“We’ll find little treasure,” Benjamin says, joining us. “Most of it lies within enemy territory.” His eyes follow Aaron. “My brother has violated no oath by leaving.”
Josiah mumbles something about how we all, including Aaron, have done our duty, but I hardly listen. I’m watching Rebekah’s scarf slip and expose her hair; watching as she throws back her head and rakes her short wavy locks with her fingers; watching as she sweetly instructs Esther to gather her things, and I know then and there that the only treasure I’m interested in is that treasure residing within her—that faith and peace and trust and love which only the indwelling Messiah can give—a treasure in earthen vessels. And in that instant, I feel the first bit of peace I’ve felt in years.
“I’m not going,” I hear myself say. “I’m not going to Masada.”
“Ethan, you don’t mean to abandon the fight now?” Josiah says with a frown. “Every man is needed if we are to defeat the Romans.”
“We’ll never defeat them.” I press my palm against his chest. “In here, you know it’s true. Let me go in peace, my friend. You follow your conscience. I must follow mine.”
“Even if we don’t defeat the Romans, I’d rather die trying than to live under their rule.” Josiah looks confused. “I always thought you felt the same way.”
“I did . . . once.”
“I don’t understand, Ethan. What has changed?”
I almost laugh. “Everything.”
“What can I say to make you alter your course?”
“Nothing. Just wish me God speed.”
Josiah sighs in resignation. “Where will you go?”
“To Pella. To begin a new life.” I turn to Benjamin. He’s grinning from ear to ear and nods in agreement.
Josiah glances at Rebekah. “Perhaps if I had what you had, I’d be tempted to go, too. Hashem has blessed you, and, in truth, we have more treasure than we need. So go, in search of your own.”
I’m unable to keep my lips from parting in a smile. “I’ve already found it, Josiah,” I say softly. “I’ve already found it.”
Can we look into the past and see the future? I think so. After all, history is said to repeat itself.
While researching the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, my mind kept returning to this one thought: since, according to the Bible, a revived Roman Empire will be the last great empire before Christ’s return, are there parallels between the two Roman empires, the old and the revived, and if so, what lessons can be learned?
As I pondered it, I was struck by the power and enormity of the first Roman Empire. It covered much of the known world. It was highly civilized, with paved roads, intricate water systems, a sophisticated government, taxes, pensions and welfare programs. It had theaters and sports arenas. Goods from every corner of the world poured into its marketplace. It was tolerant of all religions except the two that believed in only one God—the Jewish and Christian faiths. These were viewed with suspicion and distrust, and later with hostility. Members of these faiths were openly persecuted, until persecution gave way to outright slaughter.
Rome was also prosperous, advanced, decadent, corrupt and ruthless—so like the one-world government described in Revelation.
The next parallel I saw was between the church of that day and the end-times church of Laodicea. Before the destruction of Jerusalem, Jewish Christians considered themselves part of Judaism and were strongly connected to the Temple. I think of these Christians as the “remnant” and as such they correspond to the body of Christ which will be raptured in the last days before the great tribulation. Indeed, the majority of Christians in Jerusalem escaped the horrors that befell the rest of Jerusalem’s population because they fled to a “safe city” such as Pella.
Thus, it is the Temple priesthood and its governing body, the Sanhedrin, which typifies the last day church. To say they were corrupt is an understatement. The High Priest and others associated with the Temple often lined their own pockets at the expense of the people. They cared more for power than obeying and serving God. In league with Rome, they even allowed the Roman government to appoint the High Priests rather than allowing the office to be passed down from the Aaronic line, from father to son, as ordained by God. Consequently, these High Priests were politically motivated. And not only were they part of the corrupt world system, they catered to it, and by doing so left a spiritual vacuum.
This vacuum created confusion among the people, and as a result, countless numbers were deceived by the many “Messiahs” who surfaced during this period. Violence increased as Jewish rebels and bandits roamed the countryside in lawlessness. Seeing the decline of their nation and religious purity, another group, who were zealous for God but moved carnally, believed deliverance from Rome and the return to Holiness would only come by their hand. They employed force and brutality, and ended up becoming as ruthless as the very Jewish bandits and Romans they fought.
Jerusalem can also be seen as a microcosm of the end time world. Starvation, disease, murder, corruption, moral confusion, violence, and infighting (wars and rumors of wars) marred the city, making it ripe for destruction.
Also, during this time, Christians strongly believed that Jesus’ return was imminent. So, too, as the end times near, more and more people will begin looking for the return of Christ, for according to the Bible, He will return at the end of the seven year tribulation.
Certainly there are intriguing parallels between the time of the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. and the time of the tribulation period; parallels that can, if we care to look, give us a glimpse into the future. And if we must live through these times, God will give us the grace to do so. But if we are to be raptured beforehand, as some believe (myself included), then let us prepare our hearts now. Let us be ready for the trumpet sound. If you don’t know Jesus, now is the time to accept Him as your Lord and Savior. Now is the time to confess your sins and invite Him into your heart. The tribulation could be closer than we think.
“Even so, come Lord Jesus.”
Sylvia Bambola
[email protected]
website: http://www.sylviabambola.com
Here are some facts concerning Rebekah’s Treasure that may be of interest to readers:
The first Jewish revolt began in 66 A.D. though the tension between Romans and Jews had been building for years. Jerusalem and the Temple were razed in 70 A.D. and the war finally ended in 73 A.D. when Masada fell. The sad part is that thousands of Jews were killed by their own countrymen during the nearly four years the various Jewish factions battled each other for power.
Josephus, the man Ethan describes as a Hasmonean priest and spokesman for Titus, was an actual historical figure. After the destruction of Jerusalem he went to live in Rome, and under the protection and patronage of Vespasian and later Titus, wrote his famous works, among them Jewish Antiquities and The Jewish War. The latter contains his firsthand account of the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple.
The cup of the last supper is neither mentioned in scripture after Jesus’ death, nor did it hold any significant place in early Church history. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that the cup was never revered or thought sacred by the apostles or early church. It was only during the late 12th and early 13th centuries that its legend was developed, and when it began showing up in literature and myths.
In the Gentile cities of the Decapolis, the Greeks and Romans worshipped many gods. But while the worship of Isis was popular throughout the Roman Empire, and the facts concerning the worship of Isis are accurately portrayed in the novel, there’s no proof that Isis was worshiped in Pella. There was, however, an ancient Canaanite temple there.
In 70 A.D. Israel would have been called Eretz Yisrael (Land of Israel) and Qumran would have been called either Ir-Tzadok B’Succaca or Essene Yahad (Essene Community). But since most people are only familiar with the modern names, for reader clarity, I’ve used those names in the book.
Hezekiah’s Tunnel and Solomon’s quarries d
o exist, as do the multiple cisterns and waterways and plastered ashlar stone drainage channels beneath Jerusalem, many of which were indeed used by rebels to move about undetected. However, the tunnel from the Temple to Qumran is not based on fact, though some speculate it did exist and believe it was the very means by which the holy scrolls and temple treasure were evacuated from the city.
The copper scroll is a genuine artifact, and most scholars believe it describes real Temple treasure; a treasure moved sometime before the Romans destroyed the Temple in 70 A.D. The scrolls were found on a shelf in Cave 3, a cave in the limestone cliffs about a mile north of Qumran. Sixty-four treasure locations are mentioned in the scroll.
Scholars cannot agree on the exact location of The Valley of Achor. Some think it is north of Jericho (a common belief of the early Church fathers) while others believe it is the Valley of Hyrcania in the cliffs southwest of Qumran. I have chosen the southwest location as the one I portrayed in the novel, the location John Allegro—the English scholar and member of the original copper scroll-publication team—believed was the site of some treasure mentioned in the copper scrolls: the fortress of John Hyrcania. And where he himself spent considerable time searching for it.
abaya: cloak
actio
institoria: a claim against a person who placed an institor, or agent, in charge of a business for acts committed by that agent or institor while transacting that busines
Aediles: Market Manager who oversees and regulates all public auctions.
caldarium: Roman hot bath
cubit: 18 to 22 inches, the length from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow
Curule Aedile magistrate who had imperium—the power to apply the law within his magistracy
Essene Yahad garum: Essene Community a popular fish sauce commonly used by Romans over many of their dishes
hyrax: a small, furry, rodent-looking mammal
jus gentium: “Law of Nations”. International law that governed the Roman legal system
kaffia: male headscarf
kohl: ancient makeup; a blackening agent used to enhance the eyes
kokh: burial niche
lepta: bronze coin; that and the prutah were the smallest denomination of coins; the lepta was probably the widow’s mite in Mark’s and Luke’s Gospel
lictors: Roman civil servant, serving magistrates who had imperium (the power to apply the law within their magistracy)
lex aquilia: the law that compensated owners if their property was damaged by another
mikvah: ritual bath, used for spiritual cleansing or purification
mohar: bride price paid by the bridegroom to bride’s parents
naturalis
obligation: obligations which may or may not be legally protected but which are prerequisites of all obligations
palla: a cloak worn over the shoulder, somewhat like a toga, by women
peculium: (Roman law) acquisitions/property that are allowed to be held by a son, wife or slave even though technically they belonged to the father, husband or master
praetors: term applied to either an army commander or a magistrate
praetorian law: action introduced by praetors in 149 B.C. by which equity was developed for actions not provided for by Roman law.
scrip: purse
semadi: a headdress with silver coins sewn onto it.
shirwal: pants
stola: a long tunic that usually is worn over another tunic, worn by Greek and Roman women
Sukkot: Feast of Tabernacles
talent: (of silver) There is conflicting information on this. Even several good sources differ, and their claims put the weight of a talent anywhere from 90 to 130 pounds
talith: Jewish prayer shawl
READERS GROUP QUESTIONS:
There’s a lot about treasure in this book. Though we may not think we are treasure seekers, what “Copper Scroll” of treasure do we commonly pursue today?
Jesus drank from many cups, including the cup at the last supper. Do you think it would please Him if we made a shrine or idol out of any one of them? Because we are finite and temporal, it’s always a temptation to make idols out of what we perceive to be sacred objects. Do you think this is one of the reasons the Bible forbids us to make idols or worship images?
Rebekah came from a wealthy family. Her flight to Pella required her to not only leave most of her family behind but required her to adjust to a harsher, poorer way of life, not so unlike those today who must adjust after a natural disaster or a serious economic reversal. What are some of the difficulties and dangers of such an adjustment?
The Bible says that Satan is a liar and the father of lies. Argos seems very comfortable with telling lies. He does it so well that he actually seems to believe them himself. In fact, he even accuses Rebekah of doing the very thing he is guilty of. (“You would have the entire city turn against me.”) How easy is it to get into the habit of telling lies? Is it easier to tell bigger lies after one becomes comfortable with the “little deceptions” i.e. a mother instructing her kids to, “tell them I’m not home,” when someone she doesn’t want to talk to calls on the phone?
Esther tries to impose her will in her life instead of bowing to God’s, and not only makes herself miserable in the process but must face serious consequences. Can you think of a time you pursued your own will, regardless of what God’s might have been? Were you happy? Were there consequences?
In chapter seven, though Kyra has heard about Jesus many times at Zechariah’s house church, Rebekah thinks she’s not interested. Yet, pages later we learn Kyra really was interested, and that Zechariah’s words had actually made an impression on her. Have you ever talked about Jesus with someone who seemed disinterested, only to learn later, perhaps years later, that what you said had, in fact, made an impact? Can we ever predict what our witnessing will accomplish? Even if a person seems disinterested, can we really know what’s going on inside?
In chapter eight, Ethan questions why God would heal the heathen Demas, giving him both physical eyes as well as spiritual ones, and not heal his son—a faithful follower of Jesus as well as of Torah and Temple. Have you ever asked this same question? Maybe you have served God many years without seeing a miracle in your life, then a new believer comes along getting a healing or some other wonderful miracle from God, leaving you to feel like that faithful older brother who has labored alongside his father for years but was never as appreciated as that rebellious younger brother who spent so much time in the pigpen? How did it make you feel? Is it fair? Is there a lesson in it? Are we right to feel jealous?
In chapter nine, Rebekah feels like she’s the only one in the world who has suffered, who is hurting. Have you ever felt like that? How did you overcome it?
Both Hannah and Zechariah imagine the worst when they are told to appear before the slave master, right after Judah comes home. How many times have you thought the worst, before praying about it or consulting the Lord or waiting for His guidance or grace? Explain.
Rebekah finds out that the Esther in the Market Manager’s house is not her daughter, and though she is bitterly disappointed there is no indication she is angry with God. Have you ever been so disappointed about something that you became angry with God? Even though, like in Rebekah’s life, He has already done so many miracles in yours?
For years Rebekah had been praying that Aaron, the son who had such a heart for God, would learn more about his faith under the Apostle John. In the end, this prayer is answered. Many times we don’t get the answer to our prayers as fast as we would like. Can you recall a prayer that was a long time in coming? What does this say? Should we persevere in prayer even when we see no results? Does God measure time the way we do?
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Rebekah's Treasure Page 33