Berserk2 wrote on Jan 17th, 2013 at 3:13pm:[Jason:] In the Dead Sea Scrolls, in one of the prophecies of the coming Messiah that is not contained within traditional texts, it was mentioned that he would have reddish hair.
(1) The Dead Sea Scrolls don't mention Jesus. nor does the text you cite explcitly refer to the Messiah. Old Testament heroes are routinely portrayed as "chosen" for their missions.
(2) Jesus understands Himself as "the coming Messiah" (singular), but the Dead Sea Community has no such expectation. Rather, they expect an anointed eschatological Priest and King (2 figures). So the red-headed man does not apply to Jesus.
(3) Joseph Fitzmyer reflects the scholarly consensus when he identifies Noah as the "the chosen one" in the text you cite. The text is in any case fragmentary and at best ambiguous and thus cannot confidently b be cited as messianic.
Colton's identification of Akiane's portrait as the Jesus he saw in heaven has as a control dozens of portraits of Jesus that he rejects as the Jesus he saw. Colton did not know who Akiane is or that she painted Jesus on the basis of heavenly visions. The genius of the 8-year-old's painting allowed it sell for $40,000--a telltale sign that something paranormal is involved in this synchronicity. All this proves nothing, but it strikes me as a lot more credible than the subjective impressions you cite.
Don
Don, if you read the entire part of "The Birth of the Chosen One", it's extremely Messianic in scope and tone. If I could copy and past from Google books, i would, but i can't. The authors of that book however talk about how some researchers/scholars do believe it refers to a prophecy of the coming Messiah (aka Yeshua for Christians), or at least to a Messiah if not "The" Messiah. Some have thought it might pertain to Noah. However, what's obvious to me is that Noah was around a very long time ago, and i doubt there would be any surviving prophecies re: Noah's coming. This text is written in a very prophetic manner, talking about someone who is yet to come.
Some of the specific passages mentioned in that section like, "He will reveal secrets from the Most High" and whose
"Wisdom shall come to all peoples" , or "he will know the secrets of men", or "he will know the secrets of living things" or "All of their designs against him shall fail, and the array (?) of all living things will be great... his purposes because he is the chosen one of God... His birth and the spirit of his breath [...] his purpose will last forever [...]
Oh, there is more than mirrors and dovetails quite nice with Yeshua--his life, purpose, abilities.. Well, if it walks and quacks like Yeshua, it probably is.
But, i suppose you already formed a belief about Colton and Akiane and aren't particularly open minded to other interpretations.
Regarding the Essenes, i think like any group, there was different perceptions and beliefs among different members and sub groups to some extent. The historical sources about the Essenes at times contradict each other regarding some of their beliefs and practices. It's also possible that some of the Essene peoples' expectation of a coming Priest and King, was more or less correct because John the Baptist was an instrumental part of Yeshua life and service. It's like John paved, or prepared the way for Yeshua. John came from the line of the Priesthood, and his father Zachariah was one of the Priests in the Temple. Hence John may have been coming Priest figure, and Yeshua the "King". Perhaps they just placed more emphasis on the Elijah like, prophetic figure who was to pave the way for "The" Messiah than do most modern Christian thinkers? John doesn't seem to get much focus in todays time.
Re: Akiane and Colton and your statement about my subjective statements re: Yeshua's looks. Yes, my personal experiences and perceptions are subjective, but i added these as an add on. I mentioned 4 outer, psychically derived sources not directly connected to me or each other. An NDE from a Jewish woman with no previous belief, interest in, or liking of Yeshua, Joe McMoneagle, a well known former U.S. gov. remote viewer with some definite and verified skills (though i think his future stuff is way, way off often), Edgar Cayce--perhaps one of the most verified, vast, and broad psychic works in the world, and the "Birth of the Chosen One" passage in the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Personally, i will take those 4 outer, other sources WITH my own experiences as a combination, over just Colton's and Akiane's perceptions, any day. 5 to 2, the odds are better.
Lastly, my name is not "Jason", it's Justin. Geesh, we both have been part of this site for many, many years and you still don't know my name? I'm wounded Don, truly wounded.