The New CovenantAccording to the Encyclopedia Britannica, the Damascus Document is also known as “The Document of the New Covenant
in the Land of Damascus”

The Essenes believed that God had visited them and made a New Covenant with them. The Damascus document
references this New Covenant in several places The faithful must be careful to obey the ordinances of the Law during this period of wickedness, separating
themselves from the sons of iniquity, and to abstain from the wealth of evil (impure because of the vows andbans) and Temple funds because they rob the poor of my people of their rights, so that widows may become
their spoil and they may kill orphans. (Isaiah 10: 2) They must distinguish between clean and unclean, whichteaches everyone how to discern between holy and profane. They must observe the Sabbath according to itstrue meaning. They must keep the festivals and the day of the Fast[ xxx] as they are taught by those whoentered the New Covenant in the land of Damascus.
Johnson, Ken . The New Covenant of Damascus (pp. 30-31). Kindle Edition.

So are all the men who entered the New Covenant in the land of Damascus, but then turned back,treacherously departing from the Fountain of living waters.
Johnson, Ken . The New Covenant of Damascus (p. 35). Kindle Edition.

They shall be judged along with the scornful men, because they have lied against the statutes ofrighteousness and rejected the covenant and their pledge of faith which they made in the land ofDamascus. This is the New Covenant.
Johnson, Ken . The New Covenant of Damascus (pp. 35-36). Kindle Edition.

The Habakkuk Commentary – 1QpHab The Habakkuk Commentary records that, during the time of theRoman occupation of Israel (64 BC to AD 135), the Teacher of Righteousness was persecuted by The Liar. The
people of this apostate priest “followed the Liar and refused to listen to the Teacher of Righteousness.” They
were the “unfaithful of the New Covenant who have not believed in the Covenant of God.”Johnson, Ken . The New Covenant of Damascus (p. 92). Kindle Edition.

When children of a New Covenant member reach the age to be included in the registrants, they shall require
the covenant oath upon them.
Johnson, Ken . The New Covenant of Damascus (p. 52). Kindle Edition.

They called the New Covenant, referenced in Jeremiah 31, the New Covenant of Damascus or the Damascus
Covenant. This has nothing to do with Damascus, Syria. The word Damascus can mean “house of the bloodheir.” The site we call Qumran they named New Damascus in honor of the coming Messiah. It was to be His
house, and He is the only begotten Son of the Father.
Johnson, Ken . The New Covenant of Damascus (p. 126). Kindle Edition.

“Central to the Qumran Essene community’s existence was its sense of self-identity. They referred tothemselves as the true remnant of Israel, with whom God had made a new or renewed covenant. Forexample, the Damascus Document emphasizes a “new covenant” (CD 6.19; 8.21; etc.), and the Rule of theCommunity instructs that initiates into the community be brought into this covenant with God, which wasrenewed annually (1QS 1.16–2.25).”
The Dead Sea Scrolls and the New Testament | Religious Studies Center (byu.edu)

Timing of the New Covenant
In a 430 year period every 7th year is a Sabbath year when the land rests, and every 50th year is also a Jubilee year.
So in 430 years there are 61.4 Sabbath Years + 8.6 Jubilee Years = 70 sabbatical years.
The Jubilee year was to be a year when debts were cancelled, slaves were set free and people received back theirinheritance. Bearing this in mind, consider the timing of the Biblical Covenants (Ussher chronology) –• Noahic Covenant (2348 B.C.)
then 427 years• Abrahamic Covenant (1921 B.C.)
then 430 years• Mosaic Covenant (1491 B.C.)
then 437 years• Davidic Covenant(1055 B.C.)
then 430 years• New Covenant (625 B.C.) first mentioned by Jeremiah
So, God entered into a new covenant every 70 sabbatical years
The Damascus document states "During the period of wrath, 390 years after He had given them into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, king ofBabylon, He visited them and caused a Root of His planting to spring forth from Israel and Aaron to inherit Hisland."
Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the Jerusalem Temple and took the Israelites into captivity in 586 B.C. , so 390 years lateris 196 B.C.
So we have• Noahic Covenant (2348 B.C.)
then 427 years• Abrahamic Covenant (1921 B.C.)
then 430 years• Mosaic Covenant (1491 B.C.)
then 437 years• Davidic Covenant(1055 B.C.)
then 430 years• New Covenant (625 B.C.) first mentioned by Jeremiah
then 429 years• New Covenant of Damascus (196 B.C.)

Teacher of Righteousness
A. In the Last Generation, at the End of Days
He raised up to them the Teacher of Righteousness[ vi] to guide them in the ways of His heart. He revealed tolater generations what He does in the last generation to the traitorous community[ vii] who departs from theWay.
The “nobles of the people” are those who come to “dig the well” by the ordinances that the “Rod” ordained
them to observe during the whole period of wickedness, and that they observe no other ordinances until theappearance of the Teacher of Righteousness in the End of Days.
Johnson, Ken . The New Covenant of Damascus (p. 30). Kindle Edition.
The Habakkuk Commentary – 1QpHab The Habakkuk Commentary records that, during the time of the Roman
occupation of Israel (64 BC to AD 135), the Teacher of Righteousness was persecuted by The Liar. The people of thisapostate priest “followed the Liar and refused to listen to the Teacher of Righteousness.” They were the “unfaithful ofthe New Covenant who have not believed in the Covenant of God.” These people would be destroyed by the Romanarmy toward the end of the Age. This wicked priest, the Liar, “committed crimes against the Teacher ofRighteousness and the men of His Council.”
The very first sentence in the Habakkuk Commentary tells us it is referring to the last generation of their Age. The
word for generation relates to the 50-year period known as a Jubilee. So, the Teacher of Righteousness should havestarted His ministry, died, and begun the new congregation between AD 25 and AD 75.
Another Dead Sea Scroll Psalm commentary says, supplications from the Teacher of Righteousness, the true priest at
the end of the Age. (Commentary on Psalms 127, 129, 118 – 4Q173)"He revealed to later generations what He does in the last generation to the traitorous community who
depart from the Way"

B. Always a Remnant“In each age there is a remnant. This remnant are those who follow the seers. The seers know the Messiah
through the Holy Spirit....the remnant of Israel who left the land of Judah and dwelt in the land of Damascus"

C. Past Judgements"The watchers fell through their stubbornness. They were ensnared by these thoughts because they refused
to keep the commandments of God. Their sons who were as 'tall as cedars and whose bodies were as big as
mountains' fell by them. All flesh on dry land perished, and it was as if they had never been because they did
their own will and refused to keep the commandments of their Maker until His wrath was kindled againstthem".
"When Israel sinned by abandoning Him, He hid his face from them and from His Sanctuary and gave themover to the sword."

D. Prophecy"He knew what they would choose before they were created. He knew what they would do before they werecreated.... He knows the years they exist with the number and details of all the periods of the Ages that havebeen and will be. He knows everything before it happens in each of the respective periods during all the yearsof each age."

E. Sign of Jonah - 40 Years
The commentary on Psalm 37 says,“the Wicked Priest who watched the Teacher of Righteousness to kill him because of the ordinance and thelaw which He sent to him. Later it says, At the end of the forty years they shall be blotted out and thewicked shall no longer be found in the land of Israel. (Commentary on Psalm 37 – 4Q171)
The Damascus Document says the following about the Unique (or only begotten) Teacher of Righteousness,‘From the day when the Unique Teacher dies, to the destruction of all the warriors who followed the Liar,
will be about forty years.’ (Damascus Document 14)

F. Confession
All who hold fast to these statutes, in their going out and coming in according to the Law, always listen to theVoice of the Teacher and confess before God saying,‘We and our fathers have sinned wickedly by walking contrary to the statutes of the covenant. Just and true isYour judgment against us.’G. Repentance and Atonement
They do not rebel against His holy statutes, His righteous judgments, or His reliable prophecies. They adhere
to the laws of the Ancients by which children of men were governed, and they listen to the voice of theUnique[ li] Teacher of Righteousness, never rejecting any of the statutes of the Teacher of Righteousness
when they hear them. They will rejoice and be glad and exalt Him. They will overcome all the children of thisworld.[ lii] Then God will make atonement for them, and they will see His Salvation[ liii] because they trust inHis holy name.
The Dead Sea Scroll commentary on Micah says,
This concerns the Teacher of Righteousness who expounded the law to his Council and to all who freely
pledged themselves to join the elect of God to keep the Law in the Council of the Community, who shall besaved on the Day of Judgment. (Commentary on Micah – 1Q14, 4Q168)
They adhere to the laws of the ancients by which children of men were governed and listen to the voice of theUnique Teacher of Righteousness, never rejecting any of the statutes of the Teacher
Further quotes from the Dead Sea scrolls
God will "atone all the saints who come after them who observe the law as interpreted by the teaching of theAncients""Longsuffering and forgiveness are with Him, atoning those who truly repent of their sins."

H. Eternal Life
"They who hold fast to him will inherit eternal life"

I. Friend of God“These are those who keep the commandments instead of following their own will.”

J. Two Comings
It is consistent throughout the Old Testament and the New Testament that the Messiah is referred to as the Teacherof Righteousness and the Sun of Righteousness, and that He comes in two separate comings.

His first coming is referred to as the former rain, and his second coming is referred to as the latter rain. Using
different calendars, they both occur in the first month. One occurs in the spring and one in the fall. When referring tothe two comings of the Teacher of Righteousness, James says,‘Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for theprecious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.’ (James 5: 7KJV)James is quoting the prophecy of the comings of the Messiah from Joel:‘Be glad then, children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he has given you the Teacher ofRighteousness [Morah zedek], and He will descend for you as the rain, as the former rain, and the latter rainin the first month. (Joel 2: 23)
We see the same description of the Messiah as the Teacher of Righteousness by the prophet Hosea:‘ Sow yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD,
until the Teacher of Righteousness [yorah Zedek] comes to you.’ (Hosea 10: 12)
A few chapters back, Hosea mentioned the Messiah would come as the “former and latter rains” using the samephrase as the prophet Joel did:.
‘Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: His going forth is prepared as the morning; and He
shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth. ‘(Hosea 6: 3 KJV)
The prophet Malachi used the same type of phrase but described the Messiah as the “Sun of Righteousness”:‘But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go
forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. (Malachi 4: 2 KJV)

K. Community Rules
The faithful must be careful to obey the ordinances of the Law during this period of wickedness, separating
themselves from the sons of iniquity, and to abstain from the wealth of evil (impure because of the vows andbans) and Temple funds because they rob the poor of my people of their rights, so that widows may become
their spoil and they may kill orphans. (Isaiah 10: 2) They must distinguish between clean and unclean, whichteaches everyone how to discern between holy and profane. They must observe the Sabbath according to itstrue meaning. They must keep the festivals and the day of the Fast[ xxx] as they are taught by those whoentered the New Covenant in the land of Damascus.
1. Obey the ordinances of the law
2. Separate themselves from sinners
3. Avoid anything that involves exploitation of the poor
4. Distinguish between clean and unclean, between holy and profane
5. Keep the Sabbath
6. Keep the day of the Fast
True holiness is for each member to love his brother as himself, and support the poor, needy, and Noahide.[xxxi] They must seek the peace of his brother. They must not allow fornication of their near kin.[ xxxii] They
must abstain from all fornication according to the Law and rebuke everyone as a brother according to theLaw. They must accept rebuke, never bear a grudge from one day to the next, and must separate from all
ritual impurities. And let no man grieve the Holy Spirit but fulfil what God has called him to do. For unto all
who walk in these things with perfect holiness according to all their ordinances,[ xxxiii] the Covenant of God
stands firm to grant them eternal life as it is written that God will, “keep the covenant and have mercy tothose who love Him and keep His commandments for a thousand generations[ xxxiv]” (Deuteronomy 7: 9)

1. Love his brother as himself
2. Support the poor and needy
3. Support the Noahide (foreigner)
4. Seek the peace of his brother
5. Abstain from fornication
6. Accept rebuke
7. Never bear a grudge from one day to the next
8. Separate from all ritual impurities
9. Fulfil what God has called him to do.

Summary
The timing of this New Covenant coinciding with the 430 year (70 sabbath) cycle prompts us to take a deeper look atwhat the Essenes believed.
The Teacher of Righteousness who introduced the New Covenant, preached repentance, atonement and eternal life ,and is said to have died 40 years before the final destruction of Jerusalem (70 A.D.)
I have been surprised by the frequent occurrence of key phrases that are strongly associated with Christianity.