2025: The Year the Essenes and Enoch Predicted Would Begin the Final Age When Messiah Comes

DID ANCIENT VOICES OTHER THAN HEBREW PROPHETS PREDICT THAT THE GREAT TRIBULATION COMMENCES IN 2025?

In this episode of the Hot Seat, I interview friend Josh Peck, member of the SkyWatchTV team. Josh has recently completed an outstanding new book, THE LOST PROPHECIES OF QUMRAN. It introduces a score of insights and subjects that this student and teacher of Bible Prophecy hadn’t come across before. And they are spellbinding.

First off, Josh provides an excellent summary of the Essenes, who they were, what they believed, and why they are so tightly related to the emerging ‘cult’ that grew in Judea in the first century–what we now call Christianity.

Yes indeed, there are strong roots in the Essenes’ community that helped spur the acceptance of “The Way” despite “the Establishment” Priesthood, the secular Sadducees, and the hostile Pharisees. Of course, the Essenes were the occupants of the desert community of Qumran and are well known as the scribes who copied and stored thousands of manuscripts and scrolls in tall, clay jars, 2,000 years ago.

The Dead Sea Scrolls, (so named because Qumran is located at the Dead Sea–about 20 miles from Jerusalem), were discovered in 1947 and have proven to be the most importance archeological discovery of the Twentieth Century.  The Essenes are also associated with the paradigm of “the Sons of Light” and the “Sons of Darkness” and their war in the last days. (Illustrated by the cover photo to this post).

Of utmost importance to the story is the revelation of the Solar Calendar of the Essenes, that may have been the true religious biblical calendar, when compared to the Lunar calendar that likely emerged during the time of the Seleucids (re: Antiochus Epiphanes IV). The calendar emphasized the Jubilees (supposedly the 50-year ‘release’ of all debt) and those events that fall on said dates. Josh explains the various periods (Shemittah, Onahs, and Ages) and their relevance to Bible prophecy.

The common view of biblical chronology consists of 7,000 (6,000 years of history before the Messiah, and then the 1,000-year age of Messiah, aka the Millennium). The Essenes exclusively grasped the nature of Messiah before He came and the lifestyle that many Christians would follow after coming to know the Christ (albeit a bit too Spartan and in some cases fully ascetic).

The Essenes even predicted that the Messiah would come between the year AD 25 and AD 75. As we know, indeed he came and died in the first portion of this Jubilee period and His new form of Judaism would have fully taken root by 75 with the completion of almost all of the New Testament.

Furthermore, happening 2,000 years later, the Essenes predicted would that there would be the unique 50-year period in which judgment would befall sinners and the Messiah would come to rule the nations. Hence they did in fact set forth the prediction that 2025 would be when the Tribulation would begin (and more likely, anytime after that year, within a 50-year period).

As with the Essenes, the Book of Enoch–which was also found amidst the Dead Sea Scrolls–presented a picture of seven, 700-year ages (4,900 years). As with the Essenes, Enoch’s prophecy can also be seen to fit the 2025 end-days’ prediction. Coincidence? Josh explains this phenomenon in this video and with much more detail in his fine book.

The connection of these extra-biblical sources demands we take note. Because it is “the Hot Seat,” I gave Josh considerable feedback on why I don’t agree with the 7,000 year “prophecy” believing the Septuagint’s longer chronology has super-strong historical and empirical support.

Likewise, I critiqued his representation of the formation of the canon of scripture. However, I did propose a possible reason to still consider the calendar of the Essenes as something to be intensively studied. I cover this carefully toward the end of the video. This is certainly not a reason to dismiss his work. It is an important contribution to the prophetic discussion.

Josh and I are friends. I was one of his earliest guests on his Internet show 10 years ago, and he supported my work through repeat appearances there. He has grown extensively in his biblical knowledge and writing craft, having written numerous books, some in concert with Derek Gilbert, the host of SkyWatchTV’s “5 topics in 15 minutes.” I’m happy to have been a part of Josh’s ministry at its outset.

As with most of the Hot Seat episodes, I take care to provide numerous graphics from subsequent research to make plain what is discussed. You will find the show a substantial lesson in biblical prophecy. There are many charts, definitions, and illustrations.  A few examples are provided in this summary post. Eschatology students will be blessed by listening to the full two hours. Selah.

And if you like what I’m presenting, please consider supporting the ministry.  Yes, happily I’m now monetizing the content.  Over the past month I’ve made $5.84 (yet to be paid to my bank account).  I will have to have ten times the subscribers and view ours before any meaningful subsidy comes in.  I have worked, of course, hundreds of hours already on what is presented on my channel.  Obviously, please share and encourage your friends.  It will take many more months before the channel can pay for itself… and that’s if YouTube doesn’t kick me off (I’m avoiding political content and that -andemic thing).

Blessings!  Doug