Part 10: 400 Years of Prophetic Silence

Scripture Covering this Period:

• No prophets so no inspired books were written
• Information about this period from non-inspired apocryphal works

Dates:

• 400 - 4BC

Main Points:

1. This was a time of turmoil and persecution against the Jews but also of renewed hope and expectation of deliverance by the Messiah.

2. Politically, Israel was:

• Subject to Persia (539-332BC);
• Then Greece (332-142BC);
• Briefly independent, ruled by the Hasmoneans (not a Davidic family) (142-63BC);
• Then conquered by Rome in 63 BC

3. It was during this period that different Jewish factions began:

• Pharisees: focused on faithfulness to Mosaic Law (Torah)
• Sadducees: controlled the high priesthood, focused on temple service
• Essenes: focused on ritual purity, withdrawing from religious institutions and ordinary Jewish life
• Zealots: various groups focused on active zeal for God based on examples set by Phineas (Numbers 25:11) and Elijah (1 Kings 19:10)

Summary:

The Second Temple period (as this era is often called) was difficult for the Jewish people. The Persian Empire fell to the Greeks, who brought intense religious persecution. The Maccabean revolt (led by the Hasmonean family) led to a brief period of political independence. However, religious purity declined sharply. By the time Rome took over, many devout Jews were looking intently for their deliverance through the promised Messiah.