One of our goals in visiting the exhibit was to examine the validity and integrity of the documents and learn more about them.

Two of our members who visited are students of modern and Paleo-Hebrew. Upon inspection of the style, character, and accuracy of the scrolls, their verdict was that these are indeed genuine copies according to knowledge. Their investigation was also for the purpose of determining the significance of this exhibit for the common believer. The exhibit stirred up not only questions but many answers, as well.

The Qumran Community were Essenes. The ancient writer Pliny the Elder (23-79 A.D.) referred to them in his "Natural History" as a "solitary tribe" living on the west coast of the Dead Sea.

Flavius Josephus (37-100 A.D.) in his "Jewish War" described Essene life minutely including ritual meals and even toilet habits. They referred to themselves simply as the Yahad (Community) and 'edah (Assembly). Some of their differences with the Pharisees and Sadducees of the day included interpretations of the Temple, worship, purity, and calendar disagreements.

Surprising similarities were found with the New Testament church.

Both teach that the faithful are in a "New Covenant" with Yah. The Essenes emphasized the importance they placed on "miqva'ot" or ritual baths, which they performed several times each day. These have their counterpart in the Christian sacrament of baptism. The important communal ritual meal, which could only include the faithful, finds its counterpart in the New Testament Last Supper similarly referred to as "Communion." The Essenes practiced prayer as a substitute for sacrifice (a New Testament theme as well), and the study of Sacred texts consumed one-third of every night. A solar calendar of 364 days was used (similar to us today) instead of the lunar-based calendar of the Saducees and Pharisees. White robes were their only outer clothing, a theme found in the New Testament as the clothing of the resurrected saints. Similar to the Apostle Paul's epistles (Romans 5, etc.), the Essenes used the term "the many" for the entire faithful community. Predestinatin was taught, similar to the Newe Testament, which states that Yah predestinates all things by the council of His Will. Community of property was practiced, similar to the New Testament ideal, which was put into force for a time during the New Testament church. A belief in the "end times" was also central to Essenes as well as Christians.

Both Essenes and Christians are waiting for a coming Messiah. The Essenes, in fact, believed that there were TWO MESSIAHS coming, one in the spirit of Joseph and one in the spirit of Judah.

The New Testament presents these as TWO COMINGS of the one Messiah. The Patriarch Joseph had been accosted and left in a pit to die while his brethren tore his clothes and smeared the garments with blood; this is perfect symbolism for Messiah's forst coming and sacrifice at the hands of His own people. The patriarch Judah, symbolized as a lion (Num. 1 & 2) is a perfect symbol of Messiah's victorious Second Coming as a conquering Savior putting His enemies under His feet. (I Cor. 15)

This also points up the importance of the symbolism of the TWO HOUSES of Israel, ten-tribe Ephraim and two-tribe Judah. Ephraim, son of Joseph, was depicted as an ox, a symbol of sacrifice. Judah was depicted as a lion, the king of the forest. When ancient Israel divided into two separate nations and kingdoms after the time of Solomon, this was Yah's doing, for He was showing in Old Testament typology the work that the coming Messiah would perform.

The nation of ten-tribe Ephraim was conquered by Assyria in 832-676 B.C. in four invasions, and scattered to other lands, becomig the "lost sheep of the house of Israel." (Matt. 10:5-6; 15:24) We believe that theirdescendants have joined with other peoples to become the Christian nations of the world today. The nation of Judah, comprising the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, was taken into Babylonian captivity for 70 years before returning to Canaan.

The Essene's Nahum Commentary says that Judaism was divided into Three groups: Ephraim, Manasseh, and Judah. This also indicates their understanding that there was indeed a continuing division between the Ten Tribes (Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph), and the Two Tribes (Judah and Benjamin). The prophecy of the two sticks in Ezekiel 37:15-29 makes it clear that the two houses of Israel will be rejoined at the end of this age, a time that is even now drawing near! May you be blessed through your study of Yah's Holy Word!