The Dead Sea Scrolls and Sealed Prophecy
The Assumption of Moses describes how the scrolls were to be sealed in jars until the end times—a directive fulfilled literally in the Qumran caves. Mose said to seal the scrolls in jars and give them to the priests. Qumran’s leader were the true priests of Israel.
The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in Qumran has been called the greatest archaeological find of our time. Among these scrolls are nearly every book of the Old Testament (except Esther), preserved with remarkable accuracy. Also found are prophetic and apocalyptic scrolls that match biblical themes, such as the Vision of Daniel, which was sealed in a jar, just as the prophet was told when he had a profound revelation that was not to be included in the Bible.
*Much of this scroll is damaged but key element remain which I will discuss in a later text.
It is possible that the community at Qumran copied Daniel’s scroll for safekeeping and embedded elements of it into the War Scroll. Alternatively, what we have in the War Scroll could itself be a fragment of Daniel’s sealed writings. We do not yet have definitive answers. What we do know is that both texts were discovered in the same cave—an important clue.
The parallels between the two writings are striking. In the comparison below, the left column cites the Book of Daniel, while the right draws from corresponding sections in the War Scroll. The similarity in tone and message suggests the War Scroll may serve as a kind of eschatological commentary on Daniel’s prophecy.
| Daniel | War Scroll (1QM) |
|---|---|
| “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people…” (Daniel 12:1) | Col. 17: “He will send eternal support to the company of His redeemed by the power of the majestic angel of the authority of Michael.” |
| “…and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time…” | Col. 1: “It is a time of distress…” |
| “…and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.” | Col. 1: “For all the people who are redeemed by God.” |
| “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.” (Daniel 12:3) | Col. 1: “Then the Sons of Righteousness shall shine to all the ends of the world, continuing to shine forth until the end of the appointed time of darkness.” |
| “And I heard the man clothed in linen… and he sware by him that liveth forever that it shall be for a time, times, and a half…” (Daniel 12:7) | Col. 17: “But as for you, O sons of His covenant, take courage in God’s crucible, until He shall wave His hand and complete His fiery trials; His mysteries concerning your existence.” |
PART 1: Final Verses of Daniel 12 Compared to the War Scroll
We continue with Daniel 12:9–13 and seek parallels in the War Scroll, especially where it deals with sealed mysteries, end-time waiting, or eschatological purification.
Daniel 12:9–10
9 “Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.”
10 “Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.”
War Scroll – Multiple Columns
- Col. 1: “…They shall be refined in the crucible of God, purified in the trial of refinement. The wicked shall act wickedly, but they shall not understand. The sons of light shall gain insight…”
- Col. 18: “And all who are refined by these trials shall shine in the knowledge of God, for the end is near, and His mysteries shall be revealed to those who are faithful.”
Interpretive Connection:
The War Scroll clearly echoes Daniel’s theme of purification and understanding being reserved for the wise. The “crucible of God” is the scroll’s metaphor for end-time testing, aligning closely with Daniel’s “purified and made white.”
Daniel is told his vision is sealed until the time of the end, implying a progressive unfolding. The War Scroll, in turn, speaks of “mysteries being revealed to the faithful,” suggesting that its writers believed they were in the generation meant to understand Daniel’s sealed content.
This reinforces the hypothesis: The Qumran sect viewed themselves as living in the end time and possibly as the recipients of Daniel’s sealed revelations.
Daniel 12:12–13
12 “Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.”
13 “But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.”
War Scroll – Thematic Parallels
- Col. 1: “Happy are those who endure till the appointed time, who do not abandon the covenant in fear… they shall stand in their lot at the end.”
- Col. 15–18 (summary): “And the Sons of Light shall rise with the trumpet of remembrance… the chosen ones will inherit the lot of the Holy Ones and rest in their appointed station.”
Interpretive Connection:
Daniel is told he will “stand in his lot at the end of days”—a reference to posthumous vindication and reward. The War Scroll uses almost identical terminology: the faithful will stand in their lot and inherit the portion of the holy ones. The emphasis on perseverance and final reward is identical.
The War Scroll even includes a unique beatitude—“Happy are those who endure…”—a concept rare in Hebrew Scripture but similar in tone to Daniel’s final words and also echoed later in Revelation.
PART 2: Earlier Chapters of Daniel Compared to the War Scroll
We now rewind to earlier chapters of Daniel, especially Daniel 7 and 10, to find more parallels in 1QM.
Daniel 7:9–10 – The Ancient of Days
“I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of Days did sit… thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him…”
War Scroll – Col. 12
- “The King of Glory sits upon His holy throne… a host of holy ones surrounds Him, ten thousand upon ten thousand. All the angels of the Presence stand in array before Him…”
Connection: Nearly identical vision of the heavenly court. Both Daniel and the War Scroll describe the divine throne room surrounded by multitudes of angelic beings, indicating direct literary or visionary overlap.
Daniel 10:5–6 – The Angel of Revelation
“Behold a man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz… his face as lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire…”
War Scroll – Col. 18
- “Then a mighty one, clothed in white linen and gleaming like fire, shall speak with a voice of thunder. His countenance is as lightning and his eyes like burning torches…”
Connection: The angelic figure described in Daniel 10 is almost identically depicted in the War Scroll, confirming not just similar themes, but possibly a shared visionary archetype or even direct textual borrowing.
Conclusion So Far
The cumulative weight of the parallels—between Daniel 12 and the War Scroll, and between Daniel 7/10 and earlier columns—strongly supports the idea that:
- The War Scroll functions as a commentary or esoteric expansion of Daniel’s sealed visions.
- The Qumran sect believed they were living in Daniel’s “time of the end.”
- The same angelic figures and cosmic battle motifs appear across both texts.
- Terms like “lot,” “crucible,” “shining,” and “standing in their portion” appear in both.
