Dear John and Doves,

There have been several posts on 5 doves since I finished my 6-part series on Daniel’s 70 Weeks and the Covenant, and I would like to reply to three constructive ones, posted by David Burnette, Caps, and Linda Freeman.

First of all, thanks for responding to what I have written.   It was all done in the course of about seven days, and I’m aware that it was not very well edited.    I have since found quite a lot of “typos” which needed correcting.

Re David Burnette -  (25 May)  Thanks for the positive comments re the series, and yes you are quite right, I overlooked the two verses that refer to Jesus as the “confirmer of the covenant”.   There is also the perspective that Jesus was in fact The Covenant, and this is another area that could be explored.   I am in the process of a revision of the whole series, and intend to put it into a booklet form, so thanks to you I will insert those verses in the appropriate place.

Regarding the use of the word “desolator” in the last paragraph, instead of “desolate” - thanks for drawing my attention to that bad mistake.    If any of you have printed that off, would you please change that word “desolator” to “desolate” as per the King James Version.  In all the other references to that verse I had got it right, but concentration was lapsing towards the end, and I had been comparing various “versions” in “The Laymans Parallel Bible” and obviously made a “Blooper”.

Your suggestion that one of two things will be poured out on the desolate, deserves further investigation on my part also, and in fact it is a topic that I didn’t address in my posts, but it should be addressed in the booklet.
 
 

Re Linda Freeman - (26 May)     Thanks for your encouragement Linda.    It was a big piece of work, but I was blessed by it.     I haven’t studied this passage closely since Bible College days  -  over 40 years ago.  I think there were some little “insights” there that I hadn’t seen before.    The most important “insight” I considered was that Daniel had been reading the book of Jeremiah, and Jeremiah announced the New Covenant, which dealt with “internalising” the law in the hearts of believers.   This could only be done by the sacrifice of Messiah through the release of the Holy Spirit.

One thing we should note is that Daniel was told the words he didn’t understand were “closed up” and “sealed” until the time of the end.  (Daniel 12:9).    As you mention, there are things to be revealed yet.
 
 

Re Caps – (27 May)   Thanks Caps, you’ve given me more incentive to compare the Covenants, and include that in my future writing on this subject too.

Regarding “the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary” I’m not convinced that it refers to the Gentiles.    You will have noted that in the series, I mentioned that it was difficult to determine who destroyed Jerusalem – the Jewish factions who were fighting a civil war and destroying it from within, or the Roman soldiers, one of whom eventually threw a lighted torch into one of the windows of the Temple, that brought its ultimate demise from without.    Inevitably the Romans came against Jerusalem as a result of the Zealots “cause”, which brought the Romans “effect” i.e. the destruction of Jerusalem.   However, before the Romans began their final siege, there were already many dead within Jerusalem because of the civil war and lack of food.     I  believe the record of Jerusalem’s destruction is well described as the “overspreading of abominations”;  it makes for grizzly reading.     I understand from Josephus’ record, that the Romans allowed those who wanted to flee, to get out before the final assault, and it was not the Romans’ deliberate intention to destroy Herod’s Temple.

However, whichever way we look at it, Jesus prophesied that it would be destroyed, and it was within the generation of those who heard his prophecy.
 
 

Conclusion:    I fully realise that there are many people who read 5 Doves who have different beliefs about how end-time events will “play out”.    The reasoning behind my 70 Weeks series, was to show that how we interpret this “Pivotal” prophecy, will determine what “end-time signs” we are looking for.

Failing to look in the right direction, might cause us to be caught unawares.

Jesus warned us in Luke 21:34-36a  “And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.   For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.   Watch ye therefore…..”

Thanks to you all for your comments.     I will advise you on 5 doves when I’ve finished the booklet.  At the moment a preliminary draft is away to a trusted friend for comments and advice.

In Christ,    EAR