Steve,
Interesting reading about the 12 tribes and Israel. Being a Seventh Day Adventist and passionate history reader, it s very interesting to see the history from a different angle.
Especially the prophecies of 2 Ezra caught my eye, I had never red that before.
There is something missing from my point of view The birthright of Israel is only one side of the story. The other is Gods church through the times. So my question is, what about Jesus? I don t see a much about him here. Understandable, it s not the topic, but still he must be the son mentioned in 2. Ezra 13,12?
And also from revelations 12:17: And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
What are your views on this?
There exists a very good guide to both Daniel and Revelations Edwin R Thiele: Outline studies in Daniel and Outline studies in Revelation These are not out in public sale, but can be obtained ( I hope) from the bookstore or library on Andrews university, Michigan.
Thiele is the man behind The mysterious numbers of the Hebrew kings , a book setting all the dates for both Israel and Judah. That one might be of interest in this work.
Best wishes from one of the descendents of Asjer ( we have our foot in oil up here  )
Roy Dyrli
MYREPLY
Dear Roy,
It is good to receive an email from a Norwegian! On my mother’s side, all my ancestors are 100% Norwegian. They came to America in the 1870s and 1880s, and my mother was in a Norwegian-speaking Lutheran Church when she was a child.
I assume that you are referring to the Prophecy in what is called II Esdras in my book of apocryphal literature. The prophecy in II Esdras 13:12 about a particular “man” has to represent Jesus Christ as verse 26 refers to that “man” as the Redeemer of the Creation, and verse 32 and 37 refer to him as “God’s Son.” We must keep in mind that the apocryphal books may have truth in them, but for whatever reason, God did not guide the canonization process to include these books.
Re: Revelation 12:17, some believe the passage refers to the physical descendants of the tribes of Israel and some maintain it refers to believers (the church). Both groups have supportive evidence in the text. Revelation 12:17’s mention of those who “have the testimony of Jesus Christ”‘ clearly supports the “church” viewpoint, but the same verse’s reference to “the remnant of her seed” argues for a particular national descent. Therefore, both interpretations may be correct. That verse refers to those who are hated by “the dragon”‘ and the Adversary hates both the birthright seed of Israel and Judah as well as the believers!
Steve
