Ancient Witnesses: The Essenes and the Rechabites

Jackson Snyder Presents Professor Kenneth Hanson’s vision of two first century religious groups associated with the Nazoreans: The Essenes and the Recabites, Hansen recounts the mysterious sect of the Rechabites spoken of in the prophet Jeremiah and second century Jewish sectarian literature. The Rechabites kept to a strict family creed: to abstain from wine and meat, to not build houses or stay in the place too long – and for this the prophet says that a member of the family will always stand before the mighty Father. The story follows one Zosimus who is led by strange events to the secret Island of the Rechabites, where he experiences the strict life instituted by the patriarch Recab. This story is from Hansen’s Secrets of the Lost Bible.

The other segment describes the inner life of the Essenesl stylized primarily from the ancient descriptions of the sectarians found in Josephus, Pliny and Philo. The Essenes find rich and luxurious places to dwell – but within their minds – as they live in caves with very little luxuries. This description is from the Essene Book of Days, also by Professor Hansen, who is professor of Judaic Studies at University of Central Florida in Orlando. Hansen is a friend of Dr. Snyder’s and a intellectual supporter of the Yahad.

Jackson Snyder Presents is a production of the Vero Essene Yahad of Vero Beach Florida, a think-tank of scholars interested in the Essene origins of the Christian Faith, lost on popular religion of our day. Contact Jackson Snyder at veroyahad@gmail.com or anyone@theyahad.com. All mail will be answered promptly. Alternately, catch the Yahad on Facebook www.facebook.com/groups/veroyahad/