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The Essenes: Foretelling Events

Josephus mentions the Essenes as one of the three sects of Jews at the time (2nd or 1st century B.C.).

War, Book 2, Chapter 8, Sections 2-13:

Section 12:
This is the longest passage devoted to the Essenes and includes mention of the Essenes foretelling what will happen
"There are also those among them who undertake to foretell things to come, by by reading the holy books, and using several sorts of purifications, and being perpetually conversant in the discourses of the prophets; and it is but seldom that they miss in their predictions."
Whiston, the translator, on the authority of Dean Aldrich, points out three examples of Essenes making such predictions.

First: War Book 1, Chapter 3, Section 5

Judas, an Essene sees Antigonus in the temple. He is upset because he has foretold that Antigonus will die that very day in Strato’s Tower (future Caesarea, on the cost), which is too far from Jerusalem for Antigonus to arrive there that day. But he is consoled because the news shortly arrives that Antigonus has been killed in a subterranean cave or room that is also called Strato’s Tower.

Second: War Book 2, Chapter 7, Section 4

Archelaus, one of Herod the Great's sons was ruler of Judea for nine years. Then Augustus Caesar sent for him and removed him, exiling him to Gaul and putting Judea under direct Roman rule. Five days before the summons to appear before Caesar arrived, Archelaus had a dream. Simon, an Essene, one of may invited to interpret the dream, said it meant that Archelaus would reign nine years, then suffer changes of fortune and die, which proved to be the case.

Third: Antiquities Book 15, Chap. 10, section 5

Menahem the Essene, seeing Herod when he was a child going to school, saluted him as king of the Jews. He prophesies that Herod will reign thirty or more years and that he will "excel all men in happiness and obtain an everlasting reputation, but will forget piety and righteousness." Josephus concludes the section by writing, ". . . many of these Essenes have, by their excellent virtue, been thought worthy of this knowledge of divine revelation."


Question: How was this divine revelation communicated?

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