Body: | Songs of Sabbath Sacrifice: Angelic Liturgy
1st century Synagogue songbook
Template for the Book of Revelation
Song 6
Song 7
Introduction:
1. Songs of Sabbath Sacrifice was the pre-Christian, first
century songbook used in every Jewish synagogue and was as well known as
"Jesus loves me" in the church today.
a. Also known as "The Angelic Liturgy", it is a
collection of 13 songs, sung responsively, every Sabbath for 13 weeks.
b. "Although none of the Sabbath songs is preserved in its
entirety, it is possible to say a number of things about the form and
content of the individual songs and about the work as a whole." (Songs of
the Sabbath Sacrifice, critical edition, Carol Newsom, p6, 1985 AD)
c. "The songs contain angelic praises of God assigned to
the first thirteen sabbaths, i.e. the first quarter, of the solar year.
They imply the simultaneity of the heavenly and earthly worship. Although
often obscure, the poems depict the celestial sanctuary, the
throne-chariot, the various groups participating in the angelic liturgy;
they also include the words of the benedictions sung by the seven
archangels." (The Dead Sea scrolls in English, G.Vermes, 4Q400, p254, 1995
AD)
d. "The author starts by leading worshipers to consider the
mysteries of an angelic priesthood. Then an almost mantric recital focusing
on the holy number seven progresses to a climax on the seventh Sabbath,
following which the community contemplates the elements of a living
spiritual temple. Here the focus is particularly on the living holy
chariots of God. In the original Hebrew, the syllables and long, drawn-out
phrases tumble over one another in an almost hypnotic cadence. We encounter
a constant rotation of synonyms that follow one another to numbing effect.
Many long phrases consist almost entirely of nouns. Verbs are hard to find.
The effect is highly abstract, and the images are blurred about the edges.
Precisely what the author means to say is seldom clear." (The Dead Sea
Scrolls, A New Translation, M. O. Wise, M. G. Jr. Abegg, E. M. Cook, p463,
2005 AD)
e. "The Sabbath songs intend to unite the worshiper with
the angels worshiping in heaven. What happens on earth is but a pale
reflection of that greater, ultimate, reality. What, then, could be more
desirable than to join that worship in mystic fashion? The variety of
heavenly beings who play a role is dizzying. The apostle Paul wrote of
"the tongues of men and of angels" (1 Cor. 13:1), and indeed, our
author supplies the angels with different languages, each endowed with its
own particular character, each singularly specialized to praise God."
(The Dead Sea Scrolls, A New Translation, M. O. Wise, M. G. Jr. Abegg, E.
M. Cook, p463, 2005 AD)
f. The song cycle as a whole has a discernible structure,
consisting of three parts, songs 1-5, songs 6-8 and songs 9-13. Each
part differs in style as well as content. The first five songs describe the
establishment of the angelic priesthood and its duties, as well as the
praise that these heavenly priests utter. The second song makes what
appears to be the only reference to the human priesthood and worshipers.
These songs are written in a parallelistic style with ordinary syntax and
containing a significant number of finite verbs. Songs 6-8 differ
strikingly. Characterized by repetitious formulas in which the number seven
figures prominently, the sixth and eighth songs enumerate the praises and
blessings uttered by the seven chief and deputy princes respectively. The
central, seventh song elaborates the initial call to praise into a series
of seven increasingly elaborate calls to praise addressed to each of the
seven angelic councils. After these calls to praise the song then describes
the heavenly temple itself bursting into praise, concluding with a
description of the chariot throne of God and the praise uttered by multiple
attendant chariot thrones (merkabot), their cherubim and wheels
(˓ophannı̂m). The seventh song serves as an anticipation of the final
group of songs (9-13), which progressively describe the heavenly temple
and its praises, culminating in an extended description of the divine
chariot throne and the angelic high priests in their priestly robes. In
this third section of the cycle, nominal and participial sentences are
common, as are elaborate construct chains, apparently an attempt to create
a numinous style. (Dictionary of New Testament Background, Songs of the
Sabbath Sacrifice, p1139, 2000 AD)
g. "The Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice is a liturgical
cycle of songs for the first thirteen Sabbaths of the year. It follows the
fixed 364-day solar calendar and, therefore, could have been repeated
quarterly. Each song has a title (e.g., "For the Instructor. Song of the
sacrifice of the seventh Sabbath on the sixteenth of the month") and then
opens with invitations to the holy angels to praise God. In a
self-deprecating comparison with the angels ("[What] is the offering of
our mortal tongue compared with the knowledge of the g[ods/angels]?"
4Q400 2 7-11) the human worshipers identify themselves as the speakers
reciting this liturgy. The body of the Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice
consists of elaborate descriptions of the ranks of the highest angels and
their praise in the heavenly Temple. The structures of the heavenly Temple
are also said to praise God, and multiple sanctuaries and chariot thrones
are mentioned. The liturgical cycle begins in Song 1 with the establishment
of the angelic priesthood, reaches the psalms and blessings of the seven
angelic chief princes in the sixth song, with a mid-cycle climax of
hypnotic sevenfold praises in the seventh song followed by the praises of
the seven angelic priesthoods and the seven deputy princes in the eighth
song, and builds to a grand finale with the radiant cherubim (see Ezek 1;
3; 10) singing as they accompany the divine merkabah chariot throne (Song
12), with the angelic high priests bedecked in their splendid vestments
offering sacrifices in the heavenly Temple (Song 13)." (The New
Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice,
Vol 5, p355, 2009 AD)
2. Archeological provenance: One partial copy at Masada and 9
more copies at Qum'ran.
a. "Even though all of the ten copies of Sabbath Songs are
fragmentary, enough remains to describe the basic structure of the
individual compositions as well as the overall structure of the cycle."
(Dictionary of New Testament Background, Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice,
p1137, 2000 AD)
b. "One of the most important of the scroll fragments found
at Masada is a copy of the "Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice," a composition
also known from copies found in Qumran Caves 4 and 11. The Masada fragment
1039-200 was discovered in the south-eastern corner of Room 1039 in the
casemate wall,' a room which also yielded fragments from the books of
Psalms and Leviticus and numerous silver and bronze coins struck during the
revolt against Rome. Historically, the discovery of this fragment is
significant because it suggests the participation of members of the Qumran
community, almost certainly to be identified with the Essenes, in the
revolt against Rome. The Masada fragment of the Sabbath Shirot contains
portions of two columns of text. The left-hand edge of the fragment seems
to have been deliberately cut or torn away. The height of the fragment as
preserved is 21 cm, with a top margin of about 2 cm and a preserved bottom
margin of 1.6 cm. Each column originally contained 26 lines of text. The
space between the visible horizontal dry lines is 7 mm and the average
height of the letters is 3 mm. Vertical dry lines are faintly visible and
the space between the columns averages 18 mm. The original width of each of
the two columns can be calculated at about 32 letter spaces counting waw,
yod, zayin, final nun and the spaces between words as half-letters.
Palaeographically, the hand of the Masada fragment is a developed Herodian
formal hand, comparable to Fig. 2:6 (4QDanb) in Cross's typology or to Col.
XIII (1QH, first hand) in Avigad's schema. The Sabbath Shirot originally
contained individual compositions for each of the first thirteen Sabbaths
of the year. MasShirShabb preserves material from the conclusion of the
song for the fifth Sabbath (Col. I, 1. 1-6) and from the first half of the
sixth Sabbath song. Substantial overlaps between the Masada fragment and
fragments from Qumran Cave 4 allow for important mutual supplementation and
the reconstruction of a significant amount of continuous text. The two most
extensive overlaps occur between MasShirShabb I, 1-6 and 4Q402 (ShirShabbc)
4 11-16, and between MasShirShabb H, 7-26 and 4Q403 (ShirShabbd) 1 I, 1-11.
Smaller overlaps occur with 4Q404 (Shir-Shabbe) 1 and 4Q405 (ShirShabb1) 3
I." (Masada VI. The Yigael Yadin Excavations 1963-1965: Final Report by
Shemaryahu Talmon, Yigael Yadin, Hebrew Fragments from Masada, The Masada
Fragment of the Qumran Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice, Carol Newsom, Yigael
Yadin, Mas 1039-200; Mas 1K; Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice, MasShirShabb,
photos 5280, 5280A, p120, 1999 AD)
c. "The fact that one of the copies of the Sabbath Songs
was found at Masada (Mas1k) might be explained either as a copy carried
there by a refugee from the Qumran community after a.d. 68 or as evidence
that the composition circulated among a wider range of Jewish groups than
just the Qumran community." (Dictionary of New Testament Background, Songs
of the Sabbath Sacrifice, p1139, 2000 AD)
3. Holocaust:
a. The Hebrew word for sacrifice used throughout is
"holocaust", which was common in ancient Jewish literature for the
sacrifice on the altar of burnt offerings.
b. The modern use of the word "Holocaust" to refer to the
millions of Jews killed under Nazi Germany is a metaphor for the Jewish
people as human sacrifices on the altar of YHWH.
c. It puzzles visitors to Israel why a Nazi Swastika was on
the lower, earlier floor of a Jewish synagogue at Ein Gedi, until they
realize this was a common symbol in the first century and is reversed from
the one Hitler used.
4. Songs of Sabbath Sacrifice, combined with the book of
Ezekiel was the template and prototype for the book of Revelation.
a. Song seven was the climax song which featured Throne,
Temple, Worship, Singing/praising Angels, Cherubim wheel-beings, Judgement,
7 spirits.
b. Revelation sequentially follows the basic outline of
thought in Ezekiel chapter by chapter.
c. Revelation echoes many of the concepts in the Songs of
Sabbath Sacrifice.
d. Whereas Song of Sabbath Sacrifice builds to climax in the
throne scene of song seven, Revelation begins with this climactic throne
scene and increases in intensity making Revelation more profoundly
interesting and intense.
5. The use of the number 7 and seven-word descriptors are
common to both Angelic Liturgy and Revelation:
a. "In the Sabbath Shirot this fact is exploited as a way
of unifying form and content. The seventh and central Sabbath song contains
a formally distinctive feature. Whereas all of the Sabbath songs begin with
a brief call to praise (...1n150 155n), in the seventh Sabbath song this
element has been developed into a sequence of seven elaborate calls to
praise, frequently marked with a degree of paronomasia. The calls to praise
are presumably addressed to each of the seven priesthoods or angelic
councils which are mentioned in the latter part of the song (4Q405 7) and
again in the beginning of the eighth Sabbath song (4Q405 8-9). It is not
just the coincidence of the seventh Sabbath with the seven calls to praise
which underscores the centrality of this song. Its special position is
further emphasized by the symmetry of the two highly formulaic Sabbath
songs which bracket it, the sixth and the eighth. In these songs the number
seven figures prominently, with references to seven priesthoods, seven
councils, seven precincts, seven debirim, seven chief princes, seven deputy
princes, seven psalms, seven words, etc. Even more than the repetition of
the word ny,n, however, the emphasis on the sacred number is embodied in
the structure of the songs, in which closely similar formulae are repeated
for each of the seven angelic princes.... Thus in the first Sabbath song
the references to the number seven and an apparently abbreviated section of
formulaic praise and blessing anticipate the theme and formal structure
which are fulfilled in the central sixth through eighth songs. By
"anticipate" and "fulfill" I do not mean merely formal literary features
but also aspects of the psychology of the work. The audience for this
liturgical cycle of Sabbath songs was undoubtedly already largely familiar
with its content and structure and knew what to expect during its
recitation." (Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice, critical edition, Carol
Newsom, p13, 1985 AD)
b. Use of the number 7:
i. 123 "number 7's" in the Song of Sabbath Sacrifice, most
of which are used in song 6 as an anticipatory preparation for the 7th
climax song the following week.
ii. 55 "number 7's" in revelation
iii. 17 "number 7's" in Ezekiel
iv. 3 "number 7's" in Jeremiah
v. 3 "number 7's" in Isaiah
c. Seven-word descriptors:
i. "saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb that was
slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory
and blessing."" (Revelation 5:12)
ii. "He will give thanks to the honoured God se[ven times, with
se]v[en wor]ds of wonderful thanksgivings. [Psalm] of exultation) (4Q403
Frag. 1 i:4)
6. Songs of Sabbath Sacrifice was used in Synagogues not the
Jerusalem temple.
a. "For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection,
nor an angel, nor a spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all." (Acts
23:8)
b. Sadducees would never permit the "Angelic Liturgy"
because they do not believe in Angles.
c. It is important to remember that the Sadducees
controlled the temple, but the Pharisees the hundreds of synagogues.
d. That is why this comment is wrong: "Irrespective of their
origin, at Qumran the Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice could have served
simultaneously as a substitute for the Sabbath sacrifice in the Jerusalem
Temple and as a means of linking the community's praise with that of the
angels and attaining some sense of the angelic worship in the heavenly
Temple." (The New Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, Songs of the
Sabbath Sacrifice, Vol 5, p355, 2009 AD)
7. Paul was NOT referring to Songs of Sabbath Sacrifice in Col
2:16-19:
a. "Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to
food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day-
things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance
belongs to Christ. Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by
delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his
stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind,
and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied
and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is
from God." (Colossians 2:16-19)
b. Paul condemns men worshipping angels but the Angelic
Liturgy features men JOINING angels in worshipping God, just like
Revelation 4-5
c. Paul condemns men who have false visions in the church
but the Angelic Liturgy was viewed as a composes song not a vision.
I. Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice as a template/prototype for Revelation
1. Why is Revelation written to the 7 churches in Asia and
not to Jerusalem?
a. The book of Revelation is John's Olivet discourse
warning of the destruction of Jerusalem: Mt 24, Mk 14, Lk 21. The gospel of
John was written after 70 AD and this is why it makes no mention of the
destruction of the city.
b. 7 men would arrive at Jerusalem with 7 identical
copies and the Saints there would follow them back to their 7 Asian
churches for security far away from Jerusalem. A kind of crossing the Red
Sea, out of harm's way of the Roman Army that is attacking Jerusalem.
c. John wrote the book to seven churches outside of
Judah in modern Turkey who would carry each carry a copy of the book to
Jerusalem. When the seven copies arrived from these seven different
churches with a message to flee Jerusalem, they would flee to these 7
churches of Asia that sent the letter.
d. It gave the Christians living in Jerusalem a safe
place of refuge to flee to. The faithful Christian remnant who obeyed,
probably returned to one of the seven cities with the very messenger who
brought the book back to his home church/city.
e. This way the message was authenticated and Jerusalem
Christians were absorbed and integrated into seven mature churches in Asia
where they were safe.
2. Key similarities:
a. Both take place entirely in the spirit world,
complete with the scene of the heavenly temple and God's throne, with
attending spirit beings constantly praising God. (4,5)
b. Both paint heaven as a beautiful multi-colour place.
c. Both feature a war between God and Angels (Elohim)
d. Both, of course have angels singing.
3. The number 7 and seven-word formulas (cf. Rev 5:12 and
4Q403 frag. 1 i 1-29)
a. "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive
power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.""
(Revelation 5:12)
b. "He will give thanks to the honoured God se[ven times,
with se]v[en wor]ds of wonderful thanksgivings. [Psalm] of exultation)
(4Q403 Frag. 1 i:4)
c. The unmistakable connection between both is the use
of the number 7. Every Jew in the first century was familiar with the
obsession to the point of monotony that the Songs of Sabbath Sacrifice has
with the number 7. The book of Revelation was written in 66 AD to warn the
first century Jewish Christians living in Jerusalem to flees the city and
would immediately make a connection between Revelation and the Songs of
Sabbath Sacrifice. Revelation uses the number 7 it in a far more creative
and clever fashion interwoven into a terrifying adventure story where the
reader is told, "Behold I come quickly" which was their cue to flee the
city in 70 AD or die.
4. The number 7 is widely used and the 7th song climaxes
with a view of God himself inside his throne room.
a. 123 "number 7's" in the Song of Sabbath Sacrifice,
most of which are used in song 6 as an anticipatory preparation for the 7th
climax song the following week.
b. 55 "number 7's" in revelation
c. 17 "number 7's" in Ezekiel
d. 3 "number 7's" in Jeremiah
e. 3 "number 7's" Isaiah
d. Only Jews would recognize the connection to the number 7
proving it was a warning to Jews alone living in Jerusalem.
5. The Seventh Song:
a. Both have the throne scene (Rev 4-5, SSS song 7)
with chapters before and after with the intensive use of 7's. Revelation
1-3 and 6-10 use 7 as the core structure around which to build the content.
SSS songs 6 & 8 likely have more intense use of 7 than in other chapters.
b. "The emphatic position of the middle songs (the
sixth through the eighth) has been discussed above. The change in style and
content in these songs, with their repetitious, almost hypnotic quality,
produces a change in mood. The aesthetic/emotional effect of the sevenfold
sequences is especially significant. A list of numbered elements involves
an almost involuntary participation by the audience, as the audience's
anticipation is matched by the execution of the sequence. Moreover, for an
audience which considered the number seven to have an objective,
transcendent, and holy quality, the intersection of the "internal"
repetition of the number seven in the text with the "external" occurrence
of the seventh Sabbath would have produced an intense effect on the
religious emotions. The ecstatic quality of the seventh Sabbath song
underscores its significance." (Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice, critical
edition, Carol Newsom, p15, 1985 AD)
6. Both give highly detailed, but different descriptions of
heaven, the spiritual temple and the throne of God:
a. "With them praise all the fou[ndations of the hol]y
of holies, the supporting columns of the most exalted dwelling, and all the
corners of his building. Si[ng] to Go[d, aw]esome in power, [all you
spirits of knowledge and of light], to [exal]t together the most pure vault
of [his] holy sanctuary. [Praise hi]m, divine spirits, prai[sing for ever
and e]ver the main vault of the heig[ht]s, all [its] b[eams] and its walls,
a[l]l its [struct]ure, the work of [its] construc[tion. The spi]rits of the
hol[y] of holies, the living gods, [the spi]rits of [ever]lasting
holine[ss] above all the ho[ly ones in the wonderful vaults, marvel of
splendour and majesty, and wonderful is the gl]ory in the most perfect
light, and the kno[wledge] [... in all the wonderful sanctuaries. The
spirits of the gods (are) around the residence of the king of truth and
justice. Al]l [its walls]" (4Q403 Frag. 1 i:41-46)
b. "Then the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice
from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, one saying to
the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are
bound at the great river Euphrates."" (Revelation 9:13-14)
7. Silence in heaven for 30 minutes followed by judgments
of wicked men:
a. "When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was
silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who
stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. Another angel came
and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given
to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the
golden altar which was before the throne." (Revelation 8:1-3)
b. "[your] exalted kingdom [...] the heights and ...
[...] the beauty of your kingdom [...] in the gates of the exalted heights
[...] ... spirit of all [...] the holy ones of the holy of hol[ies ...]
king of the gods for the seven [...] the glory of the king. Blank ... [...]
his glory in the council of the divinit[ies ...] to the seven pathways
[...] for judgments of silence in [...] eternal. Blank [...] And they extol
his glory [...] king of the princes [...] holy ones [...] holy [...]
divinities and [...] justice. Blank [...] priesthoo[d ...] the favours of
Go[d ...] to sanctify oneself ... [...]" (4Q400 Frag. 1 ii:1-21)
c. "But the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the
earth keep silence before him!" (Habakkuk 2:20)
d. "Be silent, all people, before the LORD; for he has
roused himself from his holy dwelling." (Zechariah 2:13)
e. "The songs of the temple shall become wailings in
that day," says the Lord GOD; "the dead bodies shall be many, cast out
in every place. Be silent!"" (Amos 8:3)
f. "Be silent before the Lord God! For the day of the
Lord is near, For the Lord has prepared a sacrifice, He has consecrated His
guests. "Then it will come about on the day of the Lord's sacrifice
That I will punish the princes, the king's sons And all who clothe
themselves with foreign garments." (Zephaniah 1:7-8)
8. Key Differences:
a. Revelation begins with John in the spirit on the
Lord's Day, Sunday the day of Christian worship, as opposed to the Jewish
Saturday. (2:10)
b. Revelation reveals for Christians, the truth missed in
the songs of Sabbath Sacrifice that there are 4 living creatures and 24
elders surrounding the throne of God.
c. The song of the Sabbath Sacrifice never directly
quotes other Old Testament passages as Revelation does.
d. The song of the Sabbath Sacrifice borrows imagery from
the wheel within a wheel imagery of Ezek 1 but Revelation does not.
e. Revelation borrows extensively from Old Testament
imagery, whereas the song of the Sabbath Sacrifice does not.
f. The song of the Sabbath Sacrifice borrows
extensively from a flawed pseudepigrapha document written about 250 BC
called "Enoch", which itself if filled with rampant, wild and impossible
speculations of what is like. The book of Revelation never quotes from any
apocryphal books and especially not "Enoch" for its imagery.
g. The song of the Sabbath Sacrifice was a flawed
production of human effort and imagination that speculated on a spirit
world it had never seen while ignoring patterns of historical events
recorded in the Old Testament.
h. The Book of Revelation is a divinely inspired message
that satisfies this ancient longing of man to know what heaven is like by
giving an accurate first hand eye witness account through John while
borrowing familiar imagery from the Old Testament as a spring board for new
and deeper truths. In this way Paul's words, "The mystery is revealed in
Christ" are fulfilled in the book of Revelation. (Rom 16:25-26)
9. Angels of Knowledge:
a. "Of all the qualities which are associated with
the angels in the Sabbath songs, however, knowledge is the most prominent.
The angels are repeatedly designated as "angels of knowledge", as "those
who know", "those who establish knowledge", etc. In fact, the superiority
of the angelic praise arises precisely from their more exalted
understanding of divine mysteries. They "declare the splendor of His
kingdom according to their knowledge (4Q400 2 3) ... While "the chiefs of
praise offering" have "tongues of knowledge" (4Q405 23 ii 12), the human
worshippers reflect on the poverty of their own praise. "What is the
offering of our mortal tongue (compared) with the knowledge of the
angels?". (Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice, critical edition, Carol Newsom,
p30, 1985 AD)
b. In Revelation several angels are the source of
knowledge.
10. Melchizedek:
a. "The last question to be raised in connection with
the angelology of the Sabbath Shirot is whether there is a single superior
angel who presides over the angelic priestly hierarchy. As in so many other
matters, a definitive answer is prevented by the broken condition of the
text. It appears highly likely, however, that a reference to Melchizedek
was originally contained in 4Q401 11 3. A second possible reference to
Melchizedek occurs in 4Q401 22 3 in a line immediately following a
reference to the ordination of the angelic priests (urol, I5n). Other
fragments from the same manuscript make reference to a single angelic
figure Wel], 4Q401 23 1, 4Q401 20 2; 4Q403 1 ii 23, 4Q403 1 ii 24).
Speculation about Melchizedek is attested at Qumran in 11QMelchizedek and,
almost certainly, in 4QAmram, although in neither case is the heavenly
priesthood of Melchizedek explicitly referred to. What is particularly
noteworthy about the reference in 4Q401 11 3 is that its allusion to Ps
82:1 presumes the exegesis of that verse in 11QMelch but goes beyond what
is said there to identify Melchizedek's role as specifically priestly. One
has to be circumspect in drawing conclusions from such a small and broken
fragment as 4Q401 11, but it does not seem likely that the author would
have connected Melchizedek's priestly role with Ps 82:1 unless he already
knew of the exegesis of that verse in connection with Melchizedek's role as
eschatological judge. If so, then one has some clue as to the relationship
and relative dates of 11QMelch and the Sabbath Shirot. Melchizedek was
probably identified at Qumran with the archangel Michael (1QM xiii 10; xvi
6-8; xvii 7), the angelic leader of the forces of light, who is also called
"the prince of light" (1QM xiii 10-11; cf. 1QS ii 20-22 and CD v 17-19) and
"the angel of His truth" (1QS iii 24).10 If these equations are sound, then
it would seem most plausible that Melchizedek is to be identified with the
seventh and highest of the chief princes, as Michael is customarily
identified with the highest of the archangels." (Songs of the Sabbath
Sacrifice, critical edition, Carol Newsom, p37, 1985 AD)
11. The Temple:
a. "The survey of the preceding paragraph is
sufficient to indicate that the form of the last five chapters does borrow
from the logic of the "temple tour," such as one finds in Ezekiel 40-48. To
a certain extent, of course, the physical logic of a description of a
temple "from the outside in" would produce an arrangement similar to parts
of Ezekiel 40-48. It remains necessary to indicate the particular points of
contact with Ezekiel 40-48 which provide the basis for the structure and
content of these songs. Although one cannot know what the beginning of the
ninth Sabbath song contained, 4Q405 14-15 i, which probably comes from the
middle of that song, makes reference to vestibules or porches. Ezekiel 40
and 41 abound with references to vestibules, a term used in connection with
the description of the outer gates of the compound and of the first of the
three main parts of the temple building proper. It is possible that the
author of the Shirot is referring to the description of the outer east gate
(Ezek 40:5-16). Note that where Ezekiel refers to (Ezek 40:8, 9) the
Sabbath songs speak of "the vestibule(s) where the King enters," a phrase
which alludes to Ezek 43:1-5, the description of the entry of the enthroned
Glory through the eastern gate and into the temple." (Songs of the
Sabbath Sacrifice, critical edition, Carol Newsom, p53, 1985 AD)
12. Chariot throne:
a. The description of the chariot throne in 4Q405 22 is
drawn primarily from the language of Ezekiel 1 and 10
Full text of Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice from 10 scrolls: 4Q400-407,
11Q17, Mas1k
(Source: The Dead Sea Scrolls, A New Translation, M. O. Wise, M. G. Jr.
Abegg, E. M. Cook, p464, 2005 AD)
SONG #1: SONGS OF THE SABBATH SACRIFICE
1. The song for the first Sabbath, focusing on the heavenly
priesthood and the praise of its angelic princes. Apparently the songs were
actually chanted in worship.
a. 4Q400 Frag. 1 Col. 1 1[A text belonging to the Instructor.
The song accompanying the sacrifice on the] first [Sabbath,] sung on the
fourth of the first month. Praise 2[the God of ...,] you godlike beings of
utter holiness; [rejoice] in his divine 3[kingdom. For He has established]
utter holiness among the eternally holy, that they might become for Him
priests 4[of the inner sanctum in His royal temple,] ministers of the
Presence in His glorious innermost chamber. In the congregation of all the
[wise] godlike beings, 5[and in the councils of all the] divine [spirits,]
He has engraved His precepts to govern all spiritual works, and His
[glorious] laws 6[for all the] wise [divine beings,] that sage congregation
honored by God, those who draw near to knowledge. 7[...] eternal, and from
the font of holiness to the temple of utter 8[holiness ...] priests who
draw near, ministers of the Presence of the utterly [holy] King 9[...] His
glory. Precept by precept they shall grow strong, to be seven 10[eternal
councils; for He] established them for Himself to be the most hol[y of
those who minister in the H]oly of Holies. 11[...] They shall become mighty
thereby in accordance with the council [...] 12[...] the Holy of Holies,
pr[iests of ... the]se are the princes of 13[... who take thei]r stand in
the temples of the King [...] in their realm or within their inheritance
14[...] They tolerate none who trans[gress] the true Way, nor is t[her]e
any unclean in their holy ranks. 15[The precepts governing the hol]y ones
has He inscribed for them, that all the eternally holy might thereby be
sanctified. He has purified the pure 16[who belong to the light, that they
may recom]pense all those who transgress the true Way, and make atonement
for those who repent of sin, obtaining for them His good pleasure. 17[He
has given tongues of] knowledge to the priests who draw near, so that from
their mouths issue the teachings governing all the holy ones, together with
the precepts 18[concerning His glory ...] His [lov]ing-kindness for eternal
forgiveness is rooted in compassion, but in the vengeance of His zeal
19[...] He established for Himself priests who draw near, the utterly holy
ones 20[... di]vi[ne] godlike beings, priests of the highest heaven who
[dra]w near [...] Col. 2 1[Your] lofty kingdom [...] 2exalted [...] 3the
glory of Your kingdom [...] 4in the gates of the highest heaven [...]
5[...] the spirit of all [...] 6the holy ones of utter holiness[...] 7the
King of the divine beings who inhabit the seven [holy] t[emples ...] 8the
glory of the King. [...] 9His glory in the council of the god[like beings
...] 10for the seven paths [...] 11for the precepts governing stillness in
the [...] 12for eternity. [...] 13they shall exalt His glory [...] 14the
King of the princes of [...] 15holy ones [...] 16holy ones of [...]
17godlike beings and [...] 18righteousness. [...] 19the priestho[od of ...]
20the loving-kindness of G[od ...] 21to sanctify themselves in [...]
SONG #2: SONGS OF THE SABBATH SACRIFICE
2. A portion of the song for the second Sabbath, containing a
description of the elite priestly angels and deprecating human worship in
comparison with that of the angels.
a. Frag. 2 1Wonderfully to praise Your glory among the wise
divine beings, extolling Your kingdom among the utterly h[oly.] 2They are
honored in all the camps of the godlike beings and feared by those who
direct human affairs, won[drous] 3beyond other divine beings and humans
alike. They tell of His royal splendor as they truly know it, and exalt
[His glory in all] 4the heavens of His rule. [They sing] wonderful psalms
according to [their insight] throughout the highest heaven, and declare
[the surpassing] 5glory of the King of the godlike beings in the stations
of their habitation. [...] 6How shall we be reckoned among them? As what
our priesthood in their habitations? [How shall our holi]ness [compare with
their utter] 7holiness? [What] is the praise of our mortal tongue alongside
their div[ine] knowledge? [...]
SONG #3: SONGS OF THE SABBATH SACRIFICE
3. Song for the third Sabbath: nothing known because no fragments
are extant
SONG #4: SONGS OF THE SABBATH SACRIFICE
4. Fragments of the song for the fourth Sabbath. The themes of
this song can no longer be discerned. The first portion preserves the
beginning of the song, the second stood near the end.
a. 4Q401 Frags. 1-2 1A text belonging to the Instructor. The
so[ng accompanying the sacrifice on the fourth Sabbath, sung on] the
twenty-[fifth] of [the first mo]nth. 2Praise the Go[d of ...] 3[...] who
stand before [...] 4the king[dom of ...] with all the ch[iefs of ...] 5the
King of the god[like beings ...] 4Q402 Frag. 1 2[...] when they come with
the godlike beings of 3[...] together for all of their assemblies 4[...]
their mi[ght] for all the powerful warriors 5[...] for all the rebellious
councils [...]
SONG #5: SONGS OF THE SABBATH SACRIFICE
5. The end of the fifth Sabbath's song. Themes include angelic
warfare, presumably in the Last Days, and God's predestination of all
events in creation (cf. Cols. 3-4 of text 7).
a. *Frags. 3-4 5They shall be judged [...] and they shall not
come to the Yahad [...] 6without [... those who pro]vide the plan[s] and
the knowledge of the utt[erly holy ...] 7light and insigh[t ...] the war of
the godlike beings in the [...] 8removing [...] Surely the [weap]ons of
war[f]ar[e] belong to the God of divine beings [... the armies] 9of heaven
and the won[ders of all the] divine [spirits] shall run at [His] command,
while the voice of tumult [... with] 10His might, ar[mies of] divine
[spirits] at war in the clouds. But [the victory] shall belong [to the God
of divine beings.] 11God [by His knowledge has created] wonderful new
works. All these has He wondrously created; none can comprehend His
glorious plan. 12To the King of the [wise] godlike beings belong all
matters of knowledge; indeed, the God of knowledge causes all that happens
forever. Through His knowledge 13and by means of His glorious plan all the
eternal seasons have come to be. He has created the former things at their
times, and the latter things 14at the time appointed for them. None among
those who are knowledgeable-those to whom revelation has come-can grasp
these things before He does them; even when He brings them into existence,
none can truly comprehend them. None of the divine beings 15understands
what He has designed, for these things are part of His glorious creation,
and were [part] of His [plan] before ever they came to be.
SONG #6: SONGS OF THE SABBATH SACRIFICE
Song 6
6. The song for the sixth Sabbath. Each of the seven chief
princes recites a psalm; then in order each of the same seven beings offers
a blessing.
a. Mas1k Frag. 1 8[A text belonging to the Instructor. The
son]g accompanying the sacrifice on the sixth Sabbath, sung on the ninth of
the [second] month. 9[Bless the Go]d of the godlike beings, you who inhabit
the highest heaven 10[...] Holy of Holies, and exalt His glory 11[...]
knowledge of the eternal godlike beings. 12[...] those called to the
highest of heights [...] Frag. 2 [A psalm of blessing will be spoken in the
language of the first chief prince] 1to the [eternal] God, [incorporating
his language's seven wondrous blessings. Then he will bless] 2the Kin[g
of all the eternally holy seven times with seven] 3[wondrous words of
blessing. A psalm of exaltation will be spoken in the language of the
second chief prince to the King] 4of truth and [righteousness,
incorporating his language's seven wondrous exaltations. Then he will
magnify the God] 5of all the div[ine beings who are appointed for
righteousness seven times with seven words of] 6[wondrous] exaltation. [A
psalm of glorification will be spoken in the language of the] 4Q403 Frag. 1
Col. 1 (with Mas1k Frag. 2, 4Q404 Frags. 1-2, and 4Q405 Frag. 3 Col. 2)
1third chief prince, a glorification of His faithfulness directed to the
King of the angels, incorporating his language's seven wondrous
glorifications. Then he will glorify the God of the exalted angels seven
times with seven words of wondrous glorification. 2A psalm of praise will
be spoken in the language of the four[th] to the Warrior who is over all
the godlike beings, incorporating his language's seven wondrous warrior
utterances. Then he will praise the God of 3warrior power seven times with
seve[n] words of [wondrous] prai[se. A ps]alm of thanksgiving will be
spoken in the language of the fifth to the glorious [K]in[g,]
4incorporating his language's seven wondrous tha[nk]sgivings. Then he
will thank the glorified God seven times [with sev]en [wo]rds of wondrous
thanksgiving. [A psa]lm of rejoicing 5will be spoken in the language of the
sixth to the God of goodness, incorporating his language's seven cries of
[wondrous] rejoicing. Then he will cry out with rejoicing to the King of
goodness seven times with s[even words of] wondrous rejoicing. 6A psalm of
musical praise will be spoken in the language of the seventh [chief]
pri[nce,] a powerful musical praise to the God of holiness incorporating
his language's seven wond[erful praise elements.] 7Then he will sing
praise to the King of holiness seven times with [seven] wondrous words of
musical [praise,] together with seven psalms of blessing to Him, seven
8psalms of exaltation of His righteousness, seven psalms of glorification
of His kingdom, seven psalms of pra[ise of His glory,] seven psalms of
thanksgiving for His wondrous doings, 9seven psa[lms of re]joicing for His
might and seven psalms of musical praise of His holiness. The generations
of [...] seven times with seven 10wondrous words, words of [...] [Then] in
the name of the glory of God [the first of] the ch[ief] princes [will
bl]ess [all the ... and all] the wise [with seven] wondrous [w]ords,
11blessing all th[ei]r councils in [His holy] temple [with se]ven
wondr[ous] wo[r]ds, [and ble]ssing those who know eternal things. [In the
name of] His truth [the second] 12[chief prince will bless] all [their]
stati[ons with] sev[en] wondrous words. Indeed, he shall bless with seven
[marvelous] words. 13[He will also bless all who exalt the] King with seven
words of His marvelous glory, and he will bless all who are eternally pure.
14[In the name of] His exalted kingdom the th[ird of the chief princes will
bless] all who are exalted in knowledge with seven words of exaltation,
blessing all [the divine beings] 16wise [in His truth.] Indeed, he shall
bless with seven marvelous words. He will also bless all those [appointed
for] righteousness with sev[en] marvelous [w]ords. In the name of the
majes[tic ki]ng [the fourth] 17of the chief princes will bless all who
wal[k upri]ght with [sev]en maj[estic] words. He will also bless those who
establish majesty with seven 18[wondrous w]ords, blessing all the divine
beings [who draw] near to [His] verit[able] truth with seven righteous
words, so that they can gain [His glor]ious compassion. In the name of His
[majestic] wonders the fifth 19[chief prin]ce will bless all who comprehend
the mysteries of pure [insight] with seven w[ords] of [His] exalted
20truth. [He will also bless] all who are quick to do His will with seven
[wondrous words,] blessing those who confess Him with seven majestic
[wo]rds comprising 21a wondrous thanksgiving. In the name of the warrior
deeds of the divine beings the sixth chief prince will bless all who are
insightful warriors with seven 22wondrous words of His warrior power. He
will also bless all who are perfect in the Way with seven wondrous words,
that they might continue forever in the company of all the [eter]nal
23beings. Yet again will he bless all who wait for Him with seven wondrous
words, that His compassionate loving-kindness might return to them. In the
name of His holiness the [sev]enth chief priest 24will bless all the holy
who establish knowledge with seven words of [His] wondrous holiness. He
will also bless all who exalt 25His laws with se[ven] wondrous [wo]rds that
act as mighty shields. Yet again will he bless all who are prede[stined]
for righteous[ness,] they who praise His glorious kingdom [forever and]
ever, 26with seven wondrous words that lead to eternal peace. Then in [the
name of His holiness] all the [chief] princes [will bless in unis]on the
God of divine beings with all 27[their] sevenfold appointed words of
blessing. They will also bless those predestined for righteousness and all
those blessed of [...] the eternally [bless]ed [...] 28to them, saying
"Blessed be [the] Lord, the Kin[g of] all, exalted above every blessing
and pr[aise, He who blesses all the ho]ly who bless [Him] and those [who
declare His righteous]ness 29in the name of His glory, [He who] blesses all
who receive blessing, forever."
SONG #7: SONGS OF THE SABBATH SACRIFICE
Song 7
7. The seventh and central Sabbath song. The angels addressed are
probably the members of the seven angelic councils. Toward the end of the
song, the animate architectural elements of the heavenly temple are called
upon to praise.
a. 30A text belonging to the Instructor. The song accompanying
the sacrifice on the seventh Sabbath, sung on the sixteenth of the (second)
month. Praise the most high God, you who are exalted among all 31the wise
divine beings. Let those who are holy among the godlike sanctify the
glorious King, He who sanctifies by His holiness each of His holy ones. You
princes of praise 32among all the godlike, praise the God of majestic
[pr]aise. Surely the glory of His kingdom resides in praiseworthy splendor;
therein are held the praises of all 33the godlike, together with the
splendor of [His] entire rea[lm.] Lift His exaltation on high, you godlike
among the exalted divine beings-His glorious divinity above 34all the
highest heavens. Surely He [is the utterly divine] over all the exalted
princes, King of king[s] over all the eternal councils. By the wise
will-35through the words of His mouth-shall come into being all [the
exalted godlike]; at the utterance of His lips all the eternal spirits
shall exist. All the actions of His creatures are but what His wise 36will
allows. Rejoice, you who exult in [knowing Him, with] a song of rejoicing
among the wondrous godlike. Hymn His glory with the tongue of all who hymn
to His wondrous, joy-filled knowledge, 37with the mouth of all who chant
[to Him. Surely He] is God of all who rejoice in eternal wisdom, and mighty
Judge over all perceptive spirits. 38Laud, all you confessing divine
beings, the King of praise; surely all the wise divine shall laud His
glory, and all the righteous spirits His truth. 39Through the precepts of
His mouth is their knowledge found acceptable, at the return of His warrior
hand to dispense judgment is their praise perfected. Sing praises to the
mighty God, 40make the choicest spiritual offering; make me[lod]y in the
joy of God, and rejoice among the holy ones through wondrous melodies, in
everl[asting] joy. 41With such songs shall all the [foundations of the
hol]y of holies offer praise, and the pillars bearing the most exalted
abode, even all the corners of the temple's structure. Hy[mn] 42the G[od
a]wesome in power, [all you] wise [spirits] of light; together laud the
utterly brilliant firmament that girds [His] holy temple. 43[Praise] Him,
godli[ke] spirits, laud[ing] eternally the firmament of the uttermost
heaven, all [its bea]ms and walls, all 44its [stru]cture and crafted
desi[gn.] The utterly holy spirits, living divinities, eternally holy
spirits above 45all the hol[y ones ...] wondrous and wonderful, majesty and
splendor and marvel. Glory abides in the perfected light of knowledge
46[... in a]ll the wondrous temples, divine spirits surrounding the abode
of the righteous and true King. All its walls [...] Col. 2 (with 4Q404
Frag. 6 and 4Q405 Frags. 8-9) 1perfect light, a weaving of an utterly
holy spiritual substance [...] 2raised places of knowledge. At the
footstool of his feet, [...] 3appearance of the glorious bodies belonging
to the princes of the spiritual kingdom [...] 4His glory; and with all
their turning back, the gates of [...] 5the flashing of the [lig]htning
[...] to the chief of the godlike beings of [...] 6running between them are
god[li]ke beings having the appearance of [glowing] coals [...] 7walking to
and fro. The utterly holy spirits [...] 8the utterly holy, divine spirits,
an ete[rnal] vision [...] 9and divine spirits, fiery shapes round about the
[...] 10wondrous spirits. And the most exalted tabernacle, the glory of His
kingdom, innermost sanctuary of [...] 11and He consecrates the seven lofty
holy places. A voice of blessing issues forth from the princes of His
innermost sanctuary [...] 12and the voice of blessing is glorious in the
hearing of the divine beings and those who establish [...] 13the blessing.
All the crafted furnishings of the innermost sanctum shall hasten to take
part in the wondrous psalms in the innermost sanctum. [...] 14of wonder,
sanctum to sanctum with the sound of thronging holy ones. All the crafted
furnishings [...] 15The chariots of His innermost sanctum shall offer
praise as one, and their Cherubim and wheel-beings shall marvelously bless
[...] 16the chiefs of the divine building. They shall praise Him in His
holy innermost sanctum.
SONG #8: SONGS OF THE SABBATH SACRIFICE
8. The eighth Sabbath song, containing an account of the
blessings offered by the seven deputy princes.
a. 18A text belonging to the Instructor. The song accompanying
the sacrifice on the eighth Sabbath, sung on the t[wenty-]third [of the
second month.] Praise the God of all the highe[st heavens, al]l you who are
[eter]nally holy, 19deputies among the priests who draw near, the second
council in the wondrous habitation among the seven [priesthoods, ...] among
those knowledgeable of 20eternal things. Exalt Him, princes who rule, with
His portion, His wonders. Praise [the God of the godlike,] you seven
priest[hoods] who draw near to Him ... highest] 21heaven, seven wondrous
realms set out by the precepts governing His temples. [...] the temples of
the realm of the 22sevenfold priest[hood,] in the wondrous temple belonging
to the seven holy councils [...] 23the prince, the angels of the King in
the wondrous habitations. The perceptive knowledge of the seven [...]
24princes, the High Priest of the inner sanctum, and the leaders of the
King's council in a gathering [...] 25and exalted praises to the glorious
King, magnifying the Go[d of ...] 26to the God of the godlike, the King of
purity. The exaltation coming from their tongues [...] 27seven mysteries of
knowledge in the wondrous mystery attached to the seven utterly holy realms
[... The tongue of the first deputy prince shall sound seven times louder
when joined by that of the second; the tongue] of the second shall sound
28seven times louder when joined by that of the third; the tongue of the
third shall sound seven times louder when joined by that of the [fourth;
the tongue of] the fourth shall sound seven times louder when joined by
that of the fifth; the tongue of the fifth shall sound sev[en times louder
when joined by the tongue of] 29the sixth; the tongue of the sixth shall
sound seven times louder when joined by that of the se[ve]nth; and the
tongue of the seventh shall so[und ...]
SONG #9: SONGS OF THE SABBATH SACRIFICE
9. A portion of the song for the ninth Sabbath, which would fall
on the thirtieth of the second month. What remains describes the vestibules
of the multiple heavenly sanctuaries, particularly the vestibule through
which God enters.
a. 4Q405 Frags. 14-15 Col. 1 2[... From] the wondrous
spiritual likeness, utterly holy and engrav[ed ..., issues a to]ngue of
blessing, and from the [divine] image 3issues [a vo]ice of blessing to the
King of the exalted angels. Their wondrous praise extols the God of the
godlike [...] their embroidered [...], and they sing joyously 4[...] the
vestibules of their entryways, utterly holy spirits who draw near in [...]
eternally. 5[The like]ness of living divine beings is carved on the walls
of the vestibules by which the King enters, luminous spiritual figures [in
the innermost sanctums of the K]ing, figures of glorious li[ght,] wondrous
spirits. 6[In] the midst of the glorious spirits stand wondrous embroidered
works, figures of living divine beings [... in the] glorious [in]nermost
sanctums that belong to the structure of 7the utterly ho[ly temple,] in the
innermost sanctums of the King are div[ine] figure[s; and from] the
likeness of [...]
SONG #10: SONGS OF THE SABBATH SACRIFICE
10. A fragment of the song for the tenth Sabbath. Like the song for the
ninth Sabbath, the central theme here is apparently description of the
heavenly temples.
a. Frag. 15 Col. 2 + Frag. 16 1The fringed edge [...] 2and
rivers of fire [...] 3appearing as fiery flames [... be]autiful upon the
veil of the King's innermost sanctum [...] 4in the innermost sanctum of
His Presence, an embroidered work [...] everything that is engraved upon
the [...], divine figures [...] 5glory issuing from both sides of them
[...] the veils of the wondrous innermost sanctums. They bless the [...]
6sides of them, declaring [...] wondrous, inside the innermost sanctum
[...] 7[... They ex]tol the glorious king with a joyous cry [...]
SONG #11: SONGS OF THE SABBATH SACRIFICE
11. Portions from the middle and end of the eleventh Sabbath song.
Description of the heavenly temples and architecture continues, focusing
here on the innermost sanctuaries, the chariot-thrones, and attendant
priestly angels.
a. Frags. 19a-d (with 11Q17 Frags. 12-15) 2Then the divine
figures, the ut[terly holy] spirits, shall praise Him [...] the glorious
figures, the floor 3of the wondrous innermost sanctuaries, the spirits of
the perpetual divine beings-all [...] the fig[ures of the inner]most
sanctuary of the King, spir[it]ual handiwork of the wondrous firmament
4made utterly pure, [spi]rits of knowledge, truth and righteousness in the
Holy of [H]olies, [f]orms of the living godlike beings, luminous spiritual
forms-5all these h[ol]y handiworks are wondrously connected to each
other. Embroidered [spirits,] figures of the godlike beings, are engraved
6all around the [gl]orious bricks; these are glorious figures, handiwork
belonging to the splendid and majest[ic bri]cks. All these handiworks are
living godlike beings 7and their figures are holy angels. From beneath the
marvelous inn[ermost sanctums] is heard the quiet voice of god[like] beings
praising [...] Frag. 20 Col. 2 + Frags. 21-22 (with 11Q17 Frags. 3-6)
1They do not hesitate when they arise ... the innermost sanc]tums of all
the priests who draw near [...] 2In obedience to the ordinance they are
steadfast, serving [...] a seat similar to His royal throne in His glorious
innermost sanctums. They do not sit [...] 3His glorious chariots [...] holy
Cherubim, luminous wheel-beings in the inner[most sanctum ...] godlike
spirits of [...] purity [...] 4of holiness; the handiwork of its corners
[...] royal; the glorious chario[t] seats [...] knowledgeable wings [...]
wondrous works of warrior power [...] 5perpetual truth and righteousness
[...] when His glorious chariots move to the [...] they do not turn to this
side or that [... rather,] they go straight ahead [...]
SONG #12: SONGS OF THE SABBATH SACRIFICE
12. The twelfth Sabbath song. Remaining portions contain a description of
God's chariot-throne and its praise. The text then moves to an account of
praise given by the angels, who are assembled military-style in camps and
units. The latter part of the song focuses on the ceremonial angelic
worship taking place in the heavenly temple.
a. 6A text belonging to the Instructor. The song accompanying
[the sacrifice] on the twelfth Sabbath, sung on the [twenty-first of the
third month.] [Praise the God of ...] 7[...] Exalt Him, [...] the glory in
the tabernacl[e of the God of] knowledge. The [Cheru]bim fall before Him
and bless Him; as they arise, the quiet voice of God 8[is heard], followed
by a tumult of joyous praise. As they unfold their wings, God's q[uiet]
voice is heard again. The Cherubim bless the image of the chariot-throne
that appears above the firmament, 9[then] they joyously acclaim the
[splend]or of the luminous firmament that spreads beneath His glorious
seat. As the wheel-beings advance, holy angels come and go. Between 10His
chariot-throne's glorious [w]heels appears something like an utterly holy
spiritual fire. All around are what appear to be streams of fire,
resembling electrum, and [sh]ining handiwork 11comprising wondrous colors
embroidered together, pure and glorious. The spirits of the living
[go]dlike beings move to and fro perpetually, following the glory of the
[wo]ndrous chariots. 12A quiet voice of blessing accompanies the tumult of
their movement, and they bless the Holy One each time they retrace their
steps. When they rise up, they do so wondrously, and when they settle down,
13they [sta]nd still. The sound of joyous rejoicing falls silent, and the
qui[et] blessing of God spreads through all the camps of the divine beings.
The sound of prais[es] [...] 14[...] coming out of each of their divisions
on [both] sides, and each of the mustered troops rejoices, one by one in
order of rank [...] 11Q17 Frags. 5-6 1[...] wondrous, knowledge and
insigh[t ...] wondr[ous] firmaments [...] 2[...] in the essence of light, a
splendor of [...] every form of wond[rous] spirits [...] 3[...] godlike
beings, fearfully powerful, all [...] their [utt]erly wondrous acts by the
power of the God of [...] 4[per]petual, exalting the warrior acts of the
Go[d of ...] from the four foundations of the wondrous firmament 5they
ann[oun]ce when they hear the sound of praise lifted up to God, [...]
blessing and praising the God of 6the godlike. A tumu[lt ...] the highest
[heaven ...] the glorious King [...] of the wondrous foundations, 7lifting
up praise [...] of the God of [...] and all their foundations [...] utterly
8hol[y ...] praise lifted up [...] their [w]ings, ex[alting ... over] their
heads, 9and they cal[l] out [...] 4Q405 Frag. 23 Col. 1 1[...] when they
lift up praise [...] 2[...] When they stand still, [...] 3[...] His
glorious royal thrones, and the entire congregation of the ministers of
4[...] wondrous; the [wondrous] godlike beings shall not be shaken,
forever; 5[... to rem]ain steadfast in every task, for the godlike beings
in charge of His whole offering 6[...] His whole offering. The godlike
beings praise Him [when fir]st they take their positions, while all the
sp[irits of] the splendid firma[m]ents 7continuously rejoice in His glory.
A voice of blessing comes from all of His divisions, telling of His
glorious firmaments, and His gates praise 8with a joyful noise. When the
wise divine beings enter through glorious portals, and when the holy angels
go forth to their realms, 9the portals through which they enter and the
gates through which they exit declare the glory of the King, blessing and
praising all the godlike 10spirits each time they exit or enter through the
holy ga[t]es. None of them omits a precept or fails to acknowledge anything
11the King says. They neither run from the Way nor reverence anything not a
part of it; they consider themselves neither too exalted for His realm nor
12too humble for His commissions. He shall have no compassion when His
furious annihilat[ing] anger reigns, yet He will not punish those from whom
His glorious anger was removed. 13Awesome fear of the King of the godlike
beings grips a[ll] of the godlike [when He sends them forth] on all of His
commissions according to His veri[ta]ble order, and they go [...]
SONG #13: SONGS OF THE SABBATH SACRIFICE
13. The thirteenth Sabbath song. Portions of this selection concern the
clothing worn by the ministering spirits.
a. 11Q17 Frags. 7-8 1[...] good favor [...] all th[eir] works
2[...] for the sacrifices of the holy ones [...] the smell of their
offerings [...] 3[...] and the sm[el]l of their drink offerings, according
to the num[ber of ...] of purity in a spirit of holine[ss] 4[...] perpetual
in [splendor and] majesty for [...] the wondrous [...] and the form of the
breastplates of 5[... be]auty [... spirits] clothed with embroidery, a sort
of wo[ven handiwork ...] splendidly purified dyed garments [...] 4Q405
Frag. 23 Col. 2 7their holy places. At their wondrous stations are spirits,
clothed with embroidery, a sort of woven handiwork, engraved with splendid
figures. 8In the midst of what looks like glorious scarlet and colors of
utterly holy spiritual light, the spirits take up their holy stand in the
presence of 9the [K]ing-[splendidly] colored spirits surrounded by the
appearance of whiteness. This latter glorious spiritual substance is like
golden handiwork, shimmering in 10[the lig]ht. All their crafted garments
are splendidly purified, crafted by the weaver's art. These spirits are
the leaders of those who are wondrously clothed for service, 11the leaders
of each and every holy kingdom belonging to the holy King, who serve in all
the exalted temples of His glorious realm. 12The leaders of the exaltation
possess tongues of knowledge [so as] to bless the God of knowledge for all
His glorious works. [In] His insightful knowledge and [glo]rious acumen [He
has inscribed the ord]inances governing their military units in all the
hol[y inn]er [sanctums.] 11Q17 Frags. 2 + 1 + 9 1[... His] glorious heights
[...] His [gl]ory with [...] 2His [rec]ompense by judgments of [...] His
compassion with the gl[orious] honor of [...] His [s]easons 3[and] all the
blessings of [His] peace [... the gl]ory of His works, and in the ligh[t of
...] and with the splendor of 4the praise given Him in all the firmam[ents
of ...] light and darkness and the figures of [...] the glorious [ho]liness
of the King 5for all [His] veritable works [...] for the angels of
knowledge in all [their] king[doms ...] His [cam]p, holy exaltations 6for
His glorious thrones and the footstool of [His] f[eet and all] His majestic
[ch]ariots and [His] ho[ly] inner sanctums [...] and for the portals of
[the Kin]g's entrance, 7together with all the exits of [... the cor]ners
of its str[uc]ture and all the [...] for His glorious temples and the
firmaments of [...]
Conclusion:
1. Without the Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice, it is impossible
to correctly interpret the book of Revelation as a warning to the Jerusalem
Christians in 66 AD to flee the city.
a. The imagery of Revelation is drawn from Ezekiel but the
style is drawn from the Songs of Sabbath Sacrifice.
b. It is clear, that what we suspected all along, namely that
the symbolism in the book of Revelation was immediately recognizable to the
first century Christians and not us living today.
c. The symbolism and content of the book of Revelation
created an instant connection with the ubiquitous Angelic Liturgy, Ezekiel
and Jeremiah.
d. All this made it clear that the great harlot also known as
Babylon, was none other than Jerusalem itself.
e. The Christians would immediately flee the city.
f. What this also shows us, is that an interpretation of
Revelation that does not affect the first century Christians at the time
the book was written, must be rejected.
g. The nebulous, imprecise and essentially meaningless
interpretation that Revelation written supposedly to Christians after 96 AD
must be outright rejected.
2. Homer Hailey and Robert Harkrider are the authors of the two
most read commentaries on Revelation (ie,) by the Churches of Christ today,
but were both totally unaware that Songs of Sabbath Sacrifice even existed
and never reference it. Not surprising, both mistakenly rejected the
correct interpretation that Revelation was written in 66 AD as a warning to
the Christians living in Jerusalem its destruction by the Romans was
imminent. Both say Revelation was written in 96 AD.
a. These authors were also oblivious to the fact that the
messianic symbolism in the book of Revelation was witnessed in many dead
sea scrolls, Jewish coins and ancient Jewish literary sources. The volume
of information they either we unaware or ignored on first century Jewish
culture from archeology dwarfs the Bible content in Isaiah, Ezekiel and
Jeremiah.
b. What is worse, is that Rev 11:8 specifically identifies
Jerusalem as the Great City in three ways: spiritual Egypt, spiritual Sodom
and the city Jesus' was crucified. Hailey calls this the fuzzy "world
city" but not Babylon and connects Egypt with Isa 24-27 and
simplistically connects Sodom with Gen 19. Harkrider goes "all in" with
Rome and connects Egypt with the Exodus and Sodom with Gen 19. Both totally
miss the obvious synchronism between the destructions of 587 BC and 70 AD.
Both fail to connect Egypt and Sodom as spiritual names for the soon to be
destroyed Jerusalem in 587 BC: Jerusalem = Sodom: Jeremiah 23:14-15, 587
BC. Jerusalem = Egypt: Ezekiel 23:2-27, 591 BC. This is a shocking
oversight these two authors have made.
3. When brethren ignore or are indifferent to cartology,
chronology and archeology it is impossible to correctly interpret the book
of Revelation.
a. Countless numbers of Christians have been misled into
confusion as a result in place of a clear and simple message to flee the
city of Jerusalem.
b. The gospel of John written after 70 AD makes no mention of
the destruction of Jerusalem because it was written after the event.
c. Revelation written in 66 AD, at the start of the first
Jewish war with Rome, was John's "Olivet discourse". Revelation was
Mathew's chapter 24 and Luke's chapter 21.
4. As an example most commentators on the book of Revelation
are unaware that Rev 20:2,7-8 is borrowing directly from widely held Jewish
beliefs about what they thought the Messiah would be like:
John borrowed from first century Jewish eschatology in Revelation
Seder Olam
160 AD
Talmud, b. Sanh. 11:1, I.91
Revelation
20:2, 7-8
War
Gog and Magog
Resurrection
Judgement
Hell
Dragon
1000 years "Days of Messiah"
5. In the book of Revelation, the great harlot, the great city
and Babylon all refer to soon to be destroyed city of Jerusalem in 70 AD.
a. Song of the Sabbath Sacrifice is one of the foundational
keys to unlocking the meaning of the book of Revelation in addition to
these primary resources.
b. The most important synchronism required to decode the book
of Revelation is between the 587 BC and 70 AD destructions of the temple.
c. In 587 BC the blessings of Jerusalem were transferred to
Babylon and the curses of Babylon were transferred to Jerusalem and it was
destroyed. In 587 BC, Jerusalem was called both Egypt and Sodom.
d. In 70 AD, the curses of Babylon (now long extinct) were
transferred to Jerusalem, which is why Jerusalem was called Babylon by
Peter in 1 Pe 5:13. In 66 AD, Jerusalem was called Egypt, Sodom and
Babylon.
e. The two temples were even destroyed on the same day of the
month: 10 Av.
f. Christians living in Jerusalem in 66 AD were ordered
to "come out from among them", just as Jeremiah had ordered in 605 BC
and Daniel obeyed by surrendering to Nebuchadnezzar.
6. The following sources are essentially required to correctly
interpret the book of Revelation:
a. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel and a handful of
specific messianic texts
b. Dead Sea scrolls: Melchizedek, Testimonia, Florilegium,
Song of Sabbath Sacrifice
c. Judean coins
d. Jewish Literary sources: Book of Jubilees, Philo,
Josephus, Seder Olam Rabbah, Targums, Mishnah, Tosefta, Talmud etc.
7. God fully furnished us with everything for life, godliness
and every good works.
a. Using the Bible alone, God has given Christians all the
required information.
b. Since the book of Revelation was written to warn
Christians in Jerusalem to flee the city, it is NOT required information
for us today.
c. The symbolism and synchronisms connecting 587 BC and 70
AD were immediately understood, but Christians today are unable to see it
unless they go outside the Bible and study ancient Jewish culture.
d. Therefore, Christians today cannot use the Bible alone to
understand the finer details of how Revelation functioned to motivate the
Jerusalem Christians to "come out from among them", just as Jeremiah
had ordered in 605 BC and Daniel obeyed by surrendering to Nebuchadnezzar.
8. We have a church where most of the preachers would fail the
simplest mapping or chronology test:
a. Locate these 10 cities on your own hand-drawn blank map
of Israel (8x5x11 paper): Jerusalem, Hebron, Nazareth, Ashkelon, Shiloh,
Shechem, Dan, Madaba, Succoth, Gibeon.
b. Most basic chronological question like: Date of the
Exodus, how long was the conquest, when was the tabernacle set up at Shiloh
and for how long, when David began to rule in Jerusalem, when Solomon
completed the Temple, The year and date of the crucifixion, the year Paul
was converted, when did the first Jewish war begin and for how long?
9. It is time Christians learn, "What we read in the Book, we
find in the ground" and while archeology, chronology and cartology may
not be essential to salvation or scriptural church worship, much of the
content of the Bible is veiled without it.
Steve Rudd: Contact the author for comments, input or corrections.
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