400 Years Of Silence

INTERTESTAMENTAL YEARS:

MALACHI: 432 BC--- MATTHEW: 40 AD

“BEHOLD, I AM GOING TO SEND YOU ELIJAH T PROPHET BEFORE T COMING OF T GREAT & TERRIBLE DAY OF T LORD. HE WILL RESTORE T HEARTS OF T FATHERS TO THEIR CHILDREN

& T HEARTS OF T CHILDREN TO THEIR FATHERS,

SO THAT I WILL NOT COME & SMITE T LAND WITH A CURSE" (MALACHI 4:5-6)

• PROPHECIES FULFILLED:

Between Time of Malachi & Coming of Messiah:

2300 days of Desecration: 171--165 BC (DANIEL 8:14),

• BUT PEOPLE & NATION OF ISRAEL WASTED 400 YRS OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY SCRIPTURE, SEEK GOD (PS.43-44) & PREPARE FOR MESSIAH!

• MOST OF JEWS WERE BLINDED BY PRIDE & WOULD NOT BE OPEN TO A HUMBLE MESSIAH PROMISED IN ZECHARIAH 9:9; ISAIAH 6:10;

& JOHN12:40.

• BOOKS WRITTEN DURING THIS 400 YRS

WERE NOT ACCEPTED AS SCRIPTURE

APOCRYPHA CUT BY BIBLE SOCIEITY 1812

• CONFUCIUS, BUDDHA, SOCRATES

ALEXANDER the GREAT

ISRAEL CONQUERED BY MANY…

• BABYLONIANS (IRAQ): 612 BC

• ASSYRIANS: (IRAQ, IRAN, SYRIA)586 BC Southern Kingdom

• PERSIANS: (TURKEY, PAKISTAN)532-332

• GREEKS: 263—63 BC

• ROMAN EMPIRE: 63 BC –400 AD

• SADDUCEES: LIBERAL RATIONALISTS, GREEK THOUGHTS FOR GOV’T

• PHARISEES : CONSERVATIVE ZEALOTS

• SCRIBES: REL. LAWS, INTERPRETERS

INTERPRETATION MORE IMPORTANT THAN PEOPLE’S CONCERNS & CARES

• SANDHEDRIN: “Supreme Court” RABBIS

GOD IS NOT SILENT, BUT WE MAY BE THOSE WHO HAVE “EARS, BUT DO NOT HEAR”.

• WE HAVE THE BIBLE.

• WE HAVE PROPHETS, PREACHERS

• WE HAVE HOLY SPIRIT