Warnings From The Dead Sea

On Tuesday March 16, 2021, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced the discovery of two new Dead Sea Scroll fragments. This is an extremely significant find, since the last discovery was made sixty-five years ago in 1956! This recent surprise occurred in what is called the Cave of Horror near the western shore of the Dead Sea. “It’s a site where insurgents were believed to have hidden during the uprising led by Simon bar Kokhba against the Roman empire in A.D. 133–136.” “Unlike most of the Dead Sea Scrolls, which were written in Hebrew and Aramaic, the fragments from the Cave of Horror contain Greek letters.” “It likely represents a development or revision of the standard Greek translation – often referred to as the Septuagint.”(1)

The two fragments contain small sections of verses from the books of Zechariah and Nahum; and when you look at what these verses actually say, they appear to address what’s happening in the world today – especially in America. So, I don’t believe it’s a coincidence that these Dead Sea Scroll fragments were found at this particular moment in history after sixty-five years! I believe the Lord has delivered a warning message to the world; one which says, “Here’s how you need to act, and should you fail to heed My words, then judgement is coming; and then you’ll know the true meaning of horror!” – and so, I’ve entitled our message, “Warnings from the Dead Sea.” We’re going to get started by looking at the first of the two Dead Sea Scroll fragments, which is Zechariah 8:16-17.

The Things You Must Do (Zechariah 8:16-17)

16 These are the things you shall do: Speak each man the truth to his neighbor; give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace; 17 let none of you think evil in your heart against your neighbor; and do not love a false oath. For all these are things that I hate, says the LORD.

I’m calling this set of verses, “The Things You Must Do.” Zechariah was preaching to the Jews returning from the Babylonia exile, and his book is “dated from 520 to 518 B.C.”(2) In these verses, “The Lord . . . invites [the returning exiles] to make a new covenant, to establish a new relation[ship]”(3) with Him; to live differently – and more righteously – than their formers ways which led to their time in exile. “Verses 16-17 . . . is a summary of God’s requirements for those who would enter into covenant with Him” and “it is comparable in function to the Ten Commandments in earlier covenant ceremonies.”(4)

The word “things, in verse 16, can also mean ‘words’ or ‘commandments.’ It is the same word used to describe the Ten Commandments in Exodus 34:27-28. The Ten Commandments are literally the ‘ten words.’ Therefore, the meaning here can also be, ‘These are the commandments which you shall do’” – not just the “things” you shall do.(5) The Broadman Bible Commentary elaborates how “the requirements of the covenant are simple: truth in everyday conversation, judgment which is both factual and makes for peace, an end to mutual conspiracies among the people, and a renewed appreciation for honesty and faithfulness in worship and in every other phase of life.”(6) This Bible commentary says that the requirements of the covenant are simple; but not for someone intent on leading a life of sin and determined to live in deliberate rebellion against God.

The first command is to “speak each man the truth to his neighbor.” All you have to do is watch the major news networks to see how lying seems to be the norm, as they keep sharing fake news; and then there’s the opposite of lying, which is withholding truth for fear of persecution or “cancellation.”

The second command is to “give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace.” The Lord said in Amos 5:10, “They hate the one who rebukes in the gate,” referring how the people had entered a place where they despised law, justice and authority. We need to understand that the city gate was where legal proceedings were held, and the city gate was equivalent to the modern-day courtroom. Just look at our Supreme Court today, and you will see how justice in the gate is becoming a thing of the past. The Justices have gotten to a place where they are refusing to hear certain cases that are politically unpopular, leaving the people with no legal remedy. And also, you’ve probably noticed how “innocent until proven guilty” is now the other way around. People only need to see a video clip, and they will rush to condemn someone before a legal investigation is conducted and the evidence is presented.

The third command is to “let none of you think evil in your heart against your neighbor.” When someone despises the fact that his neighbor is a Christian, and tries to get them arrested for attending church; or when an employee tries to get his coworker fired for being a Christian or having conservative values, then you know that people have evil in their heart toward their neighbor.