Category: Easter

The Essenes - the mysterious Jewish sect behind the Dead Sea Scrolls
16-13 The Dead Sea Scrolls: Is 2026 the Start of the End?

16-13 The Dead Sea Scrolls: Is 2026 the Start of the End?

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Air Dates: March 28th & 29th, 2026 | Guest: Dr. Ken Johnson, Dead Sea Scroll Scholar and founder of Bible Facts Ministries

About This Episode

On Show 16-13, you might not realize it but we just passed an important calendar threshold. If you’re following the right one.

Was the Messiah’s timeline hidden in plain sight? We dive into the ancient clash between the Pharisees, Sadducees, and the desert-dwelling Essenes—who wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls. That laid buried and hidden for almost 2,000 years. Unaltered, untampered, unchanged—the original belief systems of the Jewish sect that existed before the pharisees. 

From the Dead Sea Scrolls to the Book of Giants, we ask: Did the Pharisees plot Jesus’s death because they knew Daniel’s 70-weeks prophecy was being fulfilled? Dr. Johnson pulls back the curtain on the Essene “playbook,” which some argue contains the original foundations for the Rapture. Our expert explains why a 150 BC shift from solar to lunar calendars sparked a centuries-long debate over the crucifixion timeline. It’s time to get the dates right, from the Triumphal Entry to the “missing” three days.

Finally, why is March 18, 2026 so pivotal, and how does it align with Passover on March 31st — and the other events of Easter week. Like why, when you understand the real calendar, Good Friday was not on Friday. And how it got confused. Plus, we discuss if the modern world is returning to these ancient roots and how to view extra-Biblical texts like Jasher and Enoch today. Tune in for a journey through prophecy and the search for the true calendar of God. 

Looking for the calendar terms? Scroll down — they’re in the show notes.

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Show Notes: Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info

Mentioned During Show

Related Info to Explore

In case you missed it — those Essene calendar terms:

The Essenes believed there is a total of 7,000 years of human history, mirroring the 7 days of creation. Six days of work and one day of rest. Six thousand years, followed by 1,000 years of the Messiah’s millennial reign on Earth.

  • Ages – the 7,000 years are divided into four ages. Three 2,000 ages + one 1,000 year age.
  • Onah – each age is further divided into four 500 year periods
  • Each onah is divided into ten 50-year “jubilee cycles,” comprised of seven schmitas and one jubilee
    • Schmita — a seven year sabbatical period
    • Jubilee – a one year period capping off the seven sevens and restarting the cycle
    • 7 × 7  schmitas (49 years) + 1 jubilee = 50 years
  • Year – the Essenes used a 364-day calendar, with the start of the year on the Wednesday on or near the spring equinox, adding a “leap week” when necessary to bring it back to alignment.
  • Season – Four seasons, just like our reckoning
  • Month –in the Essene calendar, there are 12 months but each month has 30 days. 12 × 30 = 360 days
  • Tekufah – a transition day between each season. 4 tekufahs + 360 = 364 days per year
  • Day – a 24-hour period like ours, but marked at sundown until the next sundown. Why nighttime and not sunrise? Because when God created the Earth, it started in darkness.