Through the Bible - The Silent Years

Father God, thank you for just what we were singing about, Lord. Only You can do all these great things. You're the one who put the stars in the sky. You're the one who spoke everything into existence. Lord, You created us. Just as David spoke of in the Psalms, You are the one who knit us together in our mother's womb. You knew us before our parents did. You know everything about us, even the smallest details that we might consider insignificant. You know about them, Lord. You know us intimately, and You desire to have an intimate relationship with us.

God, I pray that tonight, as we look into Your Word, You would continue to reveal to us how it is that You work. Even when we think that You're silent, even when we think that You're not doing anything, You still are moving miraculously and positioning things in such a way that blows our minds when we look back. Especially when we consider that You speak these things before they happen. It is proof that You are God, that You are outside of time, and that You know all things.

I ask that You would help us to have that kind of reverence when we think about who You are and that You know everything. We pray that You would speak and reveal Yourself to us tonight. We ask it in Jesus' name. Amen. All God's people said, Amen.

Open your Bibles to the book of Galatians, chapter 4. Galatians chapter 4. Paul writes in verse 4, and as you read that passage, you might wonder, what exactly is being said?

What exactly is it that the author of this book is trying to speak to us? God is speaking about this period of time that we're going to be looking at tonight, in between the Testaments. We've just finished the Old Testament, concluding with the book of Malachi a couple of weeks ago. When we finish the book of Malachi, the nation of Israel is in a very interesting position in history. They have just returned after an exile to Babylon, where they were for 70 years.

You remember that God spoke to His people prior to the rage of Nebuchadnezzar, who came in, besieged the city, tore it down, and destroyed the temple. He had told them through the prophet Jeremiah that they were going into exile because of their sin. In the book of Daniel, we read that Daniel calculated from what Jeremiah had said that they would be in exile for 70 years. God also spoke through the prophet Isaiah, indicating that a king from the Persian Empire named Cyrus would arise and give the children of Israel an opportunity to return to their land.

When they went into exile, over a quarter of a million people from the land of Israel were taken to Babylon. However, as we have been studying in the historical books of Ezra, Esther, and Nehemiah, only about 50,000 returned to the promised land. These were the truly committed ones in the nation of Israel. They came back with a purpose: to rebuild the temple and to restore Jerusalem. Just as God had foretold, before Cyrus the king was even born and before his nation became prominent in history, God had ordained this man to allow His people to return to the land and rebuild the temple.

Upon their return, they did build the temple. As we saw in our studies of Haggai and Zechariah, the children of Israel became discouraged during the rebuilding process due to the many obstacles they faced. We all experience similar obstacles in our lives. As God is doing a renewing work, we sometimes encounter challenges that lead to discouragement.

In response, God sent Haggai and Zechariah to encourage the people, especially their leader, Zerubbabel, who was of the tribe of Judah and of the line of David. God spoke to him through Zechariah, assuring him that this work would be completed. Zerubbabel, you laid the foundation, and you will see the last stone laid. Why? It is not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord.

It is a work that God would accomplish. He had messengers and men that He would use to perform that work, but ultimately, it was His work. They did build the temple, and then ultimately, Nehemiah came back and helped rebuild the wall. The city of Jerusalem was secure. However, as is often the case, as soon as they were secure, they began to drift.

We saw how God sent Malachi to them just before He ceased speaking to them for 400 years. He sent Malachi to call the people once again back to the Lord. It is amazing to me that after they had been exiled in Babylon and had seen God do such miraculous things in bringing them back, they would still drift. But how easy it is for us to drift and backslide. We see that in the children of Israel.

It is important, when studying the Old Testament, to remember the words of Paul in the book of 1 Corinthians. All these things happened to the children of Israel as examples for us. They were written for our instruction and admonition. We should learn from the children of Israel, from their mistakes, but also from their victories. We should observe how they lived, how they followed God, and also the ways they failed in their following of God so that we can learn practical lessons.

After Malachi had spoken to the people, they were discouraged because under Zechariah, God had told them that the Messiah would come and step foot in the very temple they had built. You remember when they were building the temple, there was a group of older men who had seen the former glory of the temple and cried because the new temple wasn't quite as nice or glorious. The younger men praised the Lord for all that He was doing.

God spoke through Zechariah and told those older men in the nation that the glory of this temple would be greater than the glory of the old temple. Not because of the gold or the silver—God said the gold is His, the silver is His—but because His Holy One would step foot in this rebuilt temple. The people were looking forward to the coming of the Messiah. However, after about 50 or 60 years, when the Messiah hadn't shown up, as far as they could tell, they became discouraged and backslid.

So, God sent Malachi to speak to the people and call them back to Himself. From that point on, after God said the Messiah would come, there would first be one who would prepare the way of the Lord. There was an expectancy after Malachi had come and spoken to the people. Yet, from the time that Malachi spoke in about 435 BC until the time that this one who would prepare the way of the Lord would come, it would be over 400 years.

God did not speak a word to His people. There would be no inspiration, no prophet speaking to the people. As you can imagine, the people became pretty discouraged. But what happened during that 400-year period? To put it into context, we must realize that our nation is 232 years old as we sit here tonight in the year 2008. It's only 232 years old. Yet this nation, the nation of Israel, had spent 400 years without any word from God, without any inspiration. Could you imagine how discouraged they must have been? We get upset when we don't receive anything from the Lord after about 20 minutes, and they hadn't heard from God for 400 years.

When we look at Israel at the time of Malachi in 435 BC, and then compare it to the nation of Israel at the time of Matthew, during the coming of the one who would prepare the way of the Lord, John the Baptist, it appears to be a completely different nation. At the end of Malachi, Israel is back in the land, but they are under the dominion of the Medo-Persian Empire. They have a government there, but it's a puppet government set in place by the Medo-Persian Empire. The temple has been restored, although it's smaller than it was before they had gone into Babylon.

The high priest in the land of Israel is still from the line of Aaron at the time of Nehemiah, when Malachi would speak. Israel had no king at this point in time, but they knew who the godly line was; they could trace the kingly line all the way down from King David to Zerubbabel, who was the prominent figure in the land of Israel. Although they were beset by weakness, they were still a united people when we read about them at the end of Malachi. They were still in the land, had a common goal and function, and they had the priestly service and all those different things.

However, 400 years later, when we look at the nation of Israel once again, the Medo-Persians are no longer the dominant empire. In fact, Rome is now the dominant power. The center of power has shifted from the east to the west. Some of the prophecies of Daniel really come into play here. As we read through the book of Daniel several months ago, you may remember that Nebuchadnezzar had a dream. He wanted his wise men to interpret the dream, but none of them could. Not only did he want them to interpret the dream, but he also wanted them to tell him what the dream was. He wasn't going to tell them what the dream was so that they could come up with some sort of interpretation based on what he said. He said, "I had a dream, and I want you to tell me what that dream is, and then tell me..."

What that dream means is significant. Do you remember the dream that Nebuchadnezzar had? He saw a great tall figure, a statue with a head of gold. The shoulders and arms were made of silver, the body portion was made of bronze, and the legs were of iron, with feet that were iron mixed with clay. Nobody understood what the dream meant, but Daniel came and gave the word of the Lord. God revealed to him what was going to happen in relation to world empires.

Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar, "The head of gold is you, king." I'm sure Nebuchadnezzar's head got pretty big when he heard that. However, Daniel continued, "Your kingdom is going to be destroyed by this body, this chest and arms of silver, which represents the Medo-Persian Empire." He specified exactly who would come and overtake them. Then he said the Medo-Persians would be overtaken by the bronze body section, known as the Grecian Empire. Ultimately, the legs of iron would represent the Roman Empire. At the end, there would be a kind of Roman Empire mixed with various world religions, represented by the clay and iron feet.

Daniel foretold these events hundreds of years before they actually occurred, and it is amazing how accurately they were fulfilled. If you look at history from the time of Daniel, when the children of Israel were in Babylon in the 6th century BC, you can see how all of these events played out. Babylon was the great empire under Nebuchadnezzar, but they were overtaken by the Medo-Persians. The Medo-Persians were then overtaken by the Greeks, and the Greeks were ultimately overtaken by the Romans.

This shift of power moved from the east to the west. Ever since that time, the majority of power in the world has been in the west. There hasn't been a significant rise of the east again after the Persian Empire was taken down by the Greeks.

When you get to the book of Matthew, in the New Testament, Rome is the dominant power. Power has shifted from the east to the west. Jerusalem is under the authority of a Roman governor, and Palestine remains a puppet state. Israel never fully gains its independence again. They did not have a rightful king. In the New Testament, they do not have a Jewish king; instead, they have an Edomite king. An Idumean is on the throne, which we will explore further in a little bit. This situation was something that really troubled many of the devout religious Jews of that time.

There is an Edomite, one from the line of Esau, on the throne named Herod. The high priest at the time of Christ is no longer from the line of Aaron. Now, the high priest is just a hired person, a hireling, someone who has it more as a political power. The temple is not exactly the center of Jewish life as it once was. During the time of Malachi, the temple was the focus of all the Jews; they wanted to rebuild it. But during the time of Christ, it was still a big deal. However, there is now a new worship center for the nation of Israel.

The children of Israel would go to the synagogue every single Sabbath. The synagogue now emerges as the focus of Jewish life. By the time of Jesus, Israel has been split into three major groups: the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and a much smaller group called the Essenes. When you look at this whole period of time, the 400 silent years, you begin to find out where these three groups came from. The Pharisees and the Sadducees, which no one had any idea about during the time of Malachi, weren't even a group then. It is during this silent time that these groups start to come to power.

The nation of Israel looks completely different after 400 years of silence from the time of Malachi to the time of Matthew. It is almost as if the curtain closes on the Old Testament, and God comes in and changes the entire set. How many of you have been to a play before? You know how they go from one scene to the next. The curtain closes, and when it opens again, the stage looks entirely different. That is exactly what happens from the time of the Old Testament ending to the New Testament beginning. God changes the scene of what is going on.

When we read in Galatians chapter 4, we see that God did it for a purpose: when the fullness of the time was come. I want you to look at another verse in Romans chapter 5. Turn over to Romans 5. In Romans 5, verse 6, we read, "For when we were yet without strength, in due time, Christ died for the ungodly." In Galatians 4, we see that when the fullness of the time had come, and in Romans 5, we see that at the right time, Jesus shows up on the scene. It is as if God, at the close of the Old Testament, the close of the book of Malachi, closes the curtain.

Curtain on the nation of Israel. When it opens up again 400 years later, everything has completely changed. The nation is in a time of real anticipation; they are looking forward to the coming of the Messiah. So many things have taken place. The city of Jerusalem, from the time of Malachi until the time that Jesus shows up on the scene, changes hands over a dozen times. Different nations come in and take control, moving from the north to the south and back again. This constant upheaval in the nation creates a deep thirst for the word of the Lord.

By the time John the Baptist shows up after God had been silent for 400 years, there is a significant longing for God to do something. When we read in Matthew chapter 5, Jesus says, "Those that hunger and thirst after righteousness, what? They shall be filled." There was a thirst, a longing for God to act. However, when we examine the situation, we understand why the nation of Israel was so focused on a political Messiah. They wanted a Messiah to come in and perform a great, miraculous political work. They desired change; they wanted a fix, and they were looking for someone to resolve their issues.

What brought them to that place? What caused them to want that so much? The book of Daniel provides the best outline of what takes place during these 400 years of silence. We have already considered the dream of Nebuchadnezzar, which foretold four empires: the Babylonian Empire, the Medo-Persian Empire, the Grecian Empire, and then the Roman Empire. Additionally, in Daniel chapter 8 and Daniel chapter 11, we see another very interesting vision of the prophet Daniel.

One day, while he is in Persia, the dominant empire at that time, he has a vision of a ram. He sees a great big ram pressing from the east into the west. Then, from the west, rises a goat with a long, prominent horn. The goat comes flying over and runs into the ram, knocking it over. The horn of the goat breaks off, and four horns come up in its place. As Daniel observes this, he is bewildered, wondering what it all means. In Daniel chapter 8, God speaks to Daniel through the angel Gabriel, explaining that the vision he has seen represents the Medo-Persian Empire as the ram, which seeks to move from the east to the west and overtake the west. However, a goat will rise from the west to destroy the Medo-Persian Empire.

Empire. He is going to destroy the ram, and that long horn represents the Grecian Empire and their first king. When you read through the histories surrounding the 400-year period, that's exactly where this all really starts. Under the time of Malachi, the nation of Israel was under the ram; they were under the Medo-Persian Empire.

Not long after that, around the mid-300s BC, a king arose from the west. His father was named Philip of Macedon, and he was born in the late 300s BC. His name was Alexander the Great. You have probably heard of him. Alexander the Great, with great power at just 20 years old, was trained by Aristotle. You've likely heard of Aristotle, especially if you studied any sort of philosophy in college. Aristotle was trained by Plato, who was trained by Socrates.

It is very interesting to see how these things work in secular history. We have this great mind, Socrates, who trained Plato, who trained Aristotle, who then trained Alexander the Great. Alexander became king, and under him, many of the islands of Greece came together and were united. At just 20 years old, he rose up as a great conqueror and began to move east. He was the goat with the long horn that Daniel saw in Daniel chapter 8. He came in and destroyed the Medo-Persian Empire, embarking on a conquest that can only be described as amazing.

When you study what Alexander the Great accomplished, you can find it in regular history books. For 12 years, everywhere he went, he won. He did not lose a battle during that entire time and conquered the known world. He destroyed the Medo-Persian Empire and overtook what we would today call Iraq. He moved all the way into Iran and then into what is modern-day India. This man was on a massive conquest.

After he completed that, he started to head south. You can study this in the book of Daniel, specifically in Daniel chapter 8 and Daniel chapter 11. You can also look into the various histories that have been written. As he began to move south to overtake Egypt, he had to pass through a little nation called Israel. As he prepared to go down to Egypt, Josephus, the Jewish historian, tells us that he was going to lay siege to Jerusalem.

As Alexander the Great approached the city, there was still a godly priest there named Jadua. In fact, his name is mentioned in the book of Nehemiah. The Lord had spoken to Jadua, instructing him to go out and meet Alexander the Great. So, he put on his entire high priestly garb and took many of the priests with him, all dressed in white linen. They went out to meet the approaching armies of Alexander, who was preparing to lay siege to and probably destroy Jerusalem.

As they approached Alexander's army, he saw them at a distance. He went out ahead of his army and bowed down before the high priest of Israel. His army looked at him in confusion, wondering what in the world Alexander was doing. However, Alexander said to the high priest in Jerusalem, "I have had a vision of you. I saw you in a dream when I was back in Macedon, and God told me that you had a message for me."

Jadua, the high priest, indeed had a message for him. He brought out the scroll of Daniel and said, "I want to show you something." Josephus reveals that Jadua showed the scroll of Daniel to Alexander and said, "You are the one who is going to overtake the world." Alexander was so impressed that he entered Jerusalem, offered sacrifices, and said, "I will give you whatever it is that you want." The people replied, "We just want to be able to live here peaceably." He allowed them to remain in Jerusalem and was favorable to the Jews as he continued his conquests in Egypt.

As you follow the life of Alexander the Great, along with what the Bible says in Daniel 8 and Daniel chapter 11, you see that after about twelve years of conquest, he reached a point where there were no more lands to conquer. He turned to his generals and asked, "Where can we go now?" They replied, "You've conquered everything. There's nothing left to conquer." History records that he became so depressed at this news that he started to drink heavily and ultimately died at about thirty-three years old in a drunken stupor. He left no heir to his throne as the king of the Grecian Empire.

In Daniel chapter 8, it states that the goat with the prominent horn would come and destroy the ram. However, after he destroyed the ram, it says that his kingdom would be short-lived, and that horn would fall off, giving rise to four new horns. When you study history, you find that after Alexander the Great died, his four leading generals decided to split up his kingdom among themselves.

Just like Daniel had spoken hundreds of years before, these four generals of Alexander the Great took over the Grecian Empire. Two of them were the most prominent. One was called Seleucus, who took over the northern part of the nation of Greece, which would be today called Syria. The second general, who was also very powerful, was named Ptolemy. You've probably heard that name before. He took over the southern region in Egypt.

For about the next 300 years, these two empires battled back and forth: the Seleucid Empire in the northern part of the nation above Syria and the Ptolemies in the southern part in Egypt. If you read through Daniel chapter 11, you will see that he outlines this struggle completely. When you line up Daniel chapter 11 with secular history, you'll see that it matches up perfectly. God spoke this hundreds of years before it would happen. How did God know? Well, He is outside of time and knows all things. He tells us what is going to happen: the Syrian Empire, the Seleucid Empire, and the Egyptians, where Ptolemy was, would battle for power constantly.

Sometimes the Ptolemies would hold power, and sometimes the Seleucid kingdom would. They would try to establish peace between the two and create treaties. For example, the king in the north would take the daughter of the king in the south in marriage, and they would establish some sort of treaty. However, these arrangements didn't last very long. It was all political posturing, and they would beat each other up back and forth.

But who is in between the Syrians in the north and the Egyptians in the south? Israel. The city of Jerusalem, the most fought-over city in history, has changed hands at least 27 times according to secular history. Interestingly, the name of the city means "peace." It is the foundation of peace, yet it has not seen peace. It has been fought over constantly, even up to today, in 2008. The three monotheistic religions of the world all claim authority over that piece of ground, especially the Temple Mount.

After the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC, the Seleucid Empire in Syria and the Ptolemies in Egypt fought back and forth over this land. During this time, great things were taking place as God was, again, at work.

He's preparing His people for what's coming. God is doing a work. Even though they look at it and say, "God has forsaken us," look at all this battle back and forth.

There came a time in about 203 BC when the Seleucid kingdom in Syria grew to great power under a man by the name of Antiochus the Great. Antiochus the Great had besieged Egypt and the Ptolemies there. There was a battle going back and forth, but ultimately, Antiochus the Great died, and his son Antiochus Epiphanes rose to the throne. How many of you have heard that name before? Antiochus Epiphanes.

It appears that he named himself Epiphanes because "Epiphanes" means "the illustrious one." However, those in his own court called him a different name. They referred to him as Antiochus Epimanes, which means "the madman." They thought this guy was nuts; he was a complete madman. He fulfills one of the prophecies of Daniel that is very interesting. In Daniel chapter 8 and also Daniel chapter 9, it speaks about one who would come into Jerusalem, lay siege to the city, desecrate the temple, and set up something we call the abomination of desolation.

Antiochus Epiphanes was indeed a madman. He went on a great rage, intending to go down to Egypt to try and overtake the Ptolemies. As he went down there, the Ptolemies cried out to Rome in the north, asking for help, saying, "Come help us, or we're going to get beaten." The Romans sent ships from Cyprus, and they came and saved the Ptolemies in Egypt. Antiochus Epiphanes was defeated.

Word came back to Jerusalem that Antiochus Epiphanes was dead, and the people rejoiced. They were so overwhelmed and happy because finally, this guy was dead. However, he wasn't really dead; he had just been beaten up a little bit and sent back to his kingdom in Syria. When he received news that the Jews were rejoicing at his supposed death, he was so angered that he decided, on his way back to Syria, to stop by Jerusalem just to pay them a little visit.

He showed up in Jerusalem, and they thought he was dead. He was not dead. He came into the city, laid siege to it, and in one day killed 40,000 Jews there. Not only that, he went up to the temple. By this time, the temple was in disarray because when Antiochus Epiphanes came to the throne, one of the things he did was do away with the high priest in Jerusalem.

He set up his own priest there. The high priest at Jerusalem was a man named Onias III, and he was a godly man from the line of Aaron. However, he was the very last priest from that line. You remember that the high priest was to be from the line of Aaron, the Aaronic priesthood. But Antiochus Epiphanes did not like Onias, so he got rid of him and appointed a man named Jesus in his place. Interestingly, he changed his name. His name in Hebrew was Joshua, and in Greek, it was Jesus, but he changed it to Jason. Jason was the high priest in Jerusalem, but he was merely a political high priest, there because he contributed the most money to Antiochus Epiphanes.

Jason's younger brother, Menelaus, later stole the priesthood from him and established a Greek worship center at the temple. This was not good; it was not the way that the Lord had called them to worship. In fact, Menelaus was trying to bring Greek culture into Jerusalem, leading to the Hellenizing of the Jews. You have probably heard of the Hellenists; they were Jews with a significant Greek cultural influence.

Antiochus Epiphanes returned to Jerusalem and killed 40,000 Jews. He then offered a pig on the altar in the temple. He boiled parts of the pig, made a soup, and sprinkled it all over the temple and the Holy of Holies, desecrating the temple, just as Daniel the prophet had foretold hundreds of years before. Daniel tells us in Daniel chapter 8 that the temple would lie in ruin for 2,300 days. Interestingly, when you calculate it out, it is exactly 2,300 days until the time the temple was rededicated.

When Antiochus Epiphanes desecrated the temple and set up an image of Zeus, one of the Greek gods, in the temple courts to be worshipped, the Jews were outraged. A family from the priestly line rose up, led by a man named Matthias. He took his seven sons, and they rose up against Antiochus Epiphanes. One of the sons was a man named Judas Maccabeus. How many of you have heard of the book of Maccabees? There are first, second, third, and fourth Maccabees. This book is part of what is called the Apocrypha. It is a very interesting book indeed. While it is not inspired and should not be included in the canon of Scripture, the Jews regard it as a historical document. It speaks about this exact period of time when Judas Maccabeus rose up and started his revolt.

To cast off Antiochus Epiphanes and his armies from the Seleucid Empire, there was a move of God in the nation as they fought against him. Judas Maccabeus had a very small army, much like Gideon when he fought against the Midianites in Judges chapter 6. Yet, God gave them strength, and they overcame the Seleucid Empire. Judas Maccabeus and his forces took back the temple. It was around the month of December on our calendar when they reclaimed the temple in 165 BC. They began to clean it up again and prepared to rededicate it.

However, they did not have enough oil; they had just enough for one day. By a miracle, the oil lasted for eight days. This event is celebrated during the festival of lights, known as Hanukkah. At the end of that eight-day period, they rededicated the temple, which is called the Feast of Dedication. Interestingly, this feast fell on December 25th. Ever since that time in 165 BC, the children of Israel have continued to celebrate the Feast of Dedication. In fact, in the Gospel of John, we read that Jesus went up to the temple during the Feast of Dedication in the wintertime. This celebration serves as a remembrance of what God had done during the silent years under Judas Maccabeus when they cast off Antiochus Epiphanes, who was a type of the Antichrist.

After Judas Maccabeus defeated Antiochus Epiphanes and the Seleucid Empire, we find that Matthias and his sons began what is known as the Hasmonean Dynasty in Israel. For about the next four generations, their descendants reestablished the worship of God in the temple. They cleaned up the temple and became the protectors of the nation of Israel, leading both religiously and politically. There was a period of peace during that time. Initially, when Judas Maccabeus was leading the nation, he completely relied upon God. However, as the years went on, they began to rely on other peoples for their safety. The battle continued between the northern kingdom, the Seleucid Empire, and the southern kingdom, the Ptolemies.

This fighting and warring back and forth occurred while Judas Maccabeus was leading the nation of Israel. He reached out to a nation that was not a world power at that point, a nation called Rome, and established a treaty with the Romans. For about the next three or four generations, as Judas and his sons led the nation, this treaty with the Romans continued. The Hasmonean dynasty maintained this arrangement during this period.

If you read a great book, I highly recommend it. It's called The 400 Silent Years by H.A. Ironside. It is hard to find, but you can locate it on the internet. In this book, Ironside traces the battle back and forth between the northern kingdom of the Seleucid Empire and the southern Ptolemies.

One thing I want to mention is that during this time, when one of the Ptolemies was in power in Egypt, he had close relations with a group of people in Israel known as Hellenistic Jews. They were the liberals of the nation; they did not believe in the resurrection or miracles, but they still enjoyed Jewish culture. They had mixed Jewish culture with Greek culture, which is why they were called the Hellenists. Ultimately, they would become a group known as the Sadducees.

Ptolemy made a pact with them and asked if they would help translate the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek, as that was the common language. Seventy Hebrew scholars went down to Alexandria, Egypt, and translated the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek. This translation is called the Septuagint, which means "the 70," referring to the scholars who translated it. This translation was completed in 284 B.C.

It is interesting to note that when you read the New Testament, there are many quotations of Old Testament verses. However, these quotations do not seem identical to the Old Testament, do they? This discrepancy arises because the Old Testament was translated into Greek in the Septuagint and then retranslated into English. As a result, the translations sometimes do not fit our expectations.

This translation occurred under the Ptolemies in Egypt. Now, around 171 B.C., Antiochus Epiphanes was cast off, and Judas Maccabeus rose to power.

The Hasmonean dynasty was the great power in Israel, and there was a semblance of peace in the nation. However, this peace was bought with money and the help of the Roman Empire. Struggle after struggle, war after war, continued to invade the land of Israel. Sound familiar? Things haven't changed very much.

Until about the last century B.C., when the Romans began to rise to power, just as Daniel the prophet had foretold hundreds of years before. He prophesied that there would be the Babylonian Empire, followed by the Medo-Persian Empire, then the Greeks, and finally, they would be cast off by the Romans. The Romans started to grow, especially under a general named Pompey, who was a great conqueror. As he set out to conquer, he entered the land of Israel and overtook Palestine, declaring it Roman territory.

Pompey needed to establish someone from Rome to oversee the region, so he made an alliance with an Idumean, an Edomite from the line of Esau, named Antipater. He appointed Antipater as the regent over this area. Not long after, Pompey was destroyed by Julius Caesar. When Julius Caesar became the ruler of Rome, he made a further agreement with Antipater, setting him up as the overseer and almost the king of the region of Judea.

Antipater had a son named Herod the Great, who ultimately became the king over Judea, most specifically over Galilee. The Jews did not like him because he was from the line of Esau, and they attempted to get rid of him. There was still a descendant from the Maccabees, a descendant of Judas Maccabeus, who tried to reclaim power for the children of Israel to establish true worship of the Lord in Jerusalem. Herod the Great sought to stamp out this movement, leveraging the power of Julius Caesar to do so. He entered the city of Jerusalem with Roman legions, initially in a crafty manner, and enticed the man from the Hasmonean dynasty, from the line of the Maccabees.

He enticed him to come down to Jericho, to Herod's little palace at Jericho. That gentleman from the Hasmonean dynasty just happened to drown in a pool at Herod's house down there at his palace, just accidentally. Of course, the Jews knew that it wasn't by accident. In great anger, they came against Herod the Great and cast him out of the region of Judea.

However, he went back to Rome and got the ear of Julius Caesar. He returned with great legions of Roman soldiers and overtook the city of Jerusalem once again. At that point, around 46 to 50 B.C., Herod became king over the area. But he was a puppet king; he didn't really have the power. The power was still in the hands of the Romans. To appease the Jews, he started to rebuild things beautifully. He rebuilt the temple and invested great sums of money to try and make them happy, as they did not like him. He had essentially stepped all over their nation.

To win their favor, he brought money into Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. This brings us right up to the time where we start to read about events happening in the New Testament, as God begins to speak at the end of that time we call B.C., before Christ. Jesus wasn't born in zero or at 1 B.C.; when we trace the histories, it is very likely he was born around 4 B.C. Just prior to his birth, another individual was born, a man by the name of John, who became known as John the Baptist. God began to speak to the nation once again.

The nation was at a place of great expectation, longing for God to do something after being completely silent for 400 years. The city of Jerusalem had been overtaken by different groups over six times during that short period. One of the great enemies of Israel, the Edomites, had one of their own on the throne of the area: King Herod the Great. He was a madman, and you can read a lot about him. We see him a little bit in the New Testament.

It was right about that time, towards the end of Herod the Great's reign, that some wise men from the East came to his palace in Jerusalem looking for the one who would be called the King of the Jews. He didn't know anything about that, so he asked the priests there.

Where would the King of the Jews be born? They came and said, "Well, Micah chapter 5 says he's going to be born where? Bethlehem." Herod then said to these wise men from the East, "When you go and find him, come tell me where he is so I can go worship him as well." He didn't want to worship him; he wanted there to be some sort of sacrifice, but not to him.

The Lord spoke to the wise men and told them not to go back to Herod. In response, Herod sent his armies into Bethlehem and had a whole bunch of children killed in an attempt to eliminate the one who would be the Messiah. However, we know that the Lord had woken Joseph and told him to get out of town. So, he went down to Egypt. It was while he was in Egypt that Herod the Great died, and ultimately, his son would take over—two of his sons, one in the north and one in the south: Herod the Tetrarch and another whose name I forgot.

This whole shift of events was taking place, but God was still on the move. God was still working. Even though the people thought that God was not speaking and were wondering where He was in all this, God was still repositioning things. He was moving things. Why? He was preparing the way of the Lord, preparing for the time when Christ would come.

By the time Jesus arrived, the Jews' expectation was for a political Messiah. They wanted someone to come and get rid of figures like Herod and to eliminate the Roman Empire that was over them. There were many different factions in the nation at that time seeking to overthrow the Romans, most notably the Pharisees, who could not stand the Roman oppression. The Hellenists and the Sadducees had closer ties with the Romans. Then, of course, there were the Herodians during the time of Jesus, who were close to King Herod, and the Zealots, who were completely against Rome and Herod.

In every area of the nation, there were different groups of political powers, religious groups, and sects trying to get rid of whoever was in power. They were all looking for a Messiah. John the Baptist then showed up on the scene, as we will see when we get into the Gospel of Matthew next week. He began to preach against these powers; he spoke against Rome in some ways and against Herod, which ultimately led to his execution.

People were looking to John the Baptist and wondering if he was the one. The Pharisees, who were against the Romans and against Herod, sent priests down to question John the Baptist, asking, "Are you the one?"

Are you the Christ? He says, "No, I'm not the Christ," as we see in John chapter 1. They ask him, "Well, who are you?" He replies, "I'm the voice of one crying in the wilderness. Make straight the way of the Lord," quoting from Isaiah chapter 40. He is preparing the way for the coming one, the one whose sandal he is not worthy to unloose. Then that one shows up on the scene in John. In John chapter 1, John the Baptist says, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." He baptizes Him there at the Jordan, and Jesus goes into the wilderness for a period of time before returning to the Promised Land to begin His ministry.

Great multitudes of people begin to follow Him. Why? They wanted a political king to come in and rule and reign. Why is it that they missed their Messiah? They were looking for a lion, but they got a lamb. They expected a great one coming and riding on a stallion to overtake the nation, but instead, they got one meek and lowly riding upon a donkey. They had read their prophecies wrong and misinterpreted what God had spoken to them. Although hundreds of years before He came, the Lord had said, "This is how He's going to come."

Now, He is going to come again, and when He does, He will come like a lion. But what are they now looking for? They are looking for a lamb, one to bring peace. The whole world is looking for someone to bring peace into that region in the Middle East, particularly in Jerusalem, in that 40-acre parcel of ground called the Temple Mount. It has been a thorn in the side of the world for centuries, even millennia. Things haven't changed, and still, they are looking for someone to come and bring peace.

There is going to come one who will bring peace, but he will only bring it for a short period of time. As we look at Daniel's prophecies in Daniel chapter 9, we see that there was one who partially fulfilled those prophecies before Jesus came. His name was Antiochus Epiphanes. Many of the Jews during the time of Jesus believed that Daniel's prophecies were fulfilled until Jesus said something very interesting in Matthew chapter 24. His disciples were showing Him the temple, and He said, "Not one stone is going to be left upon another. All of it is going to be torn down." They came to Him and asked, "Hey, when is this going to take place?" He begins to speak to them, saying, "You're going to see wars and rumors of wars, pestilence, earthquakes, and all these things."

That's not the sign. In Matthew 24, verse 15, Jesus says, "When you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place, then know that the time is near." So, what did Jesus reveal for us in Matthew 24? It hasn't happened yet. There was a partial fulfillment of it in Antiochus Epiphanes, but there is a greater fulfillment coming.

Another figure, whom Revelation tells us is going to try to establish some sort of peace in the Middle East, will be welcomed by many people. However, there will come a period of time, about three and a half years into that peace, when he goes into the temple and exalts himself as God. At that point, people will realize he is not the one. After having spoken so much of peace, he will unleash a war that cannot even be imagined by us, especially upon the Jewish people and all those who follow the one true God. We call him the Antichrist. He will show up before Jesus, the true Christ, comes again like a lion.

There are many different things happening in this passage of time between Malachi and Matthew. There are some great books that cover that period of history. "The History of the Jews" by Josephus discusses that time, and you can also look at secular historians like Herodotus, who speak about what was going on, especially in the Grecian Empire. Additionally, "The 400 Silent Years" by Henry Ironside goes into this topic.

The key thing to recognize is that although God was not speaking inspirationally to His people during that time, it didn't mean that He was inactive. Sometimes we think that when God is not saying something to us, He is not speaking powerfully or that some sort of inspired message is not coming to us. We might think He is not doing anything. No, He is still on the move. He is still doing a great work behind the scenes, ordering things and setting things up, preparing the way of the Lord.

Let me tell you, God the Father is preparing the way for His Son, Jesus Christ, to come a second time right now. When we see the events happening in the Middle East today, we need to recognize that these things were also spoken of by the prophets. Ezekiel specifically outlines for us what is going to happen with the same kind of clarity that Daniel did at the first coming of Jesus. Ezekiel does this for the second coming of Jesus, showing us the different alliances that will take place in the world. One of those key alliances is the alliance between Persia and Gog and Magog.

And you may wonder, who are Persia and Gog and Magog? Until 1913, Persia was the name of Iran. Since then, it has been called Iran, but it is still Persia. The prince of Persia remains there, a powerful spiritual entity overseeing that region. Gog and Magog are identified with a group of people called the Scythians. If you look at secular history books, you can find out who the Scythians are; they are from the area of Russia.

There has never been a treaty or alliance between Persia and Russia until the last 20 years, and especially in the last few years. Currently, there is a man in power in Russia, although he is the power behind the power. You all know who he is: Vladimir Putin. He is involved in some very interesting activities. What has been happening in Georgia in the last few weeks is prophetic, and we need to recognize that God is moving things.

When you read through Isaiah, you see that the Assyrian Empire was on the move. The king of Assyria, Sargon, believed he was acting in his own power. However, God, in Isaiah chapter 8, states that although Sargon thinks it is his doing, he is merely a tool in God's hand. Similarly, although Vladimir Putin believes he is acting for Mother Russia, he is just a tool in God's hand. God has a plan that will come to pass.

One of the most common phrases in the Bible is, "that you may know that I am the Lord." This phrase appears repeatedly in prophetic passages, especially in Ezekiel. God is doing these things in our day so that we may know He is the Lord. He spoke to the prophets hundreds of years ago, instructing them to write these things down so that we would see what God revealed 2,500 years ago through Ezekiel. As we read the news in the Union Tribune, we can recognize that God is at work.

Once again, Vladimir Putin and his armies are moving into Georgia. This is a very strategic line of ground, providing them access right into Syria. That access into Syria gives them strategic access to the north of Israel. Russia has already made it clear...

They have their eyes on that piece of ground. Now, they look at it as a very political and powerful piece of ground. They want it for what they can get from it, just as Ezekiel says. I really challenge you to search the Scriptures and look at what is going on in the Bible. We have studied through the Old Testament, and I encourage you to go back and search through the Scriptures line by line and precept upon precept to see what God is speaking, because He is speaking to us.

One of the things we keep hitting on Saturday nights is that God still speaks. Are we listening? He is moving. Amen? These 400 years of silence are proof that God moves in powerful and miraculous ways. He was readying His nation for His first coming. They were crying for God to move, to work, and to do something. God says, "I’m going to do a work that you would not believe if it were told to you." And He has done it. We here tonight are proof that God has done a great work and continues to do so.

Let's stand and pray. Father, just as we see the geopolitical shift that took place from the time of Malachi to the time of Matthew, we have seen a shift in the last hundred years that is hard to even imagine. Lord, truly, You are doing a work. You are the one who raises up one nation and puts down another. Ultimately, the whole purpose of this is that we might know that You are the Lord, that every tribe, every nation, and every tongue would come to the realization that You are the God in heaven, the one who created all things.

Lord, You reveal things to Your people before they even happen. The prophetic books are history before it comes to pass. I pray, Lord, that we would take an interest in those things and recognize what is going on in the world. May we be strengthened and encouraged in our faith in You. Just the fact that Israel is once again a nation is proof that You are God and You are on the throne—a powerful proof to us. As we see these movements, I pray...

In the world, whether it be Russia coming back on the stage once again or Persia rattling their sabers, Lord, I ask that You would help us, as those who know Your Word, not to become fearful or concerned, but to look up because we know our redemption draws nigh.

Lord, we say, just as we read at the end of the Scriptures, the Spirit and the Bride say, "Come." Even so, Lord Jesus, tonight, we say, "Come quickly." We look forward to Your soon return. If You don't come back for another hundred years, we pray that You would help us to be diligent about the work that You have set before us.

Lord, help us not to become loveless or lukewarm, but to press on in fervent hope and expectation of Your coming. God, thank You for the work that You have done in our lives. We thank You that You didn't come back 20 or 30 years ago because many of us wouldn't be here; we wouldn't know You.

Lord, there are still more in our town and in this community who need to know You before You come. I ask that You would help us to be about the work of bringing the good news, Lord, to those who need the living water, the light, and the life that You give. Stir us up and speak boldly Your truth, for we ask it in Jesus' name. Amen. Thank You.