The Dead Sea Scrolls

by sallyjadlow

This cave is the first place the Dead Sea Scrolls were found.

Often I hear people doubt the authenticity of the Bible. They don’t understand the role of the Scribe in Biblical times. These men spent long hours every day copying every jot and tittle of every word of scripture on to new scrolls.

When they finished, they proof-read each line of each column. If there was one mistake in their new copy, they took a knife and sliced the new copy to pieces because it was flawed.

To prove the high quality of their work, God allowed three Bedouin shepherds to discover seven scrolls squirreled away sixty-seven years ago this month. Eventually over the next ten years, 972 texts were discovered in twelve caves about a mile northwest of the Dead Sea. Thus, they became known as the Dead Sea Scrolls.

The writings date from 408 B.C. to 318 A.D. Among them are pieces of Isaiah which are far older manuscripts than we had before. When scholars examined these passages of Isaiah, they discovered they were identical to the oldest manuscripts we had at the time.

I find great comfort in knowing that what God moved people to write so long ago has not changed. II Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is inspired by God is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.”

What He said then, is still true for today. To paraphrase what Dr. Seuss said about an elephant, I hear God saying, “I meant what I said and said what I meant. I am faithful one hundred percent.”