Moses was given the prophetic forecast of events that lay ahead for Israel as a kind of spiritual genetic code. He was to write in a book what the Lord told him, and Israel was to keep it with the Ark of the Testimony. The Torah was a guide for the nation to understand and be aware of the consequences if they strayed from the moral tenets of their covenant with God.

(4Q398 14-17 i)

(13) And it (14) [shall come to pas]s when all these {things} (4.Q39714-21) [be]fall you in the en[d] of days, the blessing (15) and the curse, [then you will call them to mind] and retu[rn to Him with a]ll your heart (16) and all your soul (Deut. xxx, 1-2) at the end of days.

The prophecy concerning Israel’s blessing, curse, scattering and return is clear in Deuteronomy 30:1-6 and the Essenes quoted it in context of their time; the end of days for the nation of Judea and final scattering of Israel. The Essene’s rightly discerned their place in the chronology of events that Moses had recorded in the Torah.

(17) [And it is written in the Book] of Moses and in the Boo[ks of the Prophet]s that there shall come … (18) [and the blessings came]  in the days of Solomon the son of David. And the curses (19) came from in the days of Jeroboam the son of Nebat (20) until Jerusalem and Zedekiah king of Judah were exiled that He will b[rin]g them to …

And we recognize that some of the blessings and curses which are (21) written in the B[ook of Mo]ses have come. And this is at the end of days when they will come back to Israel (22) for [ever] … and shall not turn back-war [ds]. And the wicked shall act (23) wickedly and …

Remember the kings of Israel and understand their works that each of them who (24) feared [the To]rah was saved from troubles, and to those who were seekers of the Law, (25) their iniquities (4Q398 14-17 ii conflated with 4Q399) were [par]doned.

Geza Fermes The Complete Set of Dead Sea Scrolls in English page 274

The ‘Exhortation’ calls on the people to understand the prophetic and the yet unfulfilled curses for disobedience. There is also blessing in the hope of salvation to those who turn from their wicked ways and pardon for the repentant as it had been for the kings who did what was ‘right in the eyes of the Lord’, as had king Hezekiah, leading Judah back to God in repentance and revival.[1]

The sons of Levi, Judah, and Benjamin, the exiles in the desert, shall battle against them in … all their bands when the exiled sons of light return from the Desert of the Peoples to camp in the Desert of Jerusalem; and after the battle they shall go up from there (to Jerusalem?).

Geza Fermes The Complete Set of Dead Sea Scrolls in English page 204

The ‘Exhortation’ also recognizes the coming exile would follow a failure by the leaders to discern the prophetic and turn to the Lord in repentance for the nation’s deliverance. They understood that there will be a time when the ‘exiled sons of light return from the desert of the Peoples’ to complete the judgment against the nation, its return and resurrection from the dead.[2]

In the commentary on Habbakuk, division is cited at the upper echelons of leadership as a ‘Wicked Priest’ will pervert the teaching of the ‘Teacher of Righteousness.’

Commentary on Habbakuk

[For the wicked encompasses] the righteous (i, 4c).

[The wicked is the Wicked Priest, and the righteous] is the Teacher of Righteousness…

[So] justice goes forth [perverted] (i, 4d). …

[Behold the nations and see, marvel and be astonished; for I accomplish a deed in your days, but you will not believe it when] II told (i, 5).

[Interpreted, this concerns] those who were unfaithful together with the Liar, in that they [did] not [listen to the word received by] the Teacher of Righteousness from the mouth of God. And it concerns the unfaithful of the New [Covenant] in that they have not believed in the Covenant of God [and have profaned] His holy Name. And likewise, this saying is to be interpreted [as concerning those who] will be unfaithful at the end of days. They, the men of violence and the breakers of the Covenant, will not believe when they hear all that [is to happen to] the final generation from the Priest [in whose heart] God set [understanding] that he might interpret all the words of His servants the Prophets, through whom He foretold all that would happen to His people and [His land].

Geza Fermes The Complete Set of Dead Sea Scrolls in English page 562

The curse would fall on Israel and exile would come as the Teacher of Righteousness would fully understand. He would interpret the prophetic with clear understanding and declare ‘all that would happen to His people and His land.’  He as the promised prophet like Moses in Deuteronomy 18:18 would be anointed to speak the truth from ‘the mouth of God’ and warn of events to come.

In the commentary called ‘The Words of the Heavenly Lights’ there is pleading for grace and deliverance for Israel to be delivered from the lands to which they were banished.

VI … [Thou hast taken away] all our transgressions and hast purified us of our sin for Thine own sake. Thine, Thine is righteousness, O Lord, for it is Thou who hast done all this! Now, on the day when our heart is humbled, we expiate our iniquity and the iniquity of our fathers, together with our unfaithfulness and rebellion. We have not rejected Thy trials and scourges; our soul has not despised them to the point of breaking Thy Covenant despite all the distress of our soul. For Thou, who hast sent our enemies against us, strengthenest our heart that we may recount Thy mighty deeds to everlasting generations. We pray Thee, O Lord, since Thou workest marvels from everlasting to everlasting, to let Thine anger and wrath retreat from us. Look on [our affliction] and trouble and distress, and deliver Thy people Israel [from all] the lands, near and far, [to which Thou hast banished them], every man who is inscribed in the Book of Life… serve Thee and give thanks to [Thy holy Name] … from those who vex them …

VII … who deliverest us from all distress. Amen! [Amen!]

Geza Fermes The Complete Set of Dead Sea Scrolls in English page 434

Yet the set time was still to come for Judea. In 131 CE Judea began preparations for a second war against Rome after Emperor Hadrian planned to establish a Roman colony in Jerusalem. Having Roman temples in the city ignited a resistance movement as it had 130 years earlier to Roman taxation. [3] The leadership took into account the mistakes of the Great Revolt not to repeat them. ‘Money was collected throughout the Diaspora; Rabbi Akiva himself traveled far and wide for the purpose, within the empire as well as beyond its borders.’ [4]

Rabbi Akiva (50 – 135 CE) is one of the most venerated Rabbis of Jewish history. As the leader of his generation, he became convinced that the prophets confirmed that the nation would be elevated over the Romans led by the messiah, as had the Sicarii leaders of the war in 66 CE. The ‘Bar Kochba Revolt’ began when a well-organized revolt under a command of young Judean general Simon Bar Kosiba, began to consistently defeat Roman forces. He was thereupon nicknamed “Bar Kochba” or “Son of Star,” and hailed by Akiva and the Sanhedrin as the messiah in fulfillment of the national destiny.[5] The name Son of Star was an allusion to a verse in Numbers 24:17 ‘there shall come a star out of Jacob’ referring to the star as the Messiah.

The war was lost, and the Romans and the Jews suffered heavy losses. The Roman government set out to punish the Jewish nation ‘to completely eradicate all Jewish settlement in Judea and to blur the national identity in the rest of the land.’[6] Hadrian had the remaining Jews removed from the land fulfilling the prophecies, confirming what the Essenes understood and the leaders along with Akiva, wrongly interpreted.

Traitor or Patriot?

Josephus Flavius, Yosef ben Matitiyahu, Joseph son of Matthias was a priest and served as a general during the Great Revolt. He was descendant of the Hasmonean dynasty and of a priestly order.[7] His faith and desire for knowledge of the beliefs of his people led him to study the three branches of Judaism, the Pharisees, Sadducees and Essenes.[8]

He was captured by the Romans after unsuccessfully defending his city of Jotapata. According to his testimony as a prisoner of war he accurately prophesied to the Roman general Vespasian of his imminent rise to become Caesar of the Roman Empire.[9] When the prophecy came to pass, Vespasian brought him to Rome giving him citizenship as a full member of his family, the house of Flavian.

Josephus has been branded since the Great Revolt as a traitor of his own people. But was he? He passionately defended his nation’s historical roots in an apologetic against its detractors.[10] Having lived with the Essenes and being familiar with their teachings and knowledge of the prophetic, it is more likely that he like they, accurately interpreted the events according to the prophetic timeline. Considering the final exile of Judea would not happen until some 30 years after his death, his interpretation of the prophetic timeline would be upheld as accurate, while the Rabbis misinterpretation was yet to bring about its dispersion.

Conclusion

The history of the Jewish nation, the testimony of the Essenes and Josephus’ account of the Great Revolt, confirms its prophetic destiny and a clear knowledge of it in the 1^st century CE. The book of Isaiah and the other books of the bible found at Qumran have come back to us now at the gathering of the Jewish people and restoration of the state, validating the accuracy of the word of God and the wisdom granted those who truly seek Him.

9 Remember the former things of old: that I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like Me; 10  Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done; saying: ‘My counsel shall stand, and all My pleasure will I do’; 11 Calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of My counsel from a far country; yea, I have spoken, I will also bring it to pass, I have purposed, I will also do it.  Isaiah 46

[1] 2 Kings 18:3

[2] Isaiah 11:12; 43:5; Ezekiel 37:1-10

[3] Yohanan Aharoni, Michael Avi-Yonah, Carta’s History of the Jewish People, Page 1781

[4] Michael Avi-Yonah, A History of the Holy Land, Page 162

[5] Yohanan Aharoni, Michael Avi-Yonah, Carta’s History of the Jewish People, Page 1791-2

[6] Yohanan Aharoni, Michael Avi-Yonah, Carta’s History of the Jewish People, Page 1859

[7] The Life of Flavius Josephus, 1 (1-6)

[8] The Jewish War, Preface 1.3; Antiquities of the Jews

[9] The Jewish War, Book III, Chapter 8.9 (399-408)

[10] Against Apion Josephus Flavius

With the memory of the successful revolt against the Greeks that had begun in 167 BCE the movement grew, but the ‘the nation was infected with this doctrine to an incredible degree’ that the cause of the revolt against Rome was set in motion through this doctrine and exploded 60 years later in 66 CE as the nation could no longer suffer the great evil and oppression of Gessius Florus the Roman governor at the time.’1

Florus’ behavior was the final act that ignited the conflict that began the Great Revolt. The Jewish resistance became divided and the inner war between rival factions cost many lives insuring their eventual defeat. 2 The faith that united the Jews against the Greeks failed to unite the Jewish nation and the divisive unstable character that began with the Sicarii prevailed. The Talmud refers to the inner struggle as senseless hatred (sinat chinam שנאת חינם) as the cause of the war that led to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple.

But why was the second Sanctuary destroyed, seeing that in its time they were occupying themselves with Torah, [observance of] precepts, and the practice of charity? Because therein prevailed hatred without cause. That teaches you that groundless hatred שנאת חינם is considered as of even gravity with the three sins of idolatry, immorality, and bloodshed together. And [during the time of] the first Sanctuary did no groundless hatred prevail? Surely it is written: They are thrust down to the sword with my people; smite therefore upon my thigh,13 and R. Eleazar said: This refers to people who eat and drink together and then thrust each other through with the daggers of their tongue!
Talmud – Mas. Yoma 9b

According to Josephus more than 1,100,000 lost their lives in the siege of Jerusalem and 97,000 were taken captive during the duration of the war. 3 As the Lord had promised, for seeking Him and turning from wicked ways, He would forgive and heal the land but if the nation turned from obedience, the people would be cast out of the land and the Temple destroyed. 4

Discerning Prophetic Timing

Beside the heavy taxation, oppression and suffering imposed on the Judeans by the Roman governor Florus, what drove the Jews to war and gave them hope to defeat the might of Rome, was interpretation of the prophetic writings concerning their national destiny, primarily from the instigation of the Sicarii.

Josephus writes of God’s warnings at the time that were not heeded and messianic fervor that had swept the nation into a futile war:’

“Now, if anyone consider these things, he will find that God takes care of mankind, and by all ways possible predicts to our race what is for their preservation; but that men perish by those miseries which they madly and voluntarily bring upon themselves; for the Jews, by demolishing the tower of Antonia, had made their temple square, while at the same time they had it written in their sacred oracles, “That then should their city be taken, as well as their holy house, when once their temple should become square.” But now, what did the most elevate them in undertaking this war, was an ambiguous oracle that was also found in their sacred writings, how, “about that time, one from their country should become governor of the habitable earth.” The Jews took this prediction to belong to themselves in particular; and many of the wise men were thereby deceived in their determination. Now, this oracle certainly denoted the government of Vespasian, who was appointed emperor in Judea. However, it is not possible for men to avoid fate, although they see it beforehand. But these men interpreted some of these signals according to their own pleasure; and some of them they utterly despised, until their madness was demonstrated, both by the taking of their city and their own destruction.”
Jewish Wars, Book VI, Chapter 5.4 (310-315)

As Josephus and others praised the Essenes for their piety, he also credits them for their ability to discern the prophetic. The Essenes, as the men of Issachar in David’s time, ‘had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do,’ 5 He credits them for their strict adherence to the tenets of scripture and accuracy concerning prophetic events and timing. He writes that by their dedication to reading the scriptures ‘and being perpetually conversant in the discourses of the prophets; and it is but seldom that they miss in their predictions.’ 6 He cites their accuracy to ‘affrim, that fate governs all things, and that nothing befalls men but what is according to its determination.’ 7

Josephus had intimate knowledge of the Essene’s, their doctrinal views and beliefs having studied with them at an early age. He writes of his journey to learn of the beliefs of his day:

(10) and when I was about sixteen years old, I had a mind to make trim of the several sects that were among us. These sects are three:—The first is that of the Pharisees, the second that Sadducees, and the third that of the Essenes, as we have frequently told you; for I thought that by this means I might, choose the best, if I were once acquainted with them all; (11) so I contented myself with hard fare, and underwent great difficulties and went through them all.
The Life of Flavius Josephus, Book 1.2 (9-12)

Although he chose to follow the rules of the Pharisees, he spoke more highly of the community, beliefs and character of the Essenes to much greater length than the Pharisees or Sadducees. 8

It’s not known for sure but it’s possible that the Essenes withdrew from the war with Rome based on their understanding of the prophecies concerning the nation. Yet Josephus records that they suffered at the hands of the Romans which would indicate their involvement and that at least one Essene, John, was a general in command of rebel forces 9 suggesting division within.

However, the nation would follow the Pharisee interpretation of the prophecies, particularly the Sicarii interpretation concerning its elevation to world prominence under messianic leadership, the foretold time for Israel to be scattered was at hand. Isaiah’s prophetic warnings 10 were about to become a reality for Judea and as the record testifies, and the understanding of the Essenes presented a voice calling in the wilderness to the nation.

From an Essene document entitled ‘The Exhortation’ their foundation for understanding the future coming destruction of the nation is rightly discerning the prophetic message of the law.

(4Q397 14-21 I followed by 4Q398)
[And you know that] we have separated from the mass of the peo[ple] .. (8) and from mingling with them in these matters and from being in contact with them in these (matters). And you k[now that no] treachery or lie or evil (9) is found in our hands for we give for [these] th[e …

And furthermore] (10) we [have written] to you (sing.) that you should understand {the Book of Moses} (4Q398 14-17 i) and the Book[s of the Pr]ophets and Davi[d and all (11) the events] of every age. And in {the Book is written} (40398 14-17 i) … not [for] (12) you {and the days of old} (40398 14-17 i).

And furthermore it is written that [you will depart] from the w[a]y and that evil will befall you (cf. Deut. xxxi, 29). {And it is written} (40398 14-17 i),

1. Antiquities of the Jews Book XVIII Chapter 1.6 (23-25); Book XX Chapter 11.1 (252-258)
2. Jewish Wars Book V Chapter 1.4-5
3. Jewish Wars Book IV Chapter 9.3 (420-421)
4. 2 Chronicles 7:14, 19-21
5. 1 Chronicles 12:32
6. Jewish War Book IV Chapter 8.12 (159)
7. Antiquities of the Jews, Book XIV Chapter 5.9 (172)
8. Jewish War, Book II, Chapter 8.1-14 (117-166)
9. Jewish War, Book II, Chapter 20.4 (566-568);
10. Isaiah 6:11-13

Finding the Dead Sea Scrolls

When the Dead Scrolls were first found in 1947 no one anticipated the depth of knowledge that they contained. It proved to be one of the greatest biblical archaeological discoveries of our time buried and preserved since the dispersion of Judea in the 2nd Century.

What the find produced was tens of thousands of fragments from more than 800 manuscripts that had been hidden in caves by a community of Essenes in what was a small settlement on the south western side of the Dead Sea. The Essenes left behind a library containing a literary heritage of the period, teachings of their community and copies of all books of the Tanakh. The scrolls and parchments were hidden before 70 CE at the end the Great Revolt of 66 CE.

What do the scrolls reveal?

The manuscripts lay undisturbed in clay jars that were placed in caves nearby the community for 1900 years, preserved by the arid climate 411 meters below sea level at the Dead Sea. Of all the manuscripts found in the caves, Isaiah is the only biblical scroll from Qumran that has been preserved in entirety…written around 100 BCE. Isaiah is also frequently quoted in other of the community’s scrolls. 1

The Isaiah scroll from Qumran matches with the acceptation of a few words, Isaiah of the Masoretic text that’s been faithfully copied and handed down through the millennium. That corroborates its accuracy and the truth of the word of God. Because of the message of Isaiah and its forecast of the scattering of Israel and Judah, it was critical for the Jewish nation to understand the message and how they were to respond. The message to Israel was always for them to hear and obey to come under the protection of their covenant with God.

Among the large library of scrolls are commentaries and interpretation of prophetic biblical text. That is especially significant considering the plight of the Jewish nation in the 1st and 2nd Centuries. The adherence to the prophetic and especially the latter days message of the coming of the messiah and battle between good and evil, show a depth of understanding of the times and seasons according to the biblical narrative.

Who were the Essenes?

The library the Essenes left behind was hidden and unknown until 1947 as was the depth of its doctrines and beliefs. Previously the sect was only known to us from the writings of historians of the day like Josephus, Philo of Alexandria, Pliny and others who left brief descriptions of their community, character and beliefs. But their writings have given us a much clearer look into pre-exilic Judah and Israel and the Essenes themselves.

The historical record shows that the Essenes were an amazing people to all who observed their pious lifestyle. Roman historian Pliny the Elder (23 CE to 79 CE) described them as ‘marvellous beyond all others throughout the whole earth’. 2

Josephus Flavius, a Jewish historian (37 CE to 100 CE) wrote more of the Essenes than the other sects of Judaism and described their character admirably ‘as for their piety toward God, it is very extraordinary.’ 3 His description of their oaths and code of conduct is admirable 4 and the severity by which they were held accountable is witnessed in that the death penalty was issued to anyone who blasphemed the name of Moses. 5

Philo of Alexandria, a Jewish philosopher and biblical commentator of the period (20 BCE to 50 CE) wrote highly of the sect. In his description he wrote that the name ‘Essene’ was derived from the Greek word ‘essaioµn eµ hosioµn, as if essaioµn was only a variety of the word hosioµn, “holy.’ He went on to say that their character was so above reproach that ‘everyone being subdued by the virtue of these men, looked up to them as free by nature,’ 6

The Essenes were known as a celibate monastic community that kept themselves from contact with women. But, the graveyard at Qumran has yielded remains of women and children which has created doubt to whether it was an Essene community. However, Josephus records that there were two orders of the sect, the second of which believed in marriage and practiced it within strict guidelines. 7

As one of the three sects of Judaism in the 1st Century the Essenes may have come by their name from the Chasidim, meaning ‘the pious or loyal ones.’ In the Maccabean revolt against Greek occupation in 167 BCE the Chasidim were the party that rose up to lead the revolt after the Greeks defiled the altar in the temple in Jerusalem. The Pharisees or Pharooshim ‘the separated ones’ later emerged from the Chasidim forming another branch of faith as did the Saduccees ‘the sons of Zadok’ to form another. These three were the predominant sects of religious thought in 1st Century Judaism.

Who were the Sicarii?

Josephus’ historical account of the Sicarii is quite the opposite of his account of the Essenes. Although they were an order that had originated from the Pharisees their beliefs didn’t represent the separated or holy character of the Pharisees. The name Sicarii comes from the Latin word sicae for sickle which resembled a dagger they used. It was with this dagger that they killed many of their own people who opposed their doctrine, and ultimately defined them.

In the year 6 CE Rome took a census of the region as a gauge to levy taxes on the people. The initial reaction in Judea was to oppose the tax, but the leaders persuaded the people to accept it. There was a resistance that formed under the influence of Judas of Gamala and Sadduc a Pharisee, to draw the people the people to revolt by convincing them that God would assist them against the Romans. They reasoned that being subject to Roman taxes would make them their slaves and the national identity had been formed by former slaves who had been freed from Egyptian slavery.

Josephus points out that behind this reasoning the reality was self-interest and instability that destroyed the nation from within. He places the responsibility on Judas and Sadduc for changing the customs and placing a burden on the people drawing in the youth, which eventually brought on them their own destruction.

1. The Israel Museum, ‘The Dead Sea Scrolls’ imj.org.il
2. Pliny the Elder, Natural History, Book V, Chapter 15
3. Jewish Wars, Book II, Chapter 8.5 (128)
4. Jewish Wars, Book II, Chapter 8.7 (139-142)
5. Jewish Wars, Book II, Chapter 8.9 (145)
6. Delphi Complete Works of Philo of Alexandria, Every Good Man is Free Page 27,040
7. Jewish Wars, Book II, Chapter 8.13 (160)

2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the LORD has spoken: “I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against Me; 3 The ox knows its owner and the donkey its master’s crib; but Israel does not know, My people do not consider.”

Isaiah calls heaven and earth to witness as he speaks the words given to him by God, delivering them in the first person, “I have nourished.” The Lord’s words of correction are spoken as a father to his misbehaving children. God is calling Judah to know and relate to him not as an unapproachable supernatural being, but as their concerned father who possesses an understanding heart. Although this is a foundational theme that Isaiah repeatedly references throughout his prophetic messages, does the Torah also portray God as a father?

God as Father

The concept of God as creator and father is not unique to Judaism and even predates it. The Torah presents the creator as father in the first chapter where he creates man in his image and likeness—establishing a pattern for reproducing image-bearing offspring similar to genetics.[1]

The God of the Bible not only has an image but a character as well. Nurture influences human development, and right from the beginning, God’s role in creation is expressed in down to earth terms of love and commitment. From the opening words of the Torah, God is revealed as provider and guardian,[2] which are characteristics of a good father. More descriptions of God’s character appear in Exodus 34:6 where he is portrayed as “merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.” As a loving parent, God consistently demonstrates these attributes to his offspring, which creates a healthy environment for his children to thrive, grow and fulfill their divine genetic potential.

The foundation for Isaiah’s opening words is found in the section of Deuteronomy called the Song of Moses. In the final days prior to his death on Mount Nebo and Israel’s entry to the promised-land, Moses was given a song. It was to be learned by every Israelite and in its entirety speaks of the future apostasy of the nation and its eventual atoning for by God. It is the cornerstone for all communication from God to His people.

1 Give ear, ye heavens, and I will speak; and let the earth hear the words of my mouth. 2 My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew; as the small rain upon the tender grass, and as the showers upon the herb. 3 For I will proclaim the name of the LORD; ascribe ye greatness unto our God. 4 The Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice; a God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and right is He. 5 Is corruption His? No; His children’s is the blemish; a generation crooked and perverse. 6 Do ye thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and unwise? is not He thy father that hath gotten thee? hath He not made thee, and established thee? Deuteronomy 32

These words are spoken from the heart. God had spoken to Israel as a father from its birth at the exodus from Egypt. From the time of the miraculous deliverance and crossing of the Red Sea, Israel had been rebellious. Its character as described in Deuteronomy 32 was corrupt, crooked, and perverse. The character separation between God and Israel is attributed to a blemish, moomam מומם in Hebrew, which can be either a physical or moral flaw. God’s covenant with Israel was established to correct this flawed conduct.

In Moses last words, he cites the song as the pattern for understanding and overcoming the blemish.

46 he said unto them: ‘Set your heart unto all the words wherewith I testify against you this day; that ye may charge your children therewith to observe to do all the words of this law.  47 For it is no vain thing for you; because it is your life, and through this thing ye shall prolong your days upon the land, whither ye go over the Jordan to possess it.’ Deuteronomy 32

Israel, the nation of priests, will discover their inner fault through direct communication with the father. Obedience to His commandments will correct the defect and form a testimony and template for the nations to follow. Moses’ final words are a pattern for worship to the God who is their savior and healer.[3] Awareness of the limitations of self and the crooked paths of human behavior leads to repentance and restoration of the heart.

Other biblical references to God as father can be found in Deuteronomy 8:5 where God chastens Israel “as a man does his son,” in Deuteronomy 32:6 where Moses asked, “Is not He thy father?” and in Proverbs 30:4 where Agur asked about God, “What is his son’s name?”

In the early 1^st Century, Philo of Alexandria a Jewish commentator and philosopher wrote the following about his belief in God as both creator and loving father:

[7] For some men, admiring the world itself rather than the Creator of the world, have represented it as existing without any maker, and eternal; and as impiously and falsely have represented God as existing in a state of complete inactivity, while it would have been right on the other hand to marvel at the might of God as the creator and father of all, and to admire the world in a degree not exceeding the bounds of moderation… [9] And those who describe it as being uncreated, do, without being aware of it, cut off the most useful and necessary of all the qualities which tend to produce piety, namely, providence: [10] for reason proves that the father and creator has a care for that which has been created; for a father is anxious for the life of his children, and a workman aims at the duration of his works, and employs every device imaginable to ward off everything that is pernicious or injurious, and is desirous by every means in his power to provide everything which is useful or profitable for them.^[4]

Philo describes God as superior to all our knowledge of science and all our achievements. Having set the universe in motion, the Lord remains a proactive loving father ever present in human affairs to achieve good. If God does relate to human beings as a father as the biblical narrative implicates, then why did he take the nation of Israel for himself as a son[5] and a special treasure?[6]

[1] The concept of reproducing image bearing offspring is discussed further in the Connections to Science Chapter.

[2] Genesis 1:1, 29-30, 2:15

[3] Deuteronomy 32:39

[4] Complete Works of Philo of Alexandria; ‘On the Creation’ A TREATISE ON THE ACCOUNT OF THE CREATION OF THE WORLD, AS GIVEN BY MOSES.

[5] Exodus 4:22-23

[6] Exodus 19:4-5

Just before Rosh Hashanah (New Year) in September there was an article in the Jerusalem Post concerning the government elections. The article was about a prophecy written some 40 years ago by the late Rabbi Yitzhak Kaduri. Rabbi Kaduri was one of the 5 most venerated Jewish sages of all time, so his words aren’t taken lightly. He died in 2005 at the age of 105 and till his last days called for the Jews of the diaspora to come home to Israel.

The Rabbis…

What Rabbi Kaduri had written is a very accurate assessment of the political condition at this moment in Israel’s history.

“On the eve of the year 5780, the year of corrections, there will not be a government in Israel for an extended period and the various camps will quarrel much without a decision of either side, and then, on Rosh Hashana (the Jewish new year) itself, they will fight in heaven, the holy side against the side of evil, and G-d and His entourage will decide between them. And this is all I can say, and from here I swore not to reveal more secrets and hidden things.”

For the Jerusalem Post to report that the choice of the prime minister and making of a coalition in this election involves intervention from heaven is unusual. There’s more involved than we understand, and Kaduri’s accuracy for the time for an election stalemate confirms it.

Rabbi Kaduri was influenced by a book called, “The Covenant of the Persimmon” written by an ancient Rabbi, Sasson Hai Shoshani, known as the prophet of Egypt. In his book Rabbi Shoshani wrote far in advance of the return of the state about a time of elections with more specifics, accurately naming the candidates.

“There will come the day when two ministers from the kingdom of Israel will be victorious. Both will be named ‘Benjamin’ and neither will succeed in establishing his government and kingdom. On that day, you will know and understand that the king of Moshiach (Messiah) is already standing at the door and on the Shabbat following this, he will be revealed. Realize it and remember it.”

The details of the current political situation are incredibly accurate. The candidates for Prime Minister are Benjamin Netanyahu and Benjamin Gantz. That means if we trust the prophecy to follow through, the time of the coming of the messiah and the establishing of His kingdom is imminent. How long the “Shabbat” is until his coming is an unknown.

The Prophet…

In lieu of the above and the current situation on Israel’s northern borders, Isaiah 10 has a prophetic message that dovetails with the timing of the predictions of Rabbi’s Kaduri and Shoshani.

Isaiah 10 begins by addressing the fallen moral condition of the Jewish nation in Isaiah’s day which brought judgment and eventual dispersion. That happened in 2 stages. The northern kingdom of Israel was removed from the land by the Assyrians in 712 BC and the southern kingdom of Judah was exiled from the land by the Romans in 135 AD to complete the predicted consequence (Is. 6:11-13).

Isaiah 10:5 – 19 prophecies that the Assyrians, who had been used to bring the sword of judgment against Israel, will also see judgment come to their land. Capitals of regional nations are listed that will also be judged. It was the worship of idols that brought judgment against them and Samaria and Jerusalem are included for the same offense.

In the next verses, 20 – 26 there is a predetermined time when a remnant of scattered Israel will return to the land with Jerusalem once again as its capital. The Assyrian will still be an enemy, but not to be feared as God promises to protect and defend Israel and put an end to the opposition of the surrounding nations.

27 It shall come to pass in that day that his burden will be taken away from your shoulder, and his yoke from your neck, and the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil.

Verse 27 is addressing that time when the remnant has returned and is back in the land. It will be then that anointing will break the burden of invasion from Israel, indicating covenant presence and favor of God (Dt. 28:7).

In verses 28 – 32 the route of attacking nations coming against Israel from the east is revealed. The climactic showdown between the enemy forces gathered against the returned remnant of Israel will be at the city of Jerusalem.

But then in verses 33 – 34 the anointing that will destroy the yoke of verse 27 is revealed.

33 Behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, will lop off the bough with terror; those of high stature will be hewn down, and the haughty will be humbled. 34 He will cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon will fall by the Mighty One.

The Hebrew word for mighty one is addir אדיר. Rashi and Ibn Ezer, two of the top Rabbinic Bible commentators say addir is an angel. But literally addir means a mighty one, so it being an angel is their opinion and open for interpretation.

If we consider the threats to destroy Israel from Hezbollah and Iran that are coming from Lebanon today, the recent return of the remnant of Israel and Islamic claims to Jerusalem; current events fit into Isaiah 10 and the prophetic clock supported by the prophetic accuracy of Rabbi’s Kaduri and Shoshani concerning the coming of the messiah.

Isaiah 9 and 11 are messianic chapters identifying the messiah in detail. In lieu of the present governmental predicament Isaiah 9:5-6 says that the government will be on his, the messiah’s shoulders and that peace and justice in his Davidic kingdom will last forever. In 11:4 it says that he will rule the land with righteousness and destroy his enemies with the breath, or spirit coming from his mouth. He will also be a banner in 11:10-12 for the nations who seek him and to gather the exiled of Israel and Judah back to the land. These verses concur with the present situation of the return of Israel.

What’s next?…

The return of Israel in Isaiah 10 and its struggle against its enemies fits the current situation and the ministry of the messiah in Isaiah 9 and 11. So, can we assume then that the addir, the mighty one of Isaiah 10 is the messiah? Could the messiah of Rabbi Shoshani’s prophecy be the addir, the mighty one of verse 34? Are these the times and events prophesied of that will lead to the return of the messiah?

Though it appears as it is the time we can’t know with complete accuracy. We can however, take these prophetic signs as serious matters for prayer. The remnant of Israel is back in the land and Jerusalem is its capital. The enemies are on our borders waiting for the right time to attack and destroy the Jewish state. Israel needs its anointed messiah to destroy their yoke.

The disciples asked, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”

His answer…“It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.”

He then anointed them to destroy yokes. “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

These words are still valid for us today. May the Lord grant us the power and anointing of His Holy Spirit at this critical time in history, to destroy yokes and bring the knowledge and reality of the coming kingdom of God to our lands and our peoples, in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria and all the world.

49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, 50 and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 13

Isaiah 1:1

1 The vision of Isaiah (Yishayahu יְשַׁעְיָהוּ) the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

Hebrew names are intrinsically connected with their bearer’s character and destiny. The name, Isaiah, gives us spiritual insight into the prophet’s purpose and is the first key to begin to unlock his prophetic message. Isaiah (Yishayahu יְשַׁעְיָהוּ) is a compound name formed from the Hebrew word for salvation (Yeshua ישוע) and the most holy name of God, usually referred to as the Tetragrammaton: four written consonants in Hebrew יהוה (YHWH or Yahweh) which most Jews refrain from pronouncing and instead substitute ADONAI (LORD) or HaShem (the Name). The name Isaiah (Yishayahu יְשַׁעְיָהוּ) combines these two parts to give the meaning: the salvation of Yahweh.

Isaiah receives the Lord’s salvation messages in both visual and auditory forms designated for a specific audience. Since the beginning of God’s interactions with humanity, he has been personally speaking with individuals. He dialogued with Adam and Eve without the use of an intermediary, and the Torah records other incidents of God speaking directly with Cain, Noah, Abraham, Moses and Aaron. God himself called Abraham a prophet;[2] he heard and received visions from the Lord that provided him with divine knowledge, understanding and wisdom. The Lord continued using these same two patterns of communication to convey guidance to Isaac and Jacob, Abraham’s son and grandson. Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel, became the father of the 12 tribes of Israel. Isaiah was called to hear and see God’s messages of salvation, so he can announce them specifically to the Kingdom of Judah.

But why does Judah need salvation?

Comprised of two tribes—Judah and Benjamin—the kingdom of Judah had separated from the remaining tribes of Israel in 931 BC. Isaiah delivered God’s messages almost two centuries later during the reign of four kings, who led Judah over a period of about 90 years. During that time, Judah struggled to follow God’s guidance consistently. God’s message through Isaiah addresses this inner struggle to hear and obey.

[1] Deuteronomy 32:1

[2] Genesis 20:6-7

After 400 years of living in Egypt, God called Moses, a descendant of Levi, to lead the Israelites out of slavery so they could worship the one true God. When Pharaoh refused to let them go, God freed them through a series of miracles and his presence remained with them as they journeyed through the wilderness. At Mount Sinai, God provided their leaders with a covenantal system that would establish them as a unique holy nation and kingdom of priests, which included instructions on how to live and build a mobile place of worship called the Tent of Meeting. Levi’s descendants were charged with the responsibility of caring for the Tent of Meeting and performing specific tasks on behalf of the entire nation. The remaining family members were organized into 12 tribes based on their ancestral connections with the sons of Jacob/Israel.

Although God himself wanted to rule as king over the nation, future generations of Israelites expressed a desire for a human king similar to the governance systems of the surrounding nations. God granted their request and established Saul as their first king. When he stepped outside the boundaries of God’s covenant, the Lord gave the kingship to David, who conquered Jerusalem and established it as the permanent center of worship for the nation. God made a covenant with David to establish his descendants as kings over Israel forever.[4]

David’s son Solomon and grandson Rehoboam, however, did not have hearts fully devoted to God, and their disobedience brought judgment and division. Ten tribes were torn away from David’s dynasty and became the separate kingdom of Israel with Samaria as its capital. Judah and Benjamin became known as the kingdom of Judah with its capital city in Jerusalem. Almost two centuries later, Isaiah began delivering God’s messages to the kingdom of Judah.

[1] Genesis 17

[2] Genesis 26:2-5

[3] Genesis 28:3-15

[4] 2 Samuel 7:11-16

Written some 2,700 years ago, the words of Isaiah still speak for the conscious presence of God, to the corruption of the consciousness of mankind and the continual moral failure in our governmental and social institutions.

What I would like to present here is the absolute accuracy of Isaiah’s prophecy and the word of God as a timeline, a clear statement of how the prophetic word weaves together different stories of the covenant between God and Israel, and how that presents a clear picture of the redemption of mankind significantly through the life and work of one anointed individual called Immanuel.

The history of the Jewish nation cannot be separated from the biblical narrative, not for the nation of Isaiah’s day, not for the current state of Israel of the 21st Century, nor for its role in the future everlasting kingdom to come spoken of by the prophets of Israel and particularly, in the book of Isaiah.

Isaiah’s message expounds on the foundational knowledge given in the Torah of Moses about a coming king messiah. Isaiah gives details of the predicted birth and mission of this messianic redeemer. Isaiah was given a greater revelation of that person, built on previous prophetic revelation concerning this coming anointed one. The framework for Isaiah’s prophecy rests on that foundation and is clearly defined in the unfolding pattern of God’s plan. It is through the birth and ministry of Immanuel, that God clarifies and speaks of His intentions to permanently repair the failure and dysfunction that defines the flawed history of the human race and set in place an eternal kingdom of good that will never again repeat the existing cycle of destruction and death.

Science through the research of the universe and the natural laws that govern it has provided links to the foundations of our existence that I believe ultimately connects us to God. The unravelling of the mysteries of the universe does not disprove the existence of God as evolutionists and atheists believe but rather supports the presence of a supernatural designer, clearly seen in the message given through Isaiah.

The word science comes from the Latin word Scientia which means having knowledge. Science by powerful new means of research of the last few centuries, has expanded through the systematic study of the fundamental laws of nature, the knowledge of how our universe works.

In Hebrew the word for knowledge da’at דעת is used 15 times in Isaiah. This is the same word that is used in the Torah in Genesis 2 for the tree of the knowledge hada’at הדעת of good and evil. The biblical narrative and the theological study of its precepts might be best defined from two aspects. One is the supernatural presence and communication with the creator, the designer and his interaction with mankind. The second aspect is man’s struggle for knowledge, to understand the reason for existence and overcome and survive the inherent struggle between good and evil, life and death.

The age-old pursuit for existential understanding leads to our present categorization of the term science. The following definition is from the Stanford University Encyclopaedia of Philosophy.

“The term “science” as it is currently used also became common only in the nineteenth century. Prior to this, what we call “science” was referred to as “natural philosophy” or “experimental philosophy”. William Whewell (1834) standardized the term “scientist” to refer to practitioners of diverse natural philosophies. Philosophers of science have attempted to demarcate science from other knowledge-seeking endeavors, in particular religion.”  ₁

The connection between science and philosophy remains today as scientists earn the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) having graduated the required studies in their field of choice (e.g. Physics, mathematics, biology, chemistry, astronomy etc…). Scientists continue to comment as philosophers on nature, humanity’s role in it and the source and direction of the universe.

One well known physicist, Thomas W. Campbell, exemplifies the philosophical connection as he has become a voice calling for mankind to obtain a higher moral standard and attain a love-based versus fear-based social order in his book My Big Toe.

“Science and religion, each in their own way, preach the gospel of hope and promise deliverance to the Promised Land of good and plenty…

Spiritual growth, personal growth, improving the quality of your consciousness, evolving your being, increasing your capacity to love, and decreasing the entropy (chaos, disorder) of your consciousness are all essentially synonymous and equivalent.

Establishing logical scientific connections that interrelate physics, spirituality, consciousness, and love is not as goofy or impossible as it appears.” ₂

In agreement with that statement, the pursuit of theology considers the love connection with the supernatural creator, the father who is actively concerned for the welfare of his children and the survival and transformation of mankind. This is the message communicated through the prophet Isaiah.

₁
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/religion-science/

₂
Thomas W Campbell, My Big Toe: A Trilogy Unifying Philosophy, Physics and Metaphysics, page 157
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