Daniel's Messiah Newsletter #9 with links to, and comments of, Tree of Life added...

Från: PowerfulChoices [PowerfulChoices@gmail.com]

Skickat: Sunday, May 23, 2010 10:20 AM

Till: 'Toby Joreteg'

Ämne: SV: Daniel's Messiah: Newsletter #9

Non-Negotiable. Private between the parties.

Adamah Republic ©

5930± 03 07 2026

Written with a beginning on the Seventh Day Sabbath,

Which is the 7^th of the 7 Sabbaths and

the fiftieth day of the fifty being reckoned from the beginning of one Day of Sabbaths(!)

through the next Day of Sabbaths, that is, Hag HaShavuot,

the annual feast day designated by our Creator for a reminder of all God’s Sabbaths;

the 7^th day of month #3, Sivan 7

in the 5930^th year, more or less, following the beginning recorded in Genesis 1

and in the 2026^th year following the beginning recorded in Luke 1:26-33

[Saturday, the 6^th day of the week, May 22 in the 2010^th year of Caesar Tiberius

(per current Gregorian reckoning.)]

Dear Toby, my Brother in Daniel’s Messiah and my old time Friend,

I’ve gotten a little behind, but now that Sabbath is here, even the very day known as the Day of Sabbaths, and I find you being one of my closest companions I’ll enjoy this time together with both our God, our Creator, and with you as I consider the words you’ve been sending my way… Thank you for continuing to trust me in your sharing of these treasures of our God and Redeemer!

Because it is relevant to our ongoing interchange of thoughts, I’ll share with you just a little of the reason for my getting behind with my communication with you such that I have now two of your Newsletters before me as yet unanswered. You see, a few years ago, probably in 2006, I did some work on studying the Babylonian tablet known as VAT 4956, which is a most important record of the events seen upon the sky of Nebuchadnezzar’s 37^th year. My desire was to confirm for myself that those observations did in fact happen and that that clay table can indeed be relied upon as a firm anchor point of ancient history. There were lots of learning for me to do and much to discover on that tablet and I was certainly able to accomplish my goal as above stated, yet I was far from finished with all the data available upon the clay tablet, but I let it be for the time being, because I felt I had to give priority to other pressing pursuits of Bible study relating to my seeking a more perfect understanding of ancient chronology… Well, recently, upon the initiative of Hans, my son, we’ve been blessed with sharing some of our discoveries with some Jehovah’s Witnesses that have been coming to our door and these issues have been coming up. Then all of a sudden there arrives in my email a communication from someone who has been studying that VAT 4956 in depth and who happened to come across my published discoveries of that VAT 4956. Well, she was questioning some of my conclusions thus far re some particulars of that VAT 4956. As always I appreciate and highly value any feedback I receive, and especially such feedback as may be pointing out errors in my work needing correction. So I went back to my old work to review my past findings in the light of the recent communication having been sent my way. It took me some time… And yes, I was blessed by discovering some errors of mine re some important details pertaining to my understanding of that clay tablet. Indeed, not only re that particular detail which had been directly addressed in that email I received! No, there were more treasures that God had ready for me to learn and grow upon in my ongoing pursuit. Nothing though that would have the effect of removing any of my past anchor points or overall results re my overall chronology findings. Rather to the contrary, the more I learn, the more firmly does each correctly placed anchor point become. What a blessing! Praise the Lord of Hosts! And I’m seeing that there is yet quite a bit more for me to enjoy and to learn from that particular VAT 4956 clay tablet… If you’d be interested in my results thus far, you’ll find it under this link.

Well, the reason I wish to share that experience with you is simply that I wish to share with you some of the joys and blessings that I enjoy by looking for and finding any opportunity for correcting my old ways of thinking in favor of bigger and better things within the Kingdom of God… I have no doubt but that you’ve also been having similar experiences. Indeed, isn’t that the essence of, and the very basis for, your sharing with me and others these Newsletter of yours?

Yet, somehow I believe that you could receive even greater blessings by being a hair more receptive to such things as I am convinced God is willing and able to share with you through these communications that I am sending you in response to yours…

As usual you’ll find my specific comments bracketed within the text of your Newsletter below…

. . . . . . .

May the Lord of Hosts lead and guide each of us in each our pursuit as only He can and in proportion to each our being prepared for being receptive to the great truths He has is store for each and all of us…

And last, but not least, I wish for God’s very special peace to rest upon each our families in consequence of this annual Day of Sabbaths, so long forgotten by most everyone upon this planet!

Your Brother in Daniel’s Messiah,

Gunnar ©

PS. Why not begin resolving this matter of a shifting paradigm within our own beloved Seventh-day Adventist community by simply placing a link to these my comments somewhere within your own web site? And by making a reference to that link where ever and when ever you may find it appropriate to do so? Another idea, in addition to that, is for you to open up your own forum for an interchange of thoughts between those of us who find interest and value in your books and Newsletters… That’s not too hard to do these days…

What do you think?

Från: tobyjoreteg@gmail.com [mailto:tobyjoreteg@gmail.com] För Toby Joreteg
Skickat: Friday, May 14, 2010 5:32 AM
Ämne: Daniel's Messiah: Newsletter #9

Dear Friends,

Below is newsletter #9 which is a bridge to a better understanding of Daniel 9-12. I pray that you will be blessed and that God's Name will be glorified.

As usual you can read it below, download the attachment or go to my website: www.TobyJoreteg.com. click on "Articles" and then on the newsletter you want to read/print.

For the newcomers I advice you to read the previous newsletters first since they all build upon each other.

[ - “Since they all build upon each other…” Yes, indeed, there is great potential power – and danger! – inherent in those words of yours! We must be most careful not to keep building upon past errors, but to pursue always any opportunity for reviewing and correcting the bases of each our thinking and doing! If not, we’ll be sure to keep heading in the wrong direction, to illness and finally death – in more ways than one! Remember my recent experience as above related… These things truly have a way of being stacked one on top of the other, most especially as they pertain to such things as our Saviour and God is pointing out to us in Daniel 7:25!]

Toby Joreteg MD, PhD

www.TobyJoreteg.com

Newsletter #9

Set up an Abomination that Causes Desolation

[ - It seems to me as though anything that is in disharmony with God’s ways will be in verity “an Abomination that Causes Desolation.” In particular such things pertaining to time and laws, as are being spoken of in Daniel 7:25, or don’t you agree with that? To be even more specific: If those surmises of yours and of Dr. Raymond F. Cottrell’s are not holding water, then you owe it to yourself and to your followers to do whatever you can towards discovering and correcting any holes in that theory, or don’t you see that? Even to the point of throwing out any old, no good bucket…]

Desolation

We have already learned that the word “desolation” also can be translated to “wilderness,” or “desert” (Newsletter #8). This is true both in Hebrew and Greek. “Wilderness” and “desert” can be used when “desolation” refers to land, cities, buildings, etc. When God on the other hand speaks about “desolate” nations, people, groups, and individuals the words “forsaken,” “unmarried,” or “divorced” are more fitting and biblical.

Abomination

Before we study what it means to “set up an abomination” we will look at the word “abomination” separately. Let us see how the word is used in Isaiah 66:17:

“ ‘Those who consecrate and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following the one in the midst of those who eat the flesh of pigs and rats and other abominable things - they will meet their end together,’ declares the LORD.”

[ - Yes, but there is more to those words… Much more! I’ve learned by experience that the translators of the popular versions of the Bible have a strong tendency for giving preeminence to translations using the most peripheral meanings of Hebrew or Greek words, while in so doing foregoing more essential lessons and meanings. For instance, if you look up the Hebrew words for ‘pigs’ and ‘rats’ you’ll find that more primary meanings for those same Hebrew words are “inclose” (Strong’s H2386) and “entangling” (H5908,) respectively. Consider how those words apply to such as are clinging to their own ‘pet’ ideas no matter what the outside world may have available for showing them a less narrow view of how things really are!

[ - Likewise, long ago, I discovered how that the Hebrew word for ‘calves’ (1 Kings 12:28; 2 Kings 10:29; 2 Chron 13:8) pertain rather to something revolving, that is, as in a solar based Egyptian calendar. Cf. Strong’s H5695 and H5696! That is the great abomination before all else that Jeroboam is continually being condemned for is his changing God’s own reckoning of time. Do you see some of the ramifications of that?]

And in Jeremiah 32:34:

“They set up their abominable idols in the house that bears my Name and defiled it.”

[ - Cf. my last comments above! Especially as to how those aspects effect those that claim they are God’s people, even Christians and SDAs!!!]

Abominable things can be anything from unclean animals to idols. As a matter of fact, the Bible calls anything that defiles something holy an abomination. The text from Jeremiah uses the word abominable in connection with God’s temple. Idols in the House of the Lord would certainly be abominable to Him. Another word that many Bible versions use is “detestable.” However, it appears safe to say that the words “unholy” or “unclean” are good explanations for the word “abominable.”

[ - Yes, indeed, and let’s be certain that we each are doing our best for not contributing to such things as maintain and support such ‘abominable’ things as belong in the court of the Destroyer of Life and such things as deter from the ultimate realization of the Kingdom of God here and now!]

Rebellion

Furthermore, we have learned that the words “rebellion” and “transgression” often are used synonymously. From a biblical perspective it seems that “rebellion” refers to long lasting and persistent transgression. Below are a few Bible texts that highlight this, In Psalm 107:11 we read:

For they rebelled against the words of God and despised the counsel of the Most High. (NIV)

In the next quotation Daniel describes what rebellion means, Daniel 9:4-6:

I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed: “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with all who love him and obey his commands, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.” (NIV)

In both passages the word rebellion is used in conjunction with God’s Old Covenant People. There are many texts in the Old Testament with a similar message.

[ - Yes, indeed! Notice too, how that Daniel in all sincerity is including himself in those sins. Perhaps it is time for us to realize that Daniel’s contributions to the government of Babylon and of Media and Persia may well constitute part of that confession, and to realize that we would do well in heeding the inherent lesson in that. That is, such that we truly apply in each our lives, to the best of each our ability, a reality of separating ourselves from the State of being part of Nebuchadnezzar’s statue as depicted in Daniel 2, that is out of each our dependency upon any State or Government constituted by men – for the benefit of such as are unwilling to totally rely upon the saving graces of our Creator.]

Set Up an Abomination that Causes Desolation

Now we have come to the moment when we are ready to put these words together. The phrase, “set up an abomination that causes desolation,” occurs three times and is found in Daniel chapters 9, 11 and 12. There seems to be an uncertainty regarding how it should be translated as well as how to interpret it. Most Bible translators believe that it refers to the desecration of the Temple in Jerusalem so expressions are used to support that particular view.

[ - Notice, it is only natural that such as are unwilling to accept for themselves the core truths of God – and the corresponding blessings – will necessarily be characterized as having “an uncertainty regarding how it should be translated as well as how to interpret it,” or don’t you see that???! The tendency is to pin the interpretation down upon any inanimate object, e.g. “the Temple in Jerusalem”, or else upon someone as far away from themselves as possible, such that personal responsibility may be effectively delegated, that is rejected… And while forgetting all about those proverbial three fingers pointing back in one’s own direction!!!]

Bible commentators tell us that the construction of this phrase makes two translations possible. Either the abomination causes the desolation or the desolation causes abomination to be set up.

In the first example something unholy desecrated the Temple and led to its destruction. In the second example it is the desolation that causes the abomination to be set up. Most commentators and translators put the words together as in the example below, Daniel 9:27:

In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing [of the temple] he will set up an abomination that causes desolation. (NIV)

The grammatical construction of this phrase is unclear, so where do we go? If we cannot get a clear understanding of this phrase in Daniel 9:27, 11:31 or 12:11, what do we do? Here we face a dilemma. What caused what? What came first - the hen or the egg? Therefore, we need to search for a text with a simple grammatical construction that is easy to translate. Here it is! The answer is found in Daniel 8 and 9. Let’s start with Daniel 8:13:

Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to him, “How long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled - the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that causes desolation, and the surrender of the sanctuary and of the host that will be trampled underfoot?” (NIV)

Here is a straight forward statement - clear and simple. It is the “rebellion that causes desolation!” This implies; it is not the “abomination” that causes desolation!

[ - Now, now, isn’t it true that any transgression against that which pertain to the Creator of Life is part and parcel of that which constitutes the word abomination… As a small example: The eating of swine’s flesh or rats in transgression of the Health Message taught in Leviticus 11! Or more importantly: The insistence upon staying within anything being adequately described as a ‘pig sty,’ e.g. any church or school of thought insisting upon maintaining obsolete Present Truths such as should be washed off as we each progress upon the Way to the Truth and Life of Yahweh Elohim, that is, as per Jesus’ own words in John 14:6.]

God chose the Old Testament Israelites to be His own. His plan was to bless, protect, and save them. He truly wanted the best for His children. We have read how God longed to gather them under His wings - but they were not willing. Daniel 8:13 above explains that it was their persistent “transgression” or “rebellion” that eventually caused “desolation” to come. In Daniel 9 the same concept is brought forth. When you read please remember that the word “transgression” also can be translated to “rebellion,” Daniel 9:24:

"Seventy 'sevens' are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy. (NIV)

In His mercy God gave them 490 years to finish their rebellion, put an end to their sin and to atone for their wickedness. What an awesome God - but in vain. They did not repent!

[ - Compare the more relevant applications of these 490 years as optionally provided by the prophetic fulfillments being depicted in the diagram found under item #1.e. of this link!]

As a consequence desolation became a fact. The result, desolation on the land, cities, etc. took place in 70 A.D. when Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed.

[ - But isn’t that in effect, at this time, an obsolete Present Truth, to which we must not too narrow-mindedly ‘entangle’ ourselves, that is, as in not wishing to leave the ‘pig sty’ when God is opening the door and calling each of us out?

[After all, neither is “70 A.D.” the correct year for that event, nor is that event, the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, ultimately being the fulfillment of those prophecies. Or why would you or anyone remain unwilling to accept that reality while preferring rather an inconsistent old truth of yesteryear when nothing better was available to find?]

But what was the effect on the people and when did it occur?

[ - And ditto for us, me and you, here and now… If and when we fail to mend our ways relative to God’s truth as it really is and was?]

Daniel 12

To understand this let us first go to Daniel 12:11. This is a verse that has initiated a lot of speculations. The interpretations are many but if you have read the previous newsletters carefully, you will immediately pick up the common thread, Daniel 12:11:

And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. (NKJV)

So, when was the daily sacrifice taken away? A few years ago I asked around in a couple of Sabbath School classes saying: “I am not asking for a full prophetic understanding of Daniel 12 - only tell me when the daily sacrifice was taken away?” I asked 30 people and EVERYONE answered: “At the cross!” That is the correct response as we already have concluded in previous newsletters.

Now we need to start counting days. The starting point is “from the time” when the daily sacrifice was taken away, i.e. from the time of the cross. So, if we count 1,290 literal days, beginning at the cross, we end up in 34 A.D. (More details on this in a future newsletter). What happened 1,290 days or about 3 ½ years after the crucifixion?

Consider again the question in this newsletter: Was it the ‘abomination that caused the desolation’ or ‘the desolation that caused the abomination to be set up?’ Well, we already read in Daniel 8:13 that it was the rebellion that caused desolation. We have concluded that at the cross the divorce from God became a fact. The leaders of the nation Israel stated: “We have no king but Caesar” (John 19:15). With this statement they rejected not only Jesus Christ as their Messiah but also God the Father.

[ - Could it be that each our saying much the same thing today, that is, “We have no king but our own democracy,” etc., will have, and is having, much the same consequences? That is, each one among us while taking such a stand relative to any State that is in effect part and parcel of the Stat(YOU)e of Daniel 2? That is, whether such State be named US, Sweden, EU, Rwanda, China, French Guiana, Texas, or whatever? That is, in contradistinction to any true Republic under none but the Creator, Yahweh Elohim, alone?

[ - At this point I made an ‘abominable’ error in my calculations (by looking up year 22 rather than year 21 and by thus getting the 18^th rather than the proper 8^th, as you’ll notice below…) which brought me the following line of thought – that now must be disconnected from the above, that is, it must be made ‘desolate.’ You may however take it for what it’s worth, perhaps as an object lesson re an ‘abomination’ vs. a corresponding ‘desolation,’ etc., that is, you may take it as a thing separate from these other comments of mine to yours, based as it is upon other central Scriptural themes, and which line of thoughts I therefore hesitate to delete. You’ll notice my direct error by the line I’ve drawn across those ~~erroneous~~ words:

[ - But let’s pursue this date just a little. And why not use the best available date I know of for the crucifixion, Aviv 17, 18 CE, (Julian day #1727744) and then add 1290 days to that date… What do we end up with if not Sunday Nov 2, 21 CE? Do we know of anything happening on that day? Per the Scriptural calendar as I know it, that date would correspond to the 18^th day of the 8^th month – a date that doesn’t ring a bell per se… However, if we bring this reckoning of days back three days, that is, to the beginning of the day when Yeshua was sold into the jurisdiction of men, there is a bell going off in my mind, that is, something being described in 1 Kings 12:32-33! That is, that foremost abomination (!) of king Jeroboam where he replaced the calendar of God with one of his own making – and for the very purpose of making the people forget the annual feasts ordained forever by our God and Savior for His own People, for His very own Sons and Daughters.

[ - What lessons may you or I see in that fact, for it is a fact, is it not?! Suppose you or I sell out to a State, by registering our names, or the names of our little ones, under the jurisdiction and responsibility of anyone representing a government voted into existence of men, that is, as Judas did by his selling Jesus to the Jewish hierarchy and thus also under the hierarchy of Rome, then aren’t we too most likely to be using an abominable calendar of such a hierarchy, that is, a calendar in the tradition of king Jeroboam?... How can we ever suppose we’ll ever be free from the long term consequences of so doing, that is, unless we each repent and mend our actions such that we may begin to learn the ropes of the Kingdom of God inherent in the annual feasts ordained forever by the Creator of the Universe? Cf. also Ellen White’s dream about the green cords…

[ - Well, in searching for that dream I first found another most relevant dream Ellen had Sept 29, 1886 focusing upon what and where treasures of real value are to be looked for and found… Cf. {ChS 46.2} & {GW 136.1}; ChS = Christian Service (1925,) GW = Gospel Workers (1915.)

[The dream I was looking for she experienced in August, 1868 and you may find it at {CET 179.1}; CET = Christian Experience and Teachings of Ellen G. White (1922.)

[ - Well, how will it ever be possible not to be ‘entangled’ and ‘inclosed’ as rats and swine in the proverbial treadmill we know of as “the system,” a thing that is very much in the nature of the wheels we see in cages where ‘guinea pigs’ or other ‘pets’ of ours are being kept, that is, if we persist in our old familiar ways of doing things and in our old ways of thinking? How is that not a fulfillment of the warning given us per the Third Angel’s Message found in Revelation 14:9-11?

[ - What if we apply the year for a day prophetic principle of interpretation to the same crucifixion year? What’s 18 + 1290? Yes, it’s 1308? Do we know of anything happening about that time? The exact end of those 1290 years, per Scriptural reckoning ran out at the beginning of Tishri 22 (Oct 8 or 9,) 1308 CE. Well, the corresponding date for 1335 years, Daniel 12:12, would be Tishri 22, (Oct 21,) 1353 CE. Well, I don’t know enough to make anything certain out of that, but perhaps someone else does?

[ - Suppose we were to add the same numbers instead to that abomination, that whole sale divorce action, spoken of in Ezra, the 1^st day being Abib 1, 396 BCE and the beginning of the 1^st year being Tishri 22, 396 BCE, that is, building upon the probable assumption that the 7^th year of Artaxerxes referenced by Ezra pertain to Artaxerxes II, and not Artaxerxes I as we SDAs have been commonly presuming. Adding 1290 years to that brings us to 1290 – 395 = Tishri 22, 895 CE, while adding 1335 years brings us to 1335 – 395 = Tishri 22, 940 CE… Again, no bells ringing!

[ - Well now, ~~the 1290 literal day vs. king Jeroboam’s feast was interesting…~~ Let’s see if anything ~~else~~ of interest turns up re the 1260 and 1335 days… Using the same basis, i.e. Abib 14, 18 CE, (beginning with the evening of Monday April 18, 18 CE, Julian day #1727740:)

1. 1727740+1260=1729000 or Mon Sep 29, 21 CE, that is, Tishri (7^th moon) 4 beginning that Monday evening;

2. 1727740+1335=1729075 or Sat Dec 13, 21 CE, that is, Kislev (9^th moon) 20 beginning that Saturday evening…

[Bells, anyone?]

Set up Abomination

Because of this we conclude that it was “desolation [that] caused the abomination to be set up.” I.e. something “abominable” was set up 1,290 days after the cross! So - was there something “unholy” or “unclean” that was “set up” in 34 A.D.? Certainly! That was the time when the 490-year prophecy in Daniel 9 came to an end and that was when the “time of the Gentiles” began. Let us take a quick look at what the Bible says happened at that time.

[ - The problem is that by persisting in this erroneous line of reasoning, that is, by any line of reasoning based upon the years 27 A.D., 31 A.D., and 34 A.D., aren’t we again ‘trespassing’ upon that truth that is nothing less than the reality that was what it was, that is, aren’t we ‘desolating’ the facts of the matter and thus again causing an “abomination to be set up,” that is, based upon a false line of reasoning, not excluding an invalid 490-year fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy? Isn’t it ever better to remove the errors while they are yet as small and insignificant as is at all possible based upon currently available knowledge? Why persist in old traditional teaching? If some of the lessons learnt stand on their own while being based upon other firm ground, why not retain them as such while making also a clear note of any prior false associations re any particular lines of reasoning, perhaps such as I’ve attempted to do as an object lesson above?]

· The same day Stephen was stoned, a great persecution broke out and “all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.” The word was preached everywhere they went (Acts 8:1-4).

· The Samaritans accepted the Gospel and received the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:14-17).

· The Ethiopian eunuch was baptized and brought the Gospel to Africa (Acts 8:26-40).

· Saul was converted and became the greatest apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 9:1-31).

[ - You’ll find some interesting connections related to Saul’s conversion, which event happened, as best I can tell, at 11:38 AM local solar time on November 24, 29 CE… and more under this link…]

· Peter had a vision where he was told to eat “unclean” animals. (Acts 10:1-48).

[ - You’ll find some interesting connections related to this event re Peter and Cornelius under this link… You’ll notice that this event very likely happened before January, 27 CE.]

All these passages speak of how the Gospel was taken to the Gentiles. Maybe the most fascinating one is Peter’s vision. He saw the sheet with unclean animals and was encouraged to slaughter and eat them. This was abominable to Peter. He had never eaten anything unclean and was not willing to do it now. You all know the story very well. Eventually he got the message and ended up preaching in Cornelius’ house. To his surprise the Holy Spirit fell on the Gentiles. We will read his conclusion in Acts 10:28:

He said to them: "You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean. (NIV)

That is a very fitting statement! Peter quoted a well-known tradition saying that a Jew was not allowed to “associate with” or “visit” a Gentile. The reason for this was very clear. The Gentiles were considered “unclean” and “unholy.” That is why a Gentile could not enter the holy Temple. Soon after Peter’s vision we find a consensus-statement from the Christian leaders in Jerusalem, Acts 11:18:

When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, "So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life." (NIV)

All these events recorded in Acts 8-11 happened in a very short time period and directly after the stoning of Stephen. With the consensus from Acts 11:18, it became obvious that the GENTILES WERE ACCEPTED! Prior to 34 A.D. the Gentiles were not accepted and considered “unholy” and “unclean.”

[ - Certainly this applies only to the attitude of the Jews, does it not? This attitude is not to be attributed to God Himself, is it?]

But now they were welcomed into the Kingdom of God! This is what it means to “set up the abomination!” This is the biblical significance of this phrase! God told Daniel in a prophecy more than 500 years in advance that the Gentiles one day would be fully accepted and included in His Kingdom. Let’s paraphrase Daniel 12:11:

And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination is set up because of desolation, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days.

[ - But upon what foundation are you building, Toby, that is, when applying this passage of Daniel upon the crucifixion event? Where do you find any solid confirmation in support of these interpretations of yours and others ‘entangled’ within a certain spider’s web of thinking re certain presumed dates?]

The Gospel could not have come to the Gentiles, if the “wall” between the Jews and the Gentiles had not been broken down (Ephesians 2:11-22). It took many of God’s miracles to change their predetermined hearts - a true paradigm shift was necessary.

[ - Yes, indeed, it was a matter of “chang[ing] their predetermined hearts” wasn’t it? So far as God’s attitude is concerned there never was a change, was there?]

Romans 11 emphasizes what we have been talking about in this newsletter. This chapter says that what at first appeared to be a negative event, the desolation of the Old Covenant People, turned into a most positive event for both Jews and Gentiles. After the cross, both Jews and Gentiles are accepted into God’s Family by grace through Jesus Christ.

[ - That is, through the lessons of God that we may learn through Jesus Christ. – If we remain teachable! If we are willing to mend our flawed ways of thinking, of reasoning, and of doing things… but not if we insist upon wallowing in our old and familiar ‘pig sties,’ our own ‘inclosed’ minds, and our own ‘entangled’ schools of thought… be such even our very own teachings re “27 A.D., 31 A.D., and 34 A.D.,” etc.!]

Let’s summarize to see what all this means for God’s people and not focus on the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. as most commentators do.

[ - Ditto re 70 A.D.!]

Summary

· It was rebellion that caused the desolation to take place.

· It was at the cross that the desolation became a fact, as the Old Covenant People divorced themselves from God and His Covenant with them.

[ - To what extent are you basing this “fact” upon those 30 people that you are referencing by your words above? That is, upon these words of yours: “I asked 30 people and EVERYONE answered: “At the cross!” ”]

· Because of this, the “unholy” Gentiles were accepted or “set up,” i.e. included into the Family of God (Romans 11). All this could happen because of God’s grace (Ephesians 2:11-22).

[ - “Accepted or “set up…”” by whom?]

· The Jews are since then also adopted by grace into the same Family of God.

· It was very difficult for the first Christian Jews to accept this paradigm shift and many resisted.

[ - To what extent are we, even me or you, who are reckoning ourselves as being among the Seventh-day Adventist people, having similar difficulties in accepting such paradigm shifts as are being necessary in order for a true and real time Second Coming of Christ to happen in the here and now?]

The next newsletters will focus on Daniel 9.

Toby Joreteg MD, PhD