The Jews have a long standing tradition concerning a “secondary messianic figure” who will make his earthly appearance before the glorious coming of the Christ. They refer to him as “the Messiah son of (i.e., of the tribe of) Joseph (or Ephraim), whose coming precedes that of the Messiah, son of David, and who will die in combat with the enemies of God and Israel” (Encyclopedia Judaica, volume 11, column 1411). This prophet, ben Joseph, has been known of and expected for thousands of years. Father Joseph, who was sold into Egypt prophesied of this seer coming through his lineage and said, “his name shall be called after me; and it shall be after the name of his father. And he shall be like unto me; for the thing, which the Lord shall bring forth by his hand…shall bring my people unto salvation” (2 Nephi 3: 15).

ben Abraham                 son of Abraham
ben Yitzhak                    son of Isaac
ben Ya’akob                   son of Jacob
ebed nivkhar                  chosen servant
ben Yosef                        son of Joseph
ben Efraim                       son of Ephraim
navi kadosh l’Elohim      holy prophet of God
l’daber b’ad Elohim         to speak for God