Page 95 - Biblical Backgrounds student textbook

Section 13: The Intertestamental Period (1-2 Maccabees; Josephus)

13.1 Connect
If you have crossed that blank page of your Bible separating the Old and the New Testaments,
you have most certainly asked, “How did we get here?” The changes are too clear and
significant to ignore. Israel’s territory seems to be larger in the New Testament times
compared to the Jews’ restoration from Babylon. The world’s (dominating) superpower is no
longer Persia in the New Testament times. Jewish spiritual leaders such as High Priests seem
to be more Politically inclined in the New Testament times than in the Old Testament. Sects
such as Sadducees and Pharisees are never heard of in the Old Testament, yet they appear in the New
Testament etc.

Malachi (last book of the Old Testament) closes with “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before
the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.” (Malachi 4:5). There are over 400 years between
Malachi 4:5 and the coming of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ. This period is the intertestamental
period, commonly referred to as the 400 years of silence. “Silence” should not imply that God was
inactive, for indeed he was working among his people, but that no one spoke in that period with the
authority of “thus sayeth the LORD.”

This era is worth studying. Its understanding informs us of the political, cultural, and religious trends of
the New Testament times. For example, that there were over 400 years without a “thus sayeth the
Lord” prophet may give us a clue as to why many flocked the wilderness to hear John the Baptist preach
(Mark 1:4-5). We have already covered much of the intertestamental period in the past chapter(s) as the
Hebrew people were predominantly subjected to Alexander the Great and the Ptolemies. Let us now
delve in and see the latter stages of this era, building up to the coming of the Messiah.

13.2 Objectives.

1. The student should be able to describe the geographical map of Israel in this era.

2. The student should be able to identify the various regimes that ruled in Israel at this time.

3. the student should be able to explain how the various religious factions of Jesus’ day emerged.

4. The student should be able to describe the general welfare of the Hebrew people (God chosen nation)
in this era.

13.3 Location and History

Israel is a small strip of land roughly 150 miles long and 50 miles wide. It has a very strategic
location bordering three continents (Africa, Asia and Europe). Hence it is safe to say that it
was at the center of the Ancient Near East; a region roughly corresponding to today’s Middle
East. Topographically, Israel is divided into four regions running from north to south: the
coastal plain, the central hills, the Jordan Rift Valley, and the Negev Desert. The coastal plain
is a fertile, mostly flat coastal plain that fronts the Mediterranean Sea coastline. Next is the central hills

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