The Lost Books of the Bible: The Great Rejected Texts

by Joseph B. Lumpkin

  9 That which is now or which was, or which will come, is the evil fully evil, nor the good fully good.

  10 For all your health of this time are turning into sickness, and all strength of this time is turning into weakness, and all the power of this time is turning into impotence, and the energy of youth is turning into old age and death.

  11 Every beauty of gracefulness of this time is becoming faded and hateful, and every prideful kingdom of this time is turning into humiliation and shame, and every praise of the glory of this time is turning into the embarrassment of silence, and every empty bragging insult of this time is turning into a mute ruin.

  12 Every delight and joy of this time is turning to worms and decay, and every noise of the proud of this time is turning into dust and lethargy.

  13 Every possession of riches of this time is being turned into Sheol (hell) alone, and all the yearning of passion of this time is turning into death, and every lustful desire of this time is turning into judgment with torment.

  14 Every trick and craftiness of this time is turning into a proof of the truth. Every sweet ointment of this time is turning into judgment and condemnation, and every love of lying is turning to rudely to the truth.

  15 Since all these things are done now does anyone think that they will not be avenged? The consummation of all things will come to the truth.

  Chapter 84

  1 Because of these things I have revealed to you this while I am still alive. I have said these things that you should learn the things that are excellent, for the Mighty One has commanded me to instruct you. So I will set before you some of the commandments of His judgment before I die.

  2 Do not forget that Moses called heaven and earth to witness against you and said:

  3 If you transgress the law you will be dispersed, but if you keep it you will be kept.” He also used to say these things to you when you, the twelve tribes, were together in the desert.

  4 After his death you threw them away from you and because of this there came upon you what had been predicted.

  5 Moses used to tell you tell you what would befall you, and now you see they have befallen you because you have forsaken the law.

  6 Now, I also say to you after you have suffered, that if you obey those things which have been said to you, you will receive from the Mighty One whatever has been laid up and waiting for you.

  7 Let this letter be for a testimony between me and you so that you may remember the commandments of the Mighty One and that there may be to me a defense in the presence of Him who sent me.

  8 And remember the law and Zion, the holy land, your brethren, and the covenant of your fathers. Do not forget the festivals and the sabbaths.

  9 Deliver this letter and the traditions of the law to your sons after you, as also your fathers delivered them to you.

  10 At all times make requests and pray diligently and unceasingly with your whole heart that the Mighty One may hold nothing against you, and that He may not count the multitude of your sins, but instead remember the rectitude of your fathers.

  11 If He doe not judges us according to the multitude of His mercies, woe to all us who are born.

  Chapter 85

  1 Do you not know that in the past and in the generations of old our fathers had helpers? They were righteous men and holy prophets.

  2 We were in our own land and they helped us when we sinned, and they interceded for us with Him who made us, because they trusted in their works, and the Mighty One heard their prayer and forgave us.

  3 But now the righteous have been gathered and the prophets have fallen asleep, and we also have gone out from the land, and Zion has been taken from us, and we have nothing now except the Mighty One and His law.

  4 If therefore we direct and commit our hearts we will receive everything that we lost, and much better things than we lost by many times.

  5 For what we have lost would decay, but what we will receive will not be corruptible.

  6 Also, I have written to our brethren to Babylon that to them also I may testify to these very things.

  7 Let all those things I said before be always before your eyes, because we are still in the spirit and the power of our liberty.

  8 The Most High is long-suffering towards us here, and He has shown us what is to be, and has not concealed from us what will happen in the end.

  9 Before judgment takes its own (costs), and truth that which is its due, let us prepare our souls so that we may possess and not be taken as a possession and that we may hope and not be put to shame, and that we may rest with our fathers, and not be tormented with our enemies.

  10 For the youth of the world is past, and the strength of the creation already exhausted, and the occurrence of the times is very short because they have already passed by. The pitcher is near to the cistern, and the ship to the port, and the course of the journey nears the city, and life to its conclusion.

  11 Prepare your souls, so that when you sail and ascend from the ship you may have rest and not be condemned when you depart.

  12 When the Most High will bring about all these things there will not be a place left for repentance, nor a limit to the times or a duration for the hours, or a change of ways, or a place to pray, or a way to send pleas, or to receive knowledge, or give of love. There will be no place of repentance for the soul, nor prayers for offences, nor intercession of the fathers, nor prayer of the prophets, nor help of the righteous.

  13 There is the sentence of decay, the way of fire, and the path which leads to Gehenna (place of burning/hell/destruction).

  14 There is one law (made ) by one. There is one age and an end for all who are in it.

  15 Then He will save those whom He can forgive, and at the same time destroy those who are polluted with sins.

  Chapter 86

  1 When you receive this, my letter, read it in your congregations with care.

  2 Meditate on it, and above all do this on the days of your fasts.

  3 Keep me in mind by means of this letter, as I also keep you in mind in it, always. Fare you well.

  Chapter 87

  1 And when I had ended all the words of this letter, and had written it without tiring to its close, that I folded it, and sealed it carefully, and bound it to the neck of the eagle, and dismissed it and sent it.

  Conclusion

  For thousands of years Israel has awaited the judgment and redemption of The Lord. When the world seemed the most unfair and brutal, hope was held out that the end must be near. The end of days was not a frightening event for the Jews of old. It was to be their greatest age, in which God himself judged all other nations as unworthy and rewarded those Jews who followed their God. Obedience to God was judged on how well one adhered to God’s law and commandments.

  The belief of divine recompense has echoed through history, changing the ways that both Christian and Jews have viewed their world and their destiny.

  Even though the texts presented here are not in our western Christian canon, do not think they have not influenced our faith. The books provide insight into how Jews of the time thought, believed, and acted, but more than that, the texts were circulated and therefore bolstered and broadcast the doctrine and history they contained.

  If one ever questioned that non-canonical texts influenced our Bible or our faith, we need to look no further than the famous parallel between the Book of Enoch, written in the second century B.C. and the Book of Jude in the New Testament , written in the first century A.D.

  Enoch 1:9 And behold! He comes with ten thousand of His holy ones (saints) to execute judgment on all, and to destroy all the ungodly (wicked); and to convict all flesh of all the works of their ungodliness which they have ungodly committed, and of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.

  Jude 1:14-15 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their
ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

  Yes, it is true. Documents, doctrine, and points of faith not found in our Bible tremendously influenced what has come to be the Judaism and Christianity we know and practice today.

  SECTION THREE

  LOST SCRIPTURES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT

  The War Scrolls - The War Between the Sons of Dark and the Sons of Light

  The War Scroll is a nine & a half foot scroll with as many as 19 columns, found in cave 1 at Qumran. It seems to be written as a sequel or expository to the eschatological war described in Dan 11-12. The author gives detailed instructions for a ritualized battle in which the "sons of light," led by Michael, destroy the Kittim, or the "sons of darkness," led by Satan. Many scholars identify the Kittim as an allusion to the Roman Empire.

  The War Scroll, 1QM, was one of the original seven scrolls found in cave one by the Bedouin in 1947. The scroll has also been called "The War Rule" and "The War of the Sons of Light Against the Sons of Darkness." It was first published by E.L. Sukenik in 1954 and was re-edited as The Dead Sea Scrolls of the Hebrew University at Jerusalem: Hebrew University and Magnes Press, 1955.

  The War Scroll contains nineteen columns and is written on five sheets. The end of the scroll is missing, but its beginning seems to be intact. At the bottom of the scroll there is damage and wear. The total length of the scroll in its present state is 9 feet, 8 inches. Since pieces of the scroll are worn away or missing, there are places within the translation where words are assumed to fit the flow of the sentence structure. These “best guess” words are noted by parentheses. If there are too many words missing or the meaning cannot be ascertained so that a “best guess” cannot be provided the missing words are denoted with the symbols (…).

  The scroll is a mixture of apocalyptic and legal discussion. The scroll's main theological significance lies in the fact that this is a battle against the Sons of Light and the Sons of Darkness. Although most scholars believe the story is about good and evil, this in itself could allude to a struggle between the forces of life and death. In the end, God will intervene, conquer, and save his people. There are parallels to the books of Revelation and Daniel in the scroll and it is assumed that the author borrowed from Daniel as well as other material of the day, according to the date of the text’s creation. All three books, Daniel, Revelations, and the War Scroll, share the common theme of life and light being victorious over evil and death. All point to fact that the outcome is already known, however, man must participate and is thus held culpable in the outcome.

  There is controversy over the date of the scroll. Some say that the scroll was written between 50 B.C. and 50 A.D. because this is after the Roman Conquest around 63 B.C. but before the end of Herod’s reign (4 B.C.). Another view is that the scroll was written after 70 A.D. and possibly as late as 135 A.D. However, most agree the date must be some time after the Roman Conquest, because the author of the scroll describes the weapons and battle tactics of the Roman army.

  The War Scroll

  The Master Rule of War.

  The first attack of the Sons of Light will be initiated against the forces of the Sons of Darkness, which is the army of Belial. The troops are from Edom, Moab, the sons of Ammon, the Amalekites, Philistia, and the troops of the Kittim of Asshur. Supporting them are those who have violated the covenant.

  The sons of Levi, the sons of Judah, and the sons of Benjamin, and those exiled to the wilderness, will fight against them with (?) against all their troops, when the exiles of the Sons of Light return from the Wilderness of the Peoples to camp in the Wilderness of Jerusalem.

  Then after the battle they will go up from that place and battle the king of the Kittim and he shall enter into Egypt. In his time he will go out with great anger to do battle against the kings of the north, and in his anger he shall set out to destroy and eliminate the strength of Israel.

  Then there will be a time of salvation for the People of God, and a time of the dominion of all the men of His forces, and a time of eternal destruction for all the forces of Belial. There shall be great panic among the sons of Japheth, and Assyria shall fall with no one to come to his aid, and the supremacy of the Kittim shall cease their wickedness and will be overcome without a single survivor. There shall be no survivors of all the Sons of Darkness.

  Then the Sons of Righteousness shall shine into all ends of the world and continuing to shine forth until end of the appointed seasons of darkness. Then at the time appointed by God, His great brilliance will shine for all of eternity for the peace and blessing, glory and joy, and long life of all Sons of Light. On the day when the Kittim falls there will be a battle and horrible carnage before the God of Israel, for it is a day appointed by Him from ancient times as a battle of destruction for the Sons of Darkness.

  On that day the congregation of the gods and the congregation of men shall engage one another and the outcome will be great carnage. The Sons of Light and the forces of Darkness shall fight one another to show the strength of God with the roar of a great multitude and the shout of gods and men. It will be a day of disaster. It is a time of distress for all the people who are redeemed by God. Compared to all their afflictions, no day exists like this and it is hastening to its completion as an eternal redemption. On the day of their battle against the Kittim, they shall go out to kill in battle.

  In three groups the Sons of Light will stand firm to strike a blow at wickedness, and in three (parts) the army of Belial shall strengthen themselves to force the retreat of the forces of Light.

  And when the banners of the infantry cause their hearts to melt, then the power of God will strengthen the hearts of the Sons of Light.

  In the seventh section, the great hand of God will overcome Belial and all the angels under his control, and all the men of his forces shall be destroyed forever. And this is the total destruction of the Sons of Darkness and service to God during the years of war.

  And the holy ones shall shine forth in support of the truth in the annihilation of the Sons of Darkness. Then a great roar (proceeded them when) they took hold of the implements of war . (And the) chiefs of the tribes and the priests, of the tribe of the Levites, the chiefs of the tribes, the fathers of the congregation the priests and thus for the Levites and the courses of the heads (of the procession will go forth.)

  The number of the congregation's tribe (family) is fifty-two. They shall set in the rank the chiefs of the priests after the Chief Priest and his deputy. There will be twelve chief priests to serve in the regular offering before God. The chiefs of the courses will number twenty-six and shall serve in their courses. After them the chiefs of the Levites who serve continually will number twelve in all, one to a tribe. The chiefs of their courses shall serve each man in his office. The chiefs of the tribes and fathers of the congregation shall support them, taking their posts continually at the gates of the sanctuary.

  The chiefs of their courses, from the age of fifty upwards, shall take their posts with their commissioners on their festivals, which are new moons and Sabbaths, and on every day of the year. These shall take their posts at the burnt offerings and sacrifices, to arrange the sweet smelling incense according to the will of God, in order to atone for all His congregation, and to satisfy themselves before Him continually at the table of glory.

  All of these they shall arrange at the time of the year of remission.

  During the remaining thirty-three years of the war the men of renown, those called of the Congregation, and all the heads of the congregation's family shall choose for themselves men of war for all the lands of the nations.

  They shall prepare capable men for themselves from all tribes of Israel to go out for battle according to the call to war (draft), year by year. But during the years of remission they shall not ready men to go out for battle, for it is a Sabbath of rest for Israel.

  The war will be waged during the thirty-five years of service. For six years the
entire congregation will wage it together. Then the war shall be waged with divisions during the twenty-nine remaining years. In the first year they will fight against Mesopotamia. In the second the war will be fought against the sons of Lud. In the third they shall fight against the rest of the sons of Aram, which are Uz, Hul, Togar, and Mesha, who are beyond the Euphrates. In the fourth and fifth years they will battle against the sons of Arpachshad. In the sixth and seventh year they shall fight against all the sons of Assyria and Persia and those of the east up to the Great Desert. In the eighth year they will fight against the sons of Elam. In the ninth year they will fight against the sons of Ishmael and Keturah. And during the following ten years the war shall be divided against all the sons of Ham according to their families (tribes/clans) and their territories. During the remaining ten years the war shall be divided against all sons of Japheth according to their territories.

  This is the Rule of the Trumpets:

  These are the trumpets of alarm for all their service for the (armies of God) and their commissioned men, (The men will be set in divisions) by tens of thousands and thousands and hundreds and fifties and tens. Upon the trumpets (they will rely and upon the sounds of the trumpets, which ) they shall (create for the different sounds of) the trumpets of the battle formations, and the trumpets for assembling them when the gates of the war are opened so that the infantry will advance, and the trumpets for the signal of the slain, and the trumpets of the ambush, and the trumpets of pursuit when the enemy is vanquished, and the trumpets of reassembly when the battle returns.