In 1946, Bedouin shepherd boys looking for lost sheep threw a stone into one of the caves. Shocked by a cracking sound, the boys returned the next day with their parents to see what was in the caves. They removed several jars, which contained scrolls, later determined by a Bethlehem antiquities dealer that the scrolls were ancient manuscripts of the Bible.
In 1949, a search of the surrounding area of the Qumran resulted in the discovery of more caves with manuscripts hidden in clay jars. All eleven caves held scrolls. The fourth cave held 15,000 fragments of 516 manuscripts. The Dead Sea Scrolls consisted of more than 800 different documents. Every book of the Old Testament was represented except the book of Esther. The only complete manuscript found was the book of Isaiah. Letters, hymns, prayers and books of community rules were included in the discoveries.
Today the Dead Sea Scrolls are stored in a climate controlled museum in Jerusalem, pictured on the left. The only complete book of the Bible in the museum is the book of Isaiah, written 700 years before Christ.
The amazing fact in all this was the confirmation of how accurately the Scriptures have been reproduced through the centuries. This doesn’t seem humanly possible, but supernatural preservation. God guarded the truth hundreds of years, and we can trust what the Bible says is true. Check out this 6 minute video. You too will be amazed!
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for preserving the truth through the ages–proof that we can trust what you say. Amen.
A Closer Walk with God 