Chronologically, the Old Testament record ends about 430BC during the time of Nehemiah and the Prophet Malachi. The OT closes on an “up note.” Although Persia controls Palestine, they are a kind benefactor. The Jewish people have returned to their land with the blessing of the Persian king. Their Temple, city and walls have been rebuilt. Revival has broken out. The spoken languages are predominantly Aramaic (adopted by Israel during Babylonian & Medo-Persian captivity) and Hebrew. But at the opening of the New Testament, after the “400 Silent Years”, we see a very different picture … Benevolent Persia is gone and Rome now controls Palestine with an iron fist. Herod the Great, a Gentile with no ancestral ties to Palestine, is King of Israel. Two religious groups in Jerusalem (Pharisees and Sadducee’s) wield substantial influence over the people. Latin is the language of the Roman occupier, but Greek is the official language of commerce. Most Jews in Palestine speak Aramaic in their day-to-day lives; Hebrew is reserved mainly for liturgical purposes.
What transpired over the 400 Silent Years to bring about such remarkable changes? Who made Herod king? Why were the Jews looking for a “military” Messiah? Where did the Pharisee and Sadducee sects come from, and how did they acquire so much political power? Why are there now Synagogues scattered throughout the Empire? What purposes might God have had for orchestrating these events? Was God laying a foundation for the coming Messiah/Church age?
A full understanding of the New Testament requires a working knowledge of Israel’s period between the testaments. Join us in the Evening Service on July 16th for a refresher on what happened during the 400 Silent Years.