The Secret of the Missing Scrolls – Part 8 (Links)

Desert caves, ancient secrets, priceless treasure, time travel, and invading warriors… finishing up our exciting mystery adventure. Click here to see part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6 and part 7. This final post will serve as kind of an index, putting it all together and we’ll also be adding FREE colouring pages, puzzles, crafts, paper gifts, cool information, and of course, photos… the more I researched this, the more fascinating it became… enjoy!

DID YOU KNOW: The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in 1947… JUST in time to be delivered to the brand new nation of Israel that was re-formed in 1948. During the time that the Jews were out of their homeland and disbursed all across the world, God had kept the precious scrolls of His Word safe in the volatile Middle East – for nearly 2000 years!!! Wow! Isn’t that incredible!

DEAD SEA SCROLLS ~ INFORMATION FOR KIDS ~ FREE PRINTABLE

The Secret of the Missing Scrolls – FREE article for kids | The Secrets of Archaeology – FREE article for kids (Paper Gifts for Estefany) designed to compliment each other and about the discovery of the famous Dead Sea Scrolls; available in English or French; free printable

Dead Sea Scrolls for kids (answersingenesis) Did you know one of the greatest archaeological finds of the 1900s was made because someone threw a rock? When a shepherd tossed a rock into a cave and heard pottery smash, he decided to investigate.

The Greatest Archaeological Discovery of our time (Dr Peter Flint / khouse.org) In 1948, famed archaeologist and leading Biblical scholar William Albright made the extraordinary claim that the Dead Sea Scrolls were “the greatest archaeological find of the 20^th century.” This amazing discovery was made in 1947 by Bedouin shepherds in a cave near Khirbet Qumran, about one mile inland from the western shore of the Dead Sea. By 1956, a total of eleven caves had been found at Qumran. The caves yielded various artifacts, especially pottery. The most important find was scrolls written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the three languages of the Bible.

Can we Trust the Bible? (creation.com; scroll down to ‘Can we trust the Bible?’) What makes the Bible the best-selling book in the world? Billions of copies have been printed, even though it has endured more opposition than any other book ever; 2 page article for kids beautifully illustrated and in colour from scientists who take the Bible seriously; free printable

Scrolls for Sale (khouse) Some important stories don’t make the news. Seventy years ago, November 29, 1947, headlines around the world proclaimed that the United Nations had voted to set up two separate states in Palestine, one Jewish and one Arab. However, another event happened that day that was to influence biblical studies forever… When Sukenik learned that an antiquities dealer was offering ancient scrolls for sale, he made a secret trip to Bethlehem. He purchased two of the scrolls November 29, 1947, the day the United Nations voted to create the modern Jewish state. A month later he purchased a third. In 1954, the Syrian Orthodox Metropolitan placed an ad in the Wall Street Journal, offering his four scrolls for sale!

An entire copy of the book of Isaiah (khouse) was found in the Dead Sea Scrolls… including the ‘controversial’ chapter 53. There is no separation between Chapters 1-39 and 40-66. In fact, chapter 40 starts on the last line of the same column that ends chapter 39.

Isaiah 53 – The Fulcrum of the Entire Universe (Dr Chuck Missler) The Dead Sea Scrolls were first discovered in late 1946 in caves along the Dead Sea. The ancient settlement of Khirbet Qumran held millennial old sealed clay jars which contained about 1200 manuscripts, including more than 300 Biblical texts. Arguably the greatest discovery at Qumran is the Great Isaiah Scroll, a nearly complete scroll that was copied around 125 BC. It contains all 66 chapters of Isaiah. In this book, we will focus on a particularly interesting passage in the second half of Isaiah: chapter 53… It has been called the Holy of Holies of the Old Testament. These twelve verses offer a summary of the entire New Testament, written more than 700 years before Jesus Christ was born…

The Royal Prophet who wrote the Great Isaiah Scroll (Dr Chuck Missler) As the “Royal Prophet,” he served under four kings, with a span of future perspective… His vocabulary is the most extensive and the integrity of his messages constitute a pillar of apologetic reasoning. Isaiah’s message was so controversial that the Ashkenazi Jews took Chapter 53 out of their Bible (the Tenakh). However, the Sephardic Jews retained it; and when the Dead Sea Scrolls were ultimately discovered, there was a complete copy of Isaiah—with Chapter 53 right where it belonged: in the precise center of the second section.

How many Isaiahs? (Dr Chuck Missler) My early zeal for studying the Scripture was dampened many years ago as I encountered what is often called “textual criticism.” I was surprised to learn that it was naive and unlearned to regard the Book of Isaiah as actually written by the prophet Isaiah… Doubts about the authorship and authenticity of any book in the Bible can have tragic consequences for those who are attempting to take the Bible seriously. As I look back on my own spiritual journey, I recall the many years that these views introduced a subtle doubt in my mind and hampered my real growth in the Word. Is there a way to resolve this…? Indeed, there is. I only wish I had discovered it earlier in my own travels through God’s wondrous Word.

Dead Sea Scrolls—Timeless Treasures from Qumran (answersingenesis) Since their discovery, the Dead Sea Scrolls have amazed scholars by their priceless insights into the preservation and proper understanding of God’s infallible Word.

Does Archaeology support the Bible? (answersingenesis; scroll down to ‘major evidences regarding the Dead Sea Scrolls’) from scientists who take the Bible seriously

How we got our Bible (Dr Chuck Missler) The Bible is the single most important book of all time, selling an estimated 5 billion copies. It has been translated into 349 languages, and 2123 languages have at least one book of the Bible. At the same time, the Bible is scrutinized and attacked more than any other book in the world. It has been outlawed, confiscated and burned at different times and places in history. It has been smuggled into jail cells and across borders. John Huss was burned at the stake for teaching from the Bible as the final authority for the Church over any earthly church rulers. William Tyndale was strangled and burned for translating the Bible into English. Every week, millions of Christians gather to discuss its words, even as “higher” critics attempt to explain it through the lens of metaphysical naturalism. What we believe about the Bible can be the most important, central issue in our lives, threading its way into the very fabric of who we are and how we live each day. Where did the Bible come from? Why do we believe its origin is supernatural?… Most importantly, is the Bible the Word of God? You and I are gambling our eternity on the answer.

Who wrote the Torah? (Dr Chuck Missler) If you happen to have been persuaded that Moses did not actually write the first five Old Testament books, also called the Torah (in Hebrew) and the Pentateuch (in Greek), you may like to save yourself hours of boring library research (as Dr Missler so wonderfully puts it) and check out these words of the Lord Jesus Himself (aka God, the Creator) confirming who wrote them: John 5:46-47; Matthew 19:7 and Matthew 8:4. The five books of Moses are unquestionably the most venerated of texts the world over. Jewish sects all give the Torah highest honor… Christians also hold the Torah in high regard, and Jesus repeatedly authenticated its five books by attributing them to Moses. Jesus quotes from the Torah more than any other portion of Scripture, and that should get our attention.

How God authenticates the Bible text (Dr Chuck Missler)

Ancient Writing Materials (khouse; scroll down to ‘ancient writing materials’) Leather (cowhide) – The Jewish Talmud specifically required that the Scriptures used in public worship should be copied on the skins of animals that were “clean”; in other words, on leather. The scrolls were made by sewing the skins together in lengths ranging from a few feet to one hundred feet or more. The width of the scroll was eighteen to twenty-seven inches high and was rolled onto one or two sticks. The Dead Sea Scrolls are made from leather sewn together with linen thread. (The New Testament was mostly written on papyrus.)

Hidden Caves of the Dead Sea Scrolls (patternsofevidence) First Discovery of a Dead Sea Scroll Cave in Over 60 Years; New Dead Sea Scrolls found A massive trove of discoveries found during a survey of Judean Desert caves—including the first such biblical scroll discovered in 60 years… archaeologists have been in a veritable race against time (or rather, antiquities robbers) to scour caves surrounding the Judean Desert for any remaining parchments… Due to the sheer drops surrounding the cave, archaeologists had to rappel 80 meters down from the cliff top to the cave entrance; Invisible Letters found on the Dead Sea Scrolls In the 1950s, archaeologists recovered the Dead Sea Scrolls from caves near Qumran on the Great Salt Sea. Seven decades have passed. Shouldn’t we expect all the mysteries of these crumbling parchments to have been revealed by now? Apparently not; When it pays to take a closer look Dead Sea Scroll fragments in storage since the 1950s have been discovered to contain scriptural texts; Who hid the scrolls? – part 1 | p2; Who wrote and looked after the Scrolls?; From Ancient Scrolls to modern Bibles; Roman Soldiers – Arch of Titus

How many Scrolls were found in the caves near Qumran? (Dr Peter Flint; start at the 4:38 mark) The number keeps going up, but as at 2013, there were about 1050 Dead Sea Scrolls – including about 300 Biblical books. From the (then) foremost authority on Paleo-Hebrew, Peter Flint Ph.D. discusses the meaning of the Dead Sea Scrolls, their significance for understanding the Bible, Judaism, Jesus and Christianity. The Dead Sea Scrolls, found in caves near the Dead Sea, fifteen miles east of Jerusalem from 1947 to 1956, include the oldest existing biblical manuscripts and the remarkable texts of the purist Jewish community at Qumran. The discovery of the scrolls has added dramatically to our understanding of the varieties of Judaism at the time of Jesus and the rise of Christianity. One of the world’s foremost experts on the scrolls reveals the complete and fascinating story in all its detail: the amazing discovery, the intense controversies, and the significant revelations.

Genesis to Malachi – poem (abdaacts; scroll down) A review of the Bible books from cover to cover, beginning with: “In Genesis, the story of creation and the flood are told, In Exodus, by the hand of God the plagues and waters unfold. Leviticus records The Law, While in Numbers, the increase of Israel the neighbours saw, But in Deuteronomy once again God’s commandments are known, So absolute allegiance must be kept to Him alone…”

Dead Sea Scrolls (Leon Levy Digital Library) photos of the actual Dead Sea Scrolls at the Israel Antiquities Authority, Jerusalem; Discovery of the Scrolls including a photo of the original shepherds who claimed to have found them, and the advert of the scrolls for sale; Map of where the scrolls were found.

The Digital Dead Sea Scrolls (imj.org) at the Israel Museum, Jerusalem

Shrine of the Book (imj.org) where the actual physical scrolls are kept at the Israel Museum, Jerusalem – take a virtual tour;

The Dead Sea Scrolls (Israel Antiquities Authority) more information about the Scrolls

A plan to excavate the Judean Desert Caves (antiquities.org.il) to save the scrolls from being robbed

Big Tech meets Qumran – the Dead Sea Scrolls go online (timesofisrael) describing the ultimate treasure hunt to piece together and photograph thousands of fragments of the famous Dead Sea Scrolls – God’s Word – and put them online so that everyone can see them for themselves. Written 2,000 years ago and first discovered at Qumran on the Dead Sea in 1947. These high-resolution images of 950 different manuscripts, are made using special imaging equipment first developed for NASA. The hi-tech cameras have made visible sections of parchment that were previously indecipherable.

Discover Qumran and the Dead Sea Scrolls Archeological Dig (10 minute video) through the eyes of Sergio and Rhoda, a young couple visiting Qumran as tourists.

The Adventures of The Scrolls (3 minute movie clip) about just some of the adventures the Word of God has taken to get to us

Discover the location of the most important Biblical discovery ever made check out one of these cool drone footages over Qumran; and there is one that actually treks through the caves. Since the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, extensive excavations have taken place in Qumran. Most scrolls discovered were written on parchment and some on papyrus. Cisterns, mikvehs or Jewish ritual baths, cemeteries, a dining or assembly room and debris from an upper story alleged by some to have been a scriptorium as well as pottery kilns and a tower.

Israeli Archaeologist uses the Bible as a guide (armstronginstitute) Israeli archaeologist Dr. Eilat Mazar discusses the value of the Bible in Israeli archaeology and unabashedly uses the Bible as one of many tools in her kit. Famed for discovering King David’s palace in 2005, Dr. Eilat Mazar is a solid supporter of the Bible’s role in Israeli archaeology.

Dr Eilat Mazar and the Biblical record (armstronginstitute) It’s not what she’s uncovering that rankles scholarly critics—it’s that her findings confirm the biblical narrative.

Quotes by Archaeologists

John Elder: ‘Forgotten cities have been found, the handiwork of vanished peoples has reappeared, contemporary records of biblical events have been unearthed… Nowhere has archaeological discovery refuted the Bible as history.’
Nelson Glueck: ‘It may be stated categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever controverted [or disagreed with] a biblical reference.’
Dr Eilat Mazar: “One of the many things I learned from my grandfather was how to relate to the biblical text,” she recalls. “Pore over [the Bible] again and again,” her grandfather had said, “for it contains within it descriptions of genuine historical reality.”

DEAD SEA SCROLLS ~ COLOURING PAGES FOR KIDS ~ FREE PRINTABLE

Scribe at work – colouring (abdaacts; scroll down) free printable

Scribe at work – colouring (answersingenesis) with Bible verse from 2 Timothy 3:16 – All Scripture is given by inspiration of God; Scroll – colouring Isaiah holding his original scroll that he has just written; Map of Israel – colouring showing the Dead Sea; free printable

Scroll – colouring (ministryark; scroll down to the bottom of each post and click on the image to download) an open scroll with Bible verse from Jeremiah 29:11 written on the scroll – “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future”; Old Testament Bookcase – colouring two rows of books in a bookcase; free printable

Books of the Old Testament – colouring pages (ministry-to-children; the download links are under the image) one page for each book of the Old Testament; download each one separately, or it is available as one single image to colour; this would make a fun activity to learn the names of the books of the Bible: shrink them down, colour them in, then use it as a jigsaw puzzle activity for kids to put them in order; free printable

Kids on Digs – colouring (Biblewise) children on an archaeological dig; free printable

Roman Soldiers – colouring see what I did for this part of our time travel adventure; free printable

Roman Soldier in a chariot – colouring (supercoloring) free printable

The Secret of the Missing Scrolls – blank frames / page borders (Paper Gifts for Estefany) for your Dead Sea Scroll colouring and puzzle pages; portrait or landscape; free printable;

Jazz up your colouring pages to make your own page borders or find out how to add page borders to your colouring and puzzle pages

See also: Books of the Bible

DEAD SEA SCROLLS ~ PUZZLES FOR KIDS ~ FREE PRINTABLE

Old Testament Books – word search (max7) The year is 125 BC. You are a guest at Khirbet Qumran, on the Dead Sea. Today you are helping the junior scribe collect all the Old Testament scrolls; available in English, Spanish and Portuguese; see how I did this here; free printable

The Secret of the Missing Scrolls – Bible verse trace over (Paper Gifts for Estefany; scroll down) The year is 125 BC. You are a guest at the Qumran community near the Dead Sea. You have been asked to fill in for one of the scribes, who is sick today. He has been working on the Old Testament Scroll of the prophet Isaiah; trace over the Bible verse from Isaiah 61:1-2 onto the scroll; also available in French; free printable

The Secret of the Missing Scrolls – fill in the blank puzzle (Paper Gifts for Estefany; scroll down) Help the junior scribe at Khirbet Qumran divide all the Old Testament scrolls into five groups: Law, History, Poetry, Major Prophets, Minor Prophets. As you are working together, he explains that the scrolls of the minor prophets are just as important as the major prophets. They just wrote less, so their scrolls were easier to copy. He also gives you a very brief rundown on each scroll; write down all the names of the Old Testament books in order, using the index in your Bible as a reference; also available in French; free printable

The Secret of the Missing Scrolls – puzzles (Paper Gifts for Estefany; scroll down) Oh no! The junior scribe at Khirbet Qumran has dropped the Old Testament scrolls all over the floor! Now they are all scrambled and out of order! Help him unscramble them. Then help him file them back into the ‘library’; unscramble and crossword; free printable

Scrolls into jars and then into hiding – DIY puzzles The Romans are coming! Quickly! Solve these puzzles to make sure all the priceless scrolls containing God’s Word are put in the right clay jars ready to go into hiding, and then help the scribes escape.

Digging up the past – hidden picture puzzle (answersingenesis) find the 13 items then colour this busy archaeological dig scene; free printable

Match the Scrolls – puzzle (Biblewise) free printable

Books of the Old Testament – word search (livingwaterBiblegames) 39 words; free printable

Books of the Old Testament – word search (akidsheart) free printable

Books of the Old Testament – word search (thinkablepuzzles) 15 words; Books of the Old Testament – word search 23 words; free printable

Books of the Old Testament – word search (applesaucekids; press CTRL+P to print) 39 words; free printable

Treasure in the Desert – puzzles more archaeology related puzzle ideas

Magnifying Glass – writing template (museprintables) to jot down your notes about what you will find in your archaeological dig; free printable

DIY Newspaper Snippet (fodey) make your own newspaper clipping with fully editable text to announce something related to the Dead Sea Scrolls; paste it onto one of your puzzle or colouring pages or into a craft activity; free printable

DIY puzzles specifically designed for your child

See also: Books of the Bible

DEAD SEA SCROLLS ~ CRAFTS / ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS ~ FREE PRINTABLE

Scripture Scroll – craft for kids (hiswondrousworks; do a CTRL+F page search for ‘Scripture Scroll’; here is the pdf) a cute scroll craft using paper, toothpicks or dowel

Binoculars – paper roll craft (redtedart) every archaeologist needs a pair of binoculars in their tool kit and this easy craft will show you just how to do that; alternative version with more decoration ideas

Roman Imperial Helmet – 3D paper craft for kids (firstpalette) in colour or to colour; free printable

Roman Helmet – 3D paper craft (applesaucekids) with moveable visor; free printable

See also: Books of the Bible

DEAD SEA SCROLLS ~ LEARN TO DRAW FOR KIDS ~ FREE PRINTABLE

Archaeology Dig – drawing activity for kids (Paper Gifts for Estefany) draw a map of where you live; free printable

Scroll – learn to draw (1arthouse; scroll down) learn to draw a scroll, with antique inkwell and ink feather with Bible verse from Malachi 3:16 – A scroll of remembrance was written; free printable

Archaeology – learn to draw (Dover sample) draw a picture of what you have just dug up at this archaeology site

DEAD SEA SCROLLS ~ PHOTO FUN ~ FREE PRINTABLE

Scroll – photo frame (photofuneditor) upload your photo into this scroll frame; free printable

DEAD SEA SCROLLS ~ PHOTOS

Add some Dead Sea Scroll images into your pages to jazz them up. Maybe a pottery jar in a corner, a scroll or a fragment in another…

Caves
Khirbet Qumran Caves
Qumran Caves
Qumran Cave entrance
More photos of Qumran
Jars
Original pottery jars complete with cracks
Original pottery jar with missing lid
Original pottery jars (click on ‘view slideshow’ and scroll to photo 3)
Scrolls
The Great Isaiah scroll (imj.org) could this be the actual scroll that the Lord Jesus read from when He began His ministry?!
Dead Sea Scrolls (Leon Levy Digital Library) photos of the actual Dead Sea Scrolls at the Israel Antiquities Authority, Jerusalem: Genesis 1:1; The 10 commandments; Psalms, minor prophets
Scroll fragments from each book of the Old Testament
Qumran scrolls
Dead Sea Scrolls
Ancient scrolls meet Big Tech and modern technology
Archaeology / Qumran / Dead Sea
Map showing where the scrolls were found
Archaeology site at Qumran
More Archaeology at Qumran showing the mikvehs or ritual baths
Great photo of a mikveh and ancient coins
Photos of the Dead Sea
Did you know that you can FLOAT on the Dead Sea and read a book?! :o
Scribes / Bedouin Shepherds / Other
Essenes scribes hard at work
The actual Bedouin Goatherds claimed with the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, plus the original archaeology team at Qumran. Scroll down to see the advert that someone put in the Wall Street Journal trying to sell these priceless scrolls! :o
The faces behind the scrolls an exhibition at the Israel Museum, Jerusalem
Ancient Roman siege engines
Peanuts Comic Strip – Dead Sea Scrolls in full colour; and here is the original (B&W) by Charles Schulz from 1962.

DEAD SEA SCROLLS ~ PAPER GIFTS ~ FREE PRINTABLE

Dead Sea Scrolls – postcards (Paper Gifts for Estefany) available in English and French; free printable

Books of the Old Testament – bookmarks (sundayschoolzone) 3 per page; free printable

Bible Bookcase – bookmarks to colour (ministryark) showing the books of the Old Testament; 3 per page; free printable

Top Secret – labels/name tags (nametagjungle) a “Top Secret” heading and a silhouette of a spy; perfect to add a favourite Bible verse and make your own Bible wallet cards to go with this theme; 6 per page; free printable

See also: Books of the Bible

DEAD SEA SCROLLS ~ STATIONERY ~ FREE PRINTABLE

The Secret of the Missing Scrolls – sample letter | blank stationery (Paper Gifts for Estefany) there’s a sample letter you can download, or blank stationery so you can write your own; free printable

Blank Scroll – stationery (timvandevall; click on each image to download) 3 scroll templates to choose from; in colour or to colour; free printable

Blank Scroll – stationery (sparklebox) free printable

See also: Books of the Bible

Bible Treasure Theme

Books of the Bible

Older Boys

And when you write to your sponsored child, don’t forget to tell them whose words were ‘God-breathed’ onto those ancient scrolls all those centuries ago. The God of the Old Testament is the same Lord Jesus who walked the dusty streets of first century Israel, who died to pay the penalty of our sins, was buried, and then rose to life again so that whoever believes in Him shall live with Him forever…

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