Chapter XVII.

From Malachi to The Birth of Christ.

No Scripture.

The Close of the Old Testament History.  We now come to the close of Old Testament history and prophecy.  Ezra and Nehemiah were at Jerusalem, one the governor and the other the priest of the people.  Jerusalem and the temple had been restored and the worship of Jehovah re-established.  This was about 445 B. C. and Judea was still under Persian rule.  From this date to the opening of New Testament history, a period of about four hundred years, there are no inspired records.  Neither prophet nor inspired historian is found among the Jews and there is no further development of revealed religion.  It was, however, a period of vast importance and the history of the chosen people may be traced from secular sources.  For convenience the history of the period may be divided into four sections:  (1) The Persian Period. (2) The Greek Period. (3) The Period of Independence. (4) The Roman Period.

The Persian Period.  The Persians continued their rule over Judea a little more than one hundred years after the close of Old Testament history.  But in 332 B. C. Alexander the Great was enthroned over the monarchy, then under Darius, and inaugurated the era of Grecian supremacy.  During this period, however, little happened in Palestine that was of much interest.

Under the Rule of the Greek Kings.  Alexander the Great seemed to have formed a good opinion of the Jews and granted them many special favors.  He regarded them as good citizens and gave them privileges as first class citizens of Alexandria and encouraged them to settle throughout his empire.  Upon his death his kingdom was broken up into four kingdoms (Macedonia, Thrace.  Syria and Egypt) and Judea was alternately under the rule of Syria and Egypt.  All Palestine was permeated with the influence of the Greek language and philosophy.  It was while Judea was under the rule of Ptolemy of Egypt that the Septuagint version of the Old Testament was made.  This made possible the reading of the Hebrew Scriptures in the Greek language and was one of the greatest missionary works of all times.

The Period of Independence.  In 170 B.C.  Antiochus Epiphiones began to oppress the Jews in an attempt to force them into idolatry and about 167 B.C.  Judas Maccabeus began to lead a revolt which two years later was successful in throwing off the foreign yoke and establishing the independence of the Jews.  They were now governed by a succession of rulers from the Maccabean family for a period of one hundred years.  These rulers performed the double function of both civil and ecclesiastical head of the people.  They were descendants of David and under their leadership Edom, Samaria and Galilee were added to their territory and much of the splendor and wealth of the golden days of the kingdom was restored.