Daily Archives: March 13, 2011

Qumran Replica

Back in early February I posted a poll here from Jerusalem asking, “Did Ferrell purchase the Qumran Jar replica?” I may have set a limit on the time frame for voting. There were 101 total votes. Here are the results:

• Yes — 39.6%
• Absolutely not — 14.85%
• No, but he lusted — 45.54%

Drumroll! The answer: Yes, and he had it shipped from the shop to his home in Florida. I guess this says something about polls.

The photo to the right shows the beautiful Qumran Jar replica, like those the Dead Sea Scrolls were stored in for nearly two millennial, as it looked the day I purchased it in Jerusalem. The package arrived at our home about four weeks later. I was delighted to receive it, but when I opened the package this is what I found.

The broken Qumran Jar replica. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

The manager of the shop at the City of David Visitors Center has been very nice and promises that another jar will be on the way shortly. We had paid about as much for insurance as for the jar.

Perhaps I should take the attitude of a lady guide in Russia about 20 years ago. She was a staunch party loyalist. When some of our ladies asked her about the availability of sugar, she said that it was not available. Then she added, “But we don’t need it.”

Well, I can still get at few biblical lessons from this experience.

Prior to the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. the prophet Jeremiah was instructed to break a jar in the presence of the leaders of the people and of the priests.

The LORD continued, “Now break the jar in front of those who have come here with you. Tell them the LORD who rules over all says, ‘I will do just as Jeremiah has done. I will smash this nation and this city as though it were a potter’s vessel which is broken beyond repair. The dead will be buried here in Topheth until there is no more room to bury them.’ I, the LORD, say: ‘That is how I will deal with this city and its citizens. I will make it like Topheth. (Jeremiah 19:10-12 NET)

If I get sick with boils I can use the potsherds like Job did.

Job took a shard of broken pottery to scrape himself with while he was sitting among the ashes. (Job 2:8 NET)