Lecture Thirteen

Disclaimer:

I will type the notes as presented to me.
Again let me stress that what follows are NOT my words.
I will not add my thoughts in the post.
Comments allowed for friendly discussion and edifying.

II Timothy 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto G-D, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.

I Thessalonians 5:11
Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

And for the record no one is ruling out dual fulfillment.










1. It was approximately at this time around 68 AD that the Essenes settlement at Qumran was destroyed. The romans, being led by vespasian and titus, had made their way from Galilee laying through Jericho toward Jerusalem, laying waste to every city enroute. Some scholars feel Habakkuk is referring to this in his prophecy: 'They march through the earth, seizing dwellings which are not their own. They are dreaded and feared. Their justice and authority originate with themselves. Their horsemen come from afar. They fly like an eagle swooping down to devour. All of them come for violence...collecting captives like sand. They mock at kings...laugh at every fortress...and sweep through like the wind and pass on. But they will be held guilty, they who have made strength their god.' (Hab. 1:6-11).

2. The Essenes of Qumran understood Habakkuk to be referring to the romans. In the Habakkuk Commentary, col. 1-3 they record: 'This concerns the beginning of the final generation... It concerns the kittim, who are quick and valiant in war, causing many to perish. All the world shall fall under the dominion of the kittim... They shall march across the plain, smiting and plundering the cities of the earth... They shall inspire all the nations with fear and dread... They come from afar, from the islands of the sea, to devour the peoples like an eagle which cannot be satisfied'.

3. When we realize that kittim is a code-word signifying the romans as well as the eagle being the symbol for the roman empire. The fact that these enemies come from the islands of the Mediterranean Sea, along with all the other pieces of the puzzle fitting the romans, it becomes clear that this is the meaning of Habakkuk's prophecy.

4. Realizing that the romans were subduing everything in their path, including such places as this seemingly insignificant desert hideout of the Essene community, the Essenes quickly prepare for this onslaught. Unlike other fortresses, the Essenes were more interested in preserving their valuable scrolls instead of stockpiling weapons. These Dead Sea Scrolls, as they are called today, were the product of generations of careful work by these Jewish copyists and contain precious copies of Biblical manuscripts, folk-lure, and commentaries among various other types of literature.

5. With little time to hide the scrolls, the more than 200 members of the desert colony knowing the roman legion of vespasian are soon approaching, emptied the library and scriptorium of all scrolls as well as parchments under the direction of their elders. It was the custom not to discard anything wherein the name of G-D was written, so they initiated a ceremonial burial for each scroll.

6. Many of these scrolls were stored in a cave or caves that had served for centuries as the library of the Essene sect, containing more than 500 assorted documents. As the advancing romans neared Qumran, the Essenes buried some of the scrolls across the valley near the settlement high in the treacherous caves dotting the cliffs to the west of the Dead Sea. Nearly 2,000 years later, in 1947 AD, many of these were found in some of these caves. Although the wooden shelving has long since rotted away, pottery vessels and their linen wrappings had protected much of the ancient scrolls.

7. Until this point, the Essenes had lived as a peaceable community of priests. In their writings they had long been prepared for this end-time confrontation with the kittim. Many scholars believe the Essenes completely left Qumran and traveled south along the Dead or Great Salt Sea to the impregnable fortress of Masada. Although the Zealots known as the Sicarii, who had often swooped down on roman garrisons, ransacking them and carrying the supplies back to Masada, were assassins, these Jews believed in the old proverb: 'He who is not my enemy is my friend.'

8. As the romans reached Qumran, if they found no one, it appears they simply knocked the major buildings down and rejoined tartan and the tenth legion in Jericho on its way to Jerusalem. It appears numbers of other Essenes, maybe the stragglers, were captured near the Dead Sea area. The records of Josephus tell us: 'Racked and twisted, burned and broken, and made to pass through every instrument of torture in order to induce the Essenes to blaspheme their Lawgiver or to eat some forbidden thing, they refused to yield to either demand, nor ever once did they cringe to their persecutors or shed a tear. Smiling in their agonies... they cheerfully resigned their souls, confident that they would receive them back again...'

9. The persecutions continued among the Essenes and all other sects of Jews, including those who Believed in Jesus as their Messiah. The romans in 68 AD were temporarily distracted by the news that the beast, nero was dead. The unstable tyrant from rome was ultimately given the choice by his imperial guard of execution or suicide. He chose suicide and the Book of Revelation records: 'The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority' (Rev 13:2). Scholars today understand that the dragon represents the roman empire and the beast is a symbol of the emperor. The Revelation continues: 'One of the heads of the beast seemed to have a fatal wound' (Rev 13:3). Josephus declared: 'While vespasian was preparing to march on Jerusalem, news reached him of nero's violent death, so he delayed his expedition and waited anxiously to learn who would be the new emperor. When he heard that Galba had acceded, he sent his son titus to receive his orders regarding the Jews, and agrippa embarked with him. While they were enroute, galba was assassinated and otho seceded as emperor... Titus returned to his father in caesarea... thinking it unwise to attack a foreign country while in anxiety over their own.





Go to lecture XII or XIV