rod.

They are both partly of Jesse and partly of Ephraim, perhaps they are the same person fulfilling two interconnected missions.

[Silver Pie]

Bumping a very interesting thread.

[Durzan]

an interesting thread indeed... considering I enjoy reading about the Davidic Servant and similar subjects.

[Matchmaker]

an interesting thread indeed... considering I enjoy reading about the Davidic Servant and similar subjects.

Me too, and I like your avatar.

[GrandMasterB]

I tend to see the rod and the branch as the same. Most biblical scholars think that the second half about the branch is a restating of the first part about the rod.

They are both partly of Jesse and partly of Ephraim, perhaps they are the same person fulfilling two interconnected missions.

biblical scholars biblical shmolars. They all get it wrong and have been for centuries.