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What are the Dead Sea Scrolls?Videos are at the bottom The Dead Sea Scrolls are the most important textual discovery in modern times. The scrolls are commonly believed to be a collection of ancient documents from a sect of Judaism from 200 BCE to the time of Jesus and John the Baptist. However, the Dead Sea documents are also reprints of scrolls from a time centuries before the Common Era and should not limit the origins of the Dead Sea Scrolls to a narrow window of time by paleography to the dates that they were re-copied. Limiting the time span of the sect to such a narrow timeframe as the first and second century BCE would dangerously restrict the understanding of the men in question. More specifically, the scope of the origins of the sect can even be loosely tied to the time of Moses by writings by Philo and finally identified with Jeremiah as the Teacher of Righteousness written about so much in the fading lines from the distant past. Jim Barfield’s technique of investigation into the Copper Scroll and chronology of the Bible has weaved Moses, Jeremiah, and the Dead Sea Scrolls into a beautiful tapestry of Biblical history. There is no set title for the men of the sect but today they are usually referred to as the Essenes. The sect referred to themselves with titles such as, the Way, the Sons of Light, and the Yahad. The Dead Sea Scrolls also hold ominous mysteries that have yet to be announced and will be at the center of the most challenging issues in the days to come. The scrolls contain evidence that will change the course of Christianity and refine the teachings of Judaism in the most positive and wonderful way possible. Secrets hidden in the Dead Sea Scrolls will shed light on both religions restoring our common beliefs and bridge the gap that separates our two families in preparation for the most waited for event in history, “the age to come.” Control of the manuscripts has bolstered many conspiracy theories and has fueled the debate as to the possibility that more scrolls are being controlled by religious groups with a powerful agenda that they believe must be contained. Although there is little proof of hidden and secret documents from the Dead Sea, it is entirely possible. The Dead Sea Scrolls are the embodiment of prophecy in both timing and in content. Found by a shepherd boy from the camp of Ishmael, a half-brother and, for now, an enemy to us all. The discovery of the scrolls was like the Father giving us a glimpse into a way of life that He had sanctioned as keepers of the faith. The scrolls were found just before Israel was resurrected from the land of the dead and her exile came to a tumultuous end. The men that penned the Dead Sea Scrolls lived to monitor the Nation of Israel and speak for the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to keep them on the path of righteousness and before they were re-born God gave them a reminder of the sect that shed light on the ways of Halacha, the path of righteousness. The men of the scrolls produced almost all of the prophets of Israel. From their order came Jeremiah, Haggai, and Zechariah for certain. The association of the other prophets will be proved in the years to come. Hundred of fragments and a few relatively intact scrolls have been found in many of the caves around the remains of the Qumran compound. The Dead Sea Scrolls are comprised of the remains of approximately 825 to 870 separate scrolls, represented by tens of thousands of weathered fragments from near by caves. The scrolls are most commonly made of kosher animal skins, but some have been found that are made from papyrus and, of course, the Copper Scroll. Most of the texts are written in Hebrew and Aramaic, but some were found to be written in Greek. On close examination one will find that the Copper Scroll is written in an ancient form of Hebrew but has a few notations on it in a mysterious Greek script. To this date not even Jim Barfield can tell you for sure what the Greek notations refer to. On a more technical note, the Dead Sea Scrolls can be divided into two categories, Biblical and non-Biblical sectarian. Fragments of every book of the Jewish Scriptures (the TaNaK or Old Testament) have been discovered, except for the book of Esther. Identified among the scrolls are 19 fragments of Isaiah, 25 fragments of Deuteronomy and 30 fragments of the Psalms. The virtually intact "Isaiah Scroll", which contains many of the most dramatic prophecies about the Messiah, is 1,000 years older than any previously known manuscript of Isaiah. Furthermore, based on various dating methods, including paleographic, scribal, and carbon-14, the Dead Sea Scrolls were written during the period from about 200 B.C. to 68 AD. However, recalling what was stated above, the dating methods are reliable only for the manuscripts being tested and cannot be used to date the sect. If that were the case, many years from now archeologists finding a copy of the King James Bible would have to date all of Biblical history after 1611, the date of the first printing of the King James Version. Many crucial Messianic manuscripts such as Psalm 22, Isaiah 53 and Isaiah 61 date to at least 100 BC. As such, the Dead Sea Scrolls have revolutionized textual criticism of the Old Testament and Messianic prophecy. Amazingly, the biblical texts of Qumran are in substantial agreement with the Masoretic text, the Septuagint, and variant translations of the Scriptures from Genesis to Malachi. Jim Barfield’s investigative techniques for the Copper Scroll, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and his Biblical chronology research have produce direct and verifiable links to prophetic chronology and the players on the platform of Biblical history. With Jim Barfield’s research much of the events of the Bible and the history of the Copper Scroll can be placed into a well documented package for future study and for the events that may soon dominate the world stage. Youtube video entitled: Youtube video entitled  |
