Publisher's Synopsis
Volume 4, book 2, 'The Books of the Essene College' consists of the reconstituted writings from the Essene religious order of the priesthood that was building a priestly government for the new era of the anticipated kingdom of the Messiah that was said to be appearing in Israel soon. . Mostly the writings are an academic instruction in the scriptures and the regulations of a priesthood more pure than the Hasmonean establishment at the temple in Jerusalem, which practiced sacrificial offerings. In contrast, the Essenes were vegetarians reminscent of the Jainist Brahmin priesthood of ancient India. Mainly, the Essenes anticipated the Messiah to be a great teacher that would overcome the present corrupt government with his divine teachings that herald the kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, the Essene priests were preparing the way for the kingdom of God proclaimed in the gospel. . The Essene writings also mention 'the mystery' of the Messiah, a dramatic confrontation that was anticipated to happen, something similar to the confrontation of the prophet Elijah with Ahab and the priests of Baal. The mystery appears to resemble the apocalypse of the apostle John, with the rise and fall of the kingdom of the beast and the false prophet.
