We’ve now completed the Old Testament, but haven’t reached the New Testament. We’re in limbo. We’re in the 400 years of silence between the two sections, a silence that was ultimately broken by the birth of a baby in Bethlehem.

The last historical books of the Old Testament, Ezra and Nehemiah, recount how God’s covenant people returned from exile to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple. So, what happened to them in the four centuries leading up to Jesus’ birth? This period was eventful, and its history is recorded in 1 and 2 Maccabees, books that weren’t included in the final version of the Bible, along with some other books.

At the time of Ezra’s return, Persia was still a dominant empire. However, in 333 BC, Alexander the Great overthrew Persian rule, and the Jewish people came under Greek control, forced to pay taxes and show allegiance to their foreign rulers. Unhappy under Greek dominance, they eventually rebelled. Under the leadership of Judas Maccabeus (nicknamed ‘the hammerer’) the Jewish people launched a resistance movement.

After a prolonged struggle, the Greeks relented, allowing them to reclaim their land and the temple in 164 BC. This victory led to a century of relative peace and independence. However, this period of freedom was short-lived. Internal conflicts and political missteps eventually allowed the Romans to take control in 63 BC, once again subjecting the Jewish people to foreign rule. Under Roman occupation, the covenant people awaited a new king, one unlike any before. Jesus of Nazareth, the one foretold throughout the Old Testament, was about to arrive.

This is one of a series of posts outlining all the books of the Bible. Previous Next