16-13 Dead Sea Scrolls’ Calendar and Prophecy: Is 2026 the Start of the End?
The Dead Sea Scrolls’ Calendar and Prophecy: Is 2026 the Start of the End?
Release Date: March 28, 2026
Duration: 47:58
Host: Mark Anderson
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 prophetic calendar threshold. Find out why March 18, 2026 was such an important date for end-times prophecies. We dive into the ancient clash between the Pharisees, Sadducees, and the desert-dwelling Essenes—who wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls. 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—who corrupted the very calendar intended to point to the Messiah’s arrival. Easter week never made so much sense when you follow the right calendar.
Show Notes
- 00:00 – Introduction to the Essenes, who they were, how did the end up in the Dead Sea wilderness, and why the Pharisees and Sadducees were their sworn enemies. Why the Jewish leaders all knew that the Messiah was due to arrive — and how they tried to avoid it being Jesus.
- 09:34 – The Essenes weren’t just scribes, they were healers — and uncannily accurate prophets. Overview of the Dead Sea Scrolls, what’s there, what’s not, including “extra Biblical texts,” history, and commentary and theology by Essenes themselves. Why weren’t these extra-Biblical texts like Enoch included in the Bible’s canon (the “official” books). Find out why it’s not a conspiracy.
- 17:17 – The Essenes’ calendar and why the Pharisees corrupted it. It makes sense now why the Pharisees and Sadducees reacted the way they did when Jesus arrived on Palm Sunday. And why they had to kill him.
- 24:20 – Why March 18, 2026 was such an important date. A deeper look into the Essenes’ calendar overview and the ingenious way how it all worked. And why it was so accurate — and needed to be. (See show notes section for the calendar terms.)
- 32:58 – Why the Pharisees had to corrupt the calendar. Including throwing a major Jewish prophet under the bus. Why their deception continues to today. And why the Dead Sea Scrolls are turning more and more Jewish people to the Messiah and away from the Pharisees’ teachings. Applying the Essenes’ calendar to Easter week. Finally, the timing and events all make sense.
- 39:52 – Why it is NOT true that the theologian Darby “invented” the rapture in the 1800s and the historical reality. (Pharisees aren’t the only ones twisting things.) A look ahead to what we can expect on the prophetic horizon it the last generation. Even demons are telling exorcists that time is running short.
Transcript
No opener this week, but here’s the closer:
One of the Big Prophetic Markers For the end times is the Jewish temple being rebuilt. Back on March 1st one Iranian missile exploded near the temple mount — less than half a mile. Wouldn’t that be something if Iran destroys the Dome of the Rock, opening the door to a temple rebuild?
Israel didn’t do it. And you could certainly imagine the arguments ensuing would last for years — it wasn’t Israel’s fault and An argument could be made God wanted it. And since a Muslim Country did it an argument could be made that Allah wanted it so don’t get in the way.
Just some interesting things to think about. Are you prepared maybe it’s time to start thinking about that because as we say every week, the best information does you no good, if you don’t use it. Reagan—what do you think?
Additional Show Notes
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 those calendar terms? Scroll down — they’re in the show notes.
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Show Notes: Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info
- Dr. Ken Johnson’s main website is BibleFacts.org. Also check out:
- His Essene calendar, Dead Sea Scrolls website, DSScalendar.org.
- His main YouTube channel is @BibleFacts
- And a secondary YouTube Channel, @BibleFacts2, focuses on manuscripts
- Dr. Johnson’s recent Bible Facts episode we referenced discussing March 18, 2026, was “The Last Generation” (Bible Facts YouTube Channel, March 16, 2026)
Mentioned During Show
- Info on the Seder Olam (Asked of Brave AI, Mar 26, 2026)
- Iranian missile warhead falls less than a kilometer from Temple Mount, al-Aqsa Mosque (Times of Israel, March 1, 2026)
Related Info to Explore
- Ken has also been a frequent guest on Prophecy Watchers
- The Dead Sea Scrolls: Interview with Alexander Schick (Armstrong Institute of Biblical Archeology, YT Channel,. Mar 25, 2026)
- Israel Is Experiencing a Massive Revival | Erez Soref (TBN Praise YouTube Channel, March 26, 2028)
- Deciphered Dead Sea Scroll Reveals 364-Day Calendar (Biblical Archeology Society, June 26, 2025)
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.
We welcome back Scott McEwen to talk in depth about the Israel-Hamas war. We had scheduled Scott weeks ago to talk about other issues but after the Hamas terrorist sneak attack and Israel declared war, we scrapped that discussion to spend the full hour on Israel’s war with Hamas.