Daniel's Messiah Newsletter #14 with links to, and comments of, Tree of Life added...

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Till: 'Toby Joreteg'

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5930± 04 13 2026

Written with a beginning on the Seventh Day Sabbath,

the 13^th day of month #4, Tammuz 13

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 6th day of the week, June 26 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 do remember hearing you telling me words to the effect that God had made it clear to you that you should present only that which you are now presenting and no more, the reason being that that message is enough and that people are not ready or prepared to accept more than that…

I certainly have no intention to make you question God’s instructions to you, yet I’d like to share with you some thoughts that I believe are in harmony with God’s fundamental principles, that is, principles such as I believe God Himself does not trespass upon.

God is always true to His promises and covenants, and likewise He desires for each of us to be as well. As you know, He gave man the freedom of choice from the very beginning. That gift of His is itself a covenant and a contract between God and each One of men. Thus, when I or you make a choice, God sustains whatever choice we make, whether good or bad, whether for life or for death. If I or you makes a limited promise to God, that too is sustained and honored by our Creator as any other contract is. God does not trespass upon those limits we ourselves have set. God never forces any of us beyond our abilities or desires. If you or I have a conviction that makes us stop short of doing something even better, something that we could otherwise accomplish if we were mentally prepared to do so, well, God upholds and sustains each our honest stand for such as remains our honest conviction. Yet, He keeps knocking at our door, and He keeps talking to us with that still small voice of His… in a multiplicity of ways… always calling us out of the confusion and the blindness that is holding us back.

God never told us to keep building upon, or adding to, castles built upon sand. He upholds our choice to do so, but when we insist on doing so even after being warned by Him of the eventual outcome of so doing, He does not hold back the rains, the waves, or the flood whenever it is due to come in accord with the laws of Nature which He Himself has once for all authored. You are well aware of what I am referring to, are you not?

I have no doubt but that the messages God is asking each of us to share with others are first of all intended also for the one being asked to carry the message. I believe God has given you the message He has given you because He knows that that is where your interest and your conviction lies. To put it slightly differently: The message you have a burden for sharing constitutes that portion of the road, the bedrock upon which that road is built, which you are presently walking upon in your life’s journey. For you to remain secure and to walk onwards ever onwards with a steady gait you need to know enough about the ground upon which you are setting your foot. If it should happen at times that we, any of us, believe ourselves standing securely where we are, we may tend to stay put rather than taking another step in response to the still small voice of God. God knows that at such times the only way for us to wake up and keep going is for us to discover the reality of the situation such that we may move on before it is too, too, late… At such times I have no doubt but that God asks us not to divert our attention upon other matters of truth that we may not be quite ready for, prior to shedding the luggage of false security re the apparent bedrock upon which we are currently building our sandcastles. Others may be in the same boat and in a similar situation as we are at such time and that is why God is asking each of us to share each our firsthand witness report with others we encounter upon our path. The objective is not for others to come to the point where we happen to be in our life of learning, but for each of us to learn important lessons of God that may be applicable upon each our path of life, that is, upon our path heavenward… God’s objective for us is to get up and move on in the direction of His calling us! That’s a prime and fundamental lesson indeed! All of us have so much more to learn, and frequently it is much easier for us to learn a lesson by seeing the errors of others around us, than it is to learn from our very own mistakes. Thus again, the importance of firsthand witnessing of each our own experiences and convictions! So it is for me! So it is for you!

It is indeed very important for you to dive into and pursue the message of your conviction and to share it with others as you do. This is for the benefit of all of us to the extent that we, any of us, are willing to learn and to do the right and not the wrong lessons from that which we are perceiving.

God is never asking us to stay put beyond that which is necessary for getting us going in the right direction upon our path to heaven. That is not the objective He has in mind!

When in our life’s journey we are finding ourselves upon a spot where we are suffering from severe Alzheimer’s disease, the only hope for us is to somehow regain our orientation to time, place, and person. Before that, we may learn something of value, but before long the lesson is lost, gone, bye bye… little or no hope of real or eternal life! The only thing that can cure us in that setting and from that Alzheimer’s disease, is that which our heavenly Physician is prescribing for each of us… You and I both know well that that medicine is given to us in the form of the Word, of words, of messages characterized by truth and by a focus upon such life as God wishes for each and all of us to be blessed by.

Toby, I have little doubt but that God’s will is for you to focus upon the message you are focusing upon until you yourself are waking up to a conviction and a realization re whatever flaws and errors you need to remove out of the burdens you are carrying upon your own back.

But notice, the moment you are realizing your error, any error, it is time to act and to mend your ways accordingly and as required by the particulars of the situation you are in. This is no time to sit back and wait for others to come to the point where you are being stuck. That most likely will never happen. Yet, the Enemy of life is most happy to see us being fooled into such non-action, to see any of us being held back by the unwillingness and coldenness of others…

Here’s a quote for your encouragement:

The shaking of God blows away multitudes like dry leaves.--4T 89 (1876). {LDE 180.1}

Chaff like a cloud will be borne away on the wind, even from places where we see only floors of rich wheat.--5T 81 (1882). {LDE 180.2}

Soon God's people will be tested by fiery trials, and the great proportion of those who now appear to be genuine and true will prove to be base metal. . . . {LDE 180.3}

When the religion of Christ is most held in contempt, when His law is most despised, then should our zeal be the warmest and our courage and firmness the most unflinching. To stand in defense of truth and righteousness when the majority forsake us, to fight the battles of the Lord when champions are few--this will be our test. At this time we must gather warmth from the coldness of others, courage from their cowardice, and loyalty from their treason.--5T 136 (1882). {LDE 180.4}

The church may appear as about to fall, but it does not fall. It remains, while the sinners in Zion will be sifted out--the chaff separated from the precious wheat. This is a terrible ordeal, but nevertheless it must take place.--2SM 380 (1886). {LDE 180.5}

As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith in the third angel's message, but have not been sanctified through obedience to the truth, abandon their position and join the ranks of the opposition.--GC 608 (1911). {LDE 180.6}

.......

My Comments below as before…

Shalom, and may the peace of God rest upon each of us as we walk securely into the unknown… Hand in hand with none less than our Creator and God, The Man Dressed in Linen,

Gunnar Anders Smårs Jr ©

Från: tobyjoreteg@gmail.com [mailto:tobyjoreteg@gmail.com] För Toby Joreteg
Skickat: Thursday, June 24, 2010 6:58 PM
Ämne: Daniel's Messiah: Newsletter #14

Dear Friends,

Attached is Newsletter #14 called "The Man Dressed in Linen." You can download it or go to my website www.TobyJoreteg.com and click on "Articles" and you will find the Newsletters there.

May God Bless you!

Toby Joreteg MD, PhD
www.TobyJoreteg.com

Newsletter #14

The Man Dressed in Linen

Introduction

In Daniel 10:1 we are told that the “understanding of the message came to him in a vision.” Thus, three weeks after the initial “revelation,” God gave Daniel the explanation. This vision is a two-way interaction between God’s messenger and Daniel (Daniel 10:16-17).

[ - Yes, Toby, “two-way interaction…” is essential for all real dialogs! And certainly it is most essential when one of the parties to the dialog is a messenger of God… As far as I can perceive presently re my Comments re your Newsletters, mine seems to be a one-way street to you, that is, inasmuch as, so far as I can determine, the data I am providing you in my prior correspondence are not being used for improving the errors extant in these Newsletters of yours. Perhaps you wrote your Newsletters a long time ago and are not presently taking time to rework or revise as needed? – I am referring to your words above, “three weeks after the initial “revelation…,” “ which term ‘three weeks’ I dealt with in my last prior Comments re your Newsletter #13.]

We first read about Daniel’s dramatic reaction and then how he was comforted. Thereafter he was given the outline of the explanation. Again, according to the Hebrew way this outline is actually a condensed summary of the whole vision.

[ - Perhaps it would be helpful for you or our readers to listen to at least one of the sermons given at the Matteson School 2010 Inspiration weekend recently? The theme of the sermons was Hebrew vs. Greek thinking. I found Jesse Zwiker’s teaching most educational and elucidating so far as our own typical Western way of thinking goes… Please enjoy!]

The purpose is to make the reader focus on the important issue; i.e. to get the point of the story from the very beginning. This summary is found in Daniel 10:14:

Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come. (NIV)

It seems that many read the prophecy too quickly and therefore miss this important information. Similar words are found in Daniel 9:24 where Daniel was told that the 70 weeks are for “your people” and “your” holy city to finish rebellion. Many have realized that the focus in the Daniel 9 prophecy is the Messiah and His first coming and that it concerns Daniel’s people.

We need to be consistent and draw the same conclusions in Daniel 10:14. This last prophecy in Daniel is not about a symbolic or imagined people that will appear sometime in the future. No, the prophecy in Daniel 10-12 also concerns Daniel’s people! This is confirmed in Daniel 12:1 where “your people,” i.e. Daniel’s people is mentioned twice.

Daniel’s Reaction

Now we can understand Daniel’s reaction. When Daniel hears that the prophecy is about his people, the Israelites, he truly becomes fearful. In Daniel 9 he interceded for his own people because he was afraid that God had divorced them, Jeremiah 3:8. The heavenly response to that prayer came in Daniel 9:24-27 - so why another prophecy concerning Daniel’s people? Maybe that is the question Daniel had in his mind here in Daniel 10. With all these thoughts in his head, Daniel became speechless, Daniel 10:15:

While he was saying this to me, I bowed with my face toward the ground and was speechless. (NIV)

This is a strong reaction and very similar to the prophet Isaiah’s experience in Isaiah 6:5. At the first encounter with the Man Dressed in Linen, Daniel fainted but when the focus of the vision was mentioned, he is crushed. He had nothing to say. He seemed to fear the message. So, the only right thing for Daniel to do, he thought - was to worship. Daniel bowed down before the Man Dressed in Linen, i.e. he worshiped him - without saying a word.

Did Daniel Worship an Angel?

Some believe that this being was an angel and in that case Daniel actually worshiped an angel. But, when Daniel worshiped the Man Dressed in Linen, he was not rebuked for doing so. When John the Revelator worshiped an angel he was immediately rebuked by the angel, Revelation 19:10, 22:9. That did not happen here in Daniel 10! This supports our previous conclusion that the Man Dressed in Linen is Christ.

The first “revelation,” which showed that the message was about the Truth, Jesus Christ, and about a great war, was very important. But that information alone would not be enough to enlighten Daniel, his people, and Bible scholars throughout the millennia. The Man Dressed in Linen had in mind to reveal details of this prophetic message. But before it could happen, Daniel again needed to be touched and comforted by the Man Dressed in Linen, Daniel 10:16-17:

Then one who looked like a man touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and began to speak. I said to the one standing before me, “I am overcome with anguish because of the vision, my lord, and I am helpless. How can I, your servant, talk with you, my lord? My strength is gone and I can hardly breathe.” (NIV)

This time Daniel’s lips were touched and therefore he was able to speak coherently. But he still was filled with anguish. He truly was overwhelmed by this encounter and felt helpless. Daniel honestly told the Man Dressed in Linen how he felt about this encounter and later we will see that he received more help.

Lord

Daniel perceived himself as a “servant” and the being he interacted with as “lord.” According to “Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old Testament Words” the Hebrew word used here is Adon, which is a short form of Adonay. Both have Strong’s number 113 and Adon means “lord; master; Lord.” The Brown-Driver Briggs lexicon tells us that this word either refers to men or to God. That means that the Bible translator can choose how to write it. Thus, we need to let the context reveal the truth.

If the translators believe it refers to God, they indicate that by using a capital “L” writing “Lord” and if they believe it refers to a human being, they use a small “l” as in “lord.” The King James Version has this word translated to “lord” in Daniel 10:17 but the same Hebrew word in the same KJV is translated “Lord” with a capital “L” in Daniel 12:8! In both instances Daniel speaks to the Man Dressed in Linen!! This is a good example that shows how the translator’s view colors the interpretation.

Knowing that the Man Dressed in Linen very likely is Jesus Christ Himself, we certainly understand Daniel’s reaction. He felt helpless, lowly, feeble, and could hardly breathe. Another divine touch was needed, Daniel 10:18-19:

Then again, the one having the likeness of a man touched me and strengthened me. And he said, “O man greatly beloved, fear not! Peace be to you; be strong, yes, be strong!” (NKJV)

Once more Daniel is comforted and affirmed by the Man Dressed in Linen. Daniel is called “highly esteemed” in some versions and “greatly beloved” in the NKJV. This must have given him much comfort. Thus, he had nothing to fear! He was not going to receive a dooms message; rather God would give him the enlightenment that he had requested.

Peace Be to You

Then the Man Dressed in Linen said to Daniel, “Peace be to you.” This is actually a very unique phrase. After Jesus’ resurrection He used this phrase when He showed Himself to the disciples. It is found in John 1920:19, 21, 26, and also in Luke 24:36-37:

While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. (NRSV)

[ - Please notice my correction of your above typo, “1920”!]

This in itself is not a proof but again an indication that the Man Dressed in Linen is a divine being and very likely Daniel’s Messiah. None of the angels that appeared to Daniel in other instances in the Book of Daniel used this phrase. The words “be strong” should not be seen only as encouraging words but rather words with creative Power. The words were spoken - and Daniel was immediately strengthened! Finally, he was ready to receive what he had been praying and waiting for, Daniel 10:19:

So when he spoke to me I was strengthened, and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.” (NKJV)

The Message

The Man Dressed in Linen began by revealing information that Daniel hadn’t asked for. Furthermore, this information does not really appear relevant for the prophecy. It seems that it is given to Daniel to show God’s compassion; to show that God constantly is at work and cares about what happens in the world. However, the information given, led to the next point on the agenda. The Man Dressed in Linen proceeded to give the details concerning the prophecy, Daniel 10:20-21:

So he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? Soon I will return to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I go, the prince of Greece will come; but first I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth. (No one supports me against them except Michael, your prince.” (NIV)

[ - Perhaps this would be a good point in time for you to review my PS, re who Michael is, at the end of my email attached to your Newsletter #13?]

In the verses quoted above it becomes evident that Daniel, probably for the first time, was clear enough in his mind to think. No answer to the question, “Do you know why I have come to you” is recorded, so we assume that Daniel was ready to receive the information. The One speaking was obviously the same as the One who spoke to Daniel earlier in verses 12-14. He mentions the Prince of Persia in both places, for example. This shows that the Man Dressed in Linen continued to be the active person in this vision.

The Book of Truth

Now the Man Dressed in Linen comes to a very interesting issue. He will tell Daniel what is “written in the Book of Truth.” We have already found that the word “truth” refers to Jesus Christ or Daniel’s Messiah. That means this “Book of Truth” is either written by the Messiah, or at least refers to Him. Both options should be considered. What kind of book or books does Jesus have? The good news is that we don’t need to speculate. In the same prophecy, in Daniel 12:1 we read the following:

At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people — everyone whose name is found written in the book — will be delivered. (NIV)

The promise is that, “everyone” of Daniel’s people who had their names “written in the book” - would be delivered. The word for delivered could also be translated to “saved.” That sounds like the “Book of Life,” doesn’t it? Revelation 3:5. We know for certain that Jesus Christ is in charge of the Book of Life. Therefore, it is very likely that the “Book of Truth” mentioned in this prophecy is the same as the “Book of Life.” In that case this is a promise to Daniel’s people that, if their names are written in the Book of Life, they will be protected from God’s wrath at His coming. Now it is very appropriate to read John 14:6:

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (NIV)

Yes, Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one can come to the Father or enter His kingdom unless he or she comes through the Life-giver and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. This quotation fits very well to the “Book of Truth” and to the role of Jesus Christ. This is the Messiah’s promise of salvation to the faithful among Daniel’s people.

[ - Toby, my dear old friend, please notice your own emphasis upon truth and life, that is, as in the very best available truth at the present time! The term used for that is ‘Present Truth.’ I and when we willingly retain known errors within our teachings, we are not being living representatives for the truth as it really is, are we? Thus the importance of this our dialog! Do you see that? Who do you think might have an interest in holding you back from sticking solidly to the best available truth that you have accessible to you?

[ - Please, consider that! Selah!]

Michael

We have already understood that the Man Dressed in Linen refers to Christ. What about Michael then? Some believe that also Michael is a symbol of Jesus Christ. But it doesn’t seem plausible to have two symbols referring to the same being, in the same passage, where both are acting side by side. Therefore, if one of them is a symbol of Christ, then the other one is not. Let us look carefully at the texts about Michael to see what the Bible says.

In Daniel 10:21 which I quoted earlier, the Man Dressed in Linen called Michael, “your prince.” If we look up the Hebrew word for prince which is “sar,” in Strong’s Concordance it simply says, “a head person (of any rank or class).” This word is used thirteen times in the Book of Daniel and eleven times it refers to secular princes and kings. Other common translations are “commander,” “captain,” “chief,” “general,” etc.

In contrast, the Hebrew word “nagiyd,” also translated “prince” in English versions, is found only three times in the Book of Daniel. According to the context this word “nagiyd” clearly refers to Christ. Daniel 9:25:

…to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks… (KJV).

In the next verse, 9:26:

…and the people of the prince that shall come… (KJV)

Both times the word “nagiyd” is used and in both instances this specific word points to the Messiah, “the Anointed One,” as we already have concluded. The third place where this Hebrew word “nagiyd” is found is in Daniel 11:22 where it talks about the “prince of the covenant” and this description again strongly refers to the Messiah.

[ - Re the specific meaning of the Hebrew words translated “the Messiah the Prince,” and their application, that is, in the context of Daniel 9:25-26: Please cf. this link!]

But notice, the Hebrew word “nagiyd,” is not used in Daniel 10:21 where Michael is called “Daniel’s prince.” This indicates that the word “prince” does not primarily refer to Christ and that Michael therefore would not be a symbol for Christ. The next text describing Michael’s activities is found in Daniel 12:1:

At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. (NIV)

This passage again uses the non-specific word for “prince” to describe Michael. In 10:13 he was called “one of the chief princes” and in the quote above “the great prince.” These two expressions are very similar.

The next phrase gives us more clues about his identity when it says that Michael is the one who “protects your people.” He is obviously the mighty angel that is in charge of Daniel’s people, the Israelites. If we look up Michael in a dictionary we actually find this text as the explanation. Maybe every nation has a specific angel - or maybe only God’s Old Covenant people had this special divine help. The Bible doesn’t tell!

[ - Please remember that in the Hebrew society, much more than in our own Western society, every name is retaining a very strong association to its descriptive meaning! It behooves us to study the meaning of each name we encounter in the Holy Scriptures, such as we may learn, little by little, how to apply the associated lessons upon each our own life situation. To the extent that we are merely associating such a name with any one being, whether man, angel, or god, we are bound to fool ourselves into believing a lie or, at the very least, a distortion of the truth!

[ - Thus, once again, please my PS, re who Michael is, at the end of my email attached to your Newsletter #13!]

Book of Jude

In the Book of Jude we find Michael in action again. Moses died on the top of Mount Nebo just before his people were to enter Canaan. He was buried in Moab. “But to this day no one knows where his grave is,” Deuteronomy 34:6. We also know that both Elijah and Moses showed up together with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration, Luke 9:30-31. This happened before Christ’s death and resurrection.

[ - Yes, Toby, this is a most important datum within the New Testament that can be used for identifying the exact year of the crucifixion. You may have noticed Peter’s suggestion per Matthew 17:4 re building three tabernacles. This is evidence for this event being a Feast of Tabernacles event, indeed, the last such feast prior to the Passover of the crucifixion. Further dates provided in the Greek manuscripts makes it possible to determine upon which day of the week and upon which day of the month this event took place. Such double dates associated with the lunar and solar cycles, and thus with God’s chosen calendar per Genesis 1:14, are most helpful in finding exact and certain anchor points in time for New Testament events!

[ - For details, please begin at this link!]

If Moses was alive and in “glorious splendor” at the time of Jesus’ ministry on this earth, he must have been resurrected by someone’s authority.

It seems impossible that even a chief angel would have the authority to rebuke Satan and resurrect Moses to eternal life. The only Life-Giver in the Scriptures is God and the only One who has the right to give individuals eternal life, is Jesus Christ. Therefore, Michael, in Jude 9, correctly referred this issue to God in the power struggle between Michael and the devil. Jude 9:

But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” (NIV)

Do you see it? The “archangel Michael” “did not dare” to slander the devil! Michael did not dare to claim the dead body of Moses! At that time Jesus had not yet died on the cross and the resurrection of Moses was totally dependent on Jesus’ future death on the cross. Therefore, it seems very logical that Michael does not choose to contend with the devil about Moses’ resurrection but simply refers to the authority of the Lord. Please notice that Michael refers to the Lord in the third person. Thus, Michael cannot be the same as the Lord in this passage either.

[ - Toby, your argument within that last sentence of yours does not hold up to closer scrutiny! Consider the common practice of certain authors of referencing themselves in the 3^rd person! John, the apostle, for instance, is reference himself in the 3^rd person within John 13:23; & 20:4!]

The most interesting passage remains, Revelation 12, where Michael and his angels are fighting against the devil and his angels. But we will come back to that when we study Daniel 12. Already now we will establish that this war was won by “the blood of the Lamb,” which certainly refers to Christ’s victory on the cross, Revelation 12:11.

[ - Toby, your words “ “the blood of the Lamb,” which certainly refers to Christ’s victory on the cross…” may well be true and correct, yet, it behooves us not to create a preconceived idea such as makes us consider the above passages too narrowly as being fulfilled by that last event alone! I find this very important indeed, lest we should fool ourselves into places we do not wish to be!]

Lastly, there is another interesting aspect to this study on Michael. If we look up the Hebrew word we find that “Michael” means “who is like God.” Please notice, it does not say “who is God!” No, Michael is “like” God. Maybe he is one of the highest positioned angels in heaven and consequently called the “archangel.” No wonder that he is in charge of the angels in heaven, Revelation 12:7.

[ - Toby, please remember that the word ‘angel’ is a descriptive word meaning ‘messenger!’ It is not a word denoting a certain species among God’s created beings such as is a certain species of bird or animal. Philip was sent as an angel of the Lord to the Ethiopian, was he not? Of the three men approaching Abraham per Genesis 18:2, two of them seem to be identified as angels per Genesis 19:1. Please, let’s make a best effort of not superimposing our own preconceived ideas upon the words recorded for us in the Scriptures!

[ - Notice that the words “who is like God” are reminiscent of Genesis 1:26-27, and may as such be words applicable to anyone being appropriately described by those words, even you or me, not merely one! Indeed, consider whether the name Michael couldn’t be a descriptive characteristic of God’s true Sons and Daughters! Again, please consider the truth value of the thoughts being presented under this link to my abovementioned PS!

[ - Lastly, as I opened up my Bible at bedtime right now, my eyes fell upon Yeshua’s own words per John 7:28-29 where he is identifying himself too in terms of being ‘sent…’ by him that ‘is true…,’ that is, as a messenger, or, using the Greek word, as an angel of God! Yet, remember this: One that is truly a Son or Daughter of God is more than merely a messenger. Such a one is also the recipient of such messages! There is a distinct difference that must not be forgotten!]

Summary

· Michael is one of the great archangels and the protector of Daniel’s people.

· The “Man Dressed in Linen” refers to Jesus Christ.

· The focus of the prophecy is what will happen to Daniel’s people in the future.

· The Book of Truth is the same as the Book of Life.

Toby Joreteg, MD, PhD