(Oh, this is encouraging. Now we know that Jesus can defend his kingdom on his own turf -- like heaven (or perhaps Kolobian Heights?)...but when it comes to more neutral turf -- like Planet Earth...the Mormon jesus was no match for Satan)... Oh, and BTW, did you come up with this desperado apologetic to explain away Matthew 16 ? -- or are you just mouthing some other LDS apologist who came up with his lame justification?
Yes, he does talk about the Book of Mormon in the Bible: [You cite Eze 37:15-17] I have a really neat set of Scriptures, it's called a Quad, we have the Bible (stick of Judah) and the Book of Mormon (stick of Joseph)...This is literal fulfillment of this scripture!
How thee error. (Let me count thy ways you are unfaithful to the context of both Ezekiel and the Old Testament). Delf, your 19th-century read-in doesn't fit the word usage, literary, historical facts -- or the context.
CONTEXT
Ezekiel context: Ezekiel 37:21-22 clearly shows the context is the uniting of tribes in Israel in one land.
Biblical context: Nowhere in the Bible is a stick used to symbolize a scroll.
...the Book of Mormon (stick of Joseph)...
Your broader partial Quad context: If the Bible calls itself the "stick of Judah," then why does the Book of Mormon never call itself "the stick of Joseph?"
HISTORICAL
...the Bible (stick of Judah)
(a) According to 1 Kings 12:16-24, these tribes were divided (cf. 2 Kings) -- 2 Kingdoms, Judah & Israel.
(b) This stick is a piece of cutwood. The idea of taking a rod (this Hebrew word for "stick" is translated "planks" in Eze 41:25 and "timber" in Eze 26:12) and writing on it to represent one or more tribes of Israel was known...Moses was given instruction to do so in Numbers 17:1-9.
(c) The Bible doesn't record primarily the history of the Hebrew tribe of Judah, but ALL the tribes! Only in Chronicles & a few prophetic writings is Judah given special attention.
WORD USAGE, LITERARY
I have a really neat set of Scriptures...all in one book.
Of course, this is a HUGE assumption on your part -- that "stick" = "scroll."
I think this citation says it best:
The issue I would like to talk about is the claim by the LDS church that the stick mentioned here is supposedly scroll. In my opinion, the Mormons fail to demonstrate biblical honesty in this regard because NOWHERE in the Bible is a stick used to symbolize a scroll. Ezekiel refers to “a roll of the book,” KJV or “In it was a scroll,” NIV in Ezekiel 2:9 leaves no doubt of what he meant to say.
The Hebrew used is "ates," which is translated as “stick” only 14 times in the entire Old Testament, 8 times right in this passage. It is the ONLY word translated stick in the Bible, but it is also rendered in other ways. It is translated “planks” in Ezekiel 41:25 and as “timber” in Ezekiel 26:12. It is mostly rendered as “tree” (163 times) as it is in Ezekiel 36:30. Of the more than 300 times it is used, IT NEVER REFERS TO SCROLLS. Actually, if "ates" had been translated by any number of possible English words other then “stick” like wood as in Ezekiel 24:10 and over 100 other times, THE LDS READING OF THIS PROPHECY WOULD SIMPLY NOT EXIST. This is because the idea of a second record or scripture (Book of Mormon) is based solely on the English KJV and has no support from the original Hebrew. http://forums.planet-tonga.com/viewtopic.php?t=29658&sid=6745abc94b105d5a92c51eb0d22dc744