December 2, 2025
Introduction
• God had not spoken through a prophet in 400 years. The Book of Malachi closed out the Old Testament, but not the progression of history. The events that took place in those 4 centuries prepared the nation of Israel and the world for the coming of the Messiah.
• I’m Brent, and this is episode 65 of The Bible Unplugged. We start a 5-part series on how God prepared the world for Jesus’ birth. In this episode we look at how God used history to prepare the world for Christmas.
• Please take a minute to look at the show notes for this episode at PowerLoveandMiracles.com.
Background
• Most people who read the Bible don’t give a thought to the events that happened between the end of the Book of Malachi chapter 4 and the first chapter of the Book of Matthew. During that time there were seismic shifts in politics and religious observance among the Jews.
• We will look at each of those changes and how God worked through them.
The Historical Eras
• After Malachi and the end of the prophetic period, Israel remained under Persian control. During this time there were several events and movements that solidified Israel’s national and religious identity:
• The Scriptures were increasingly collected, edited, and taught in synagogues.
• Ezra’s reforms solidified Torah observance, Sabbath-keeping, and the absolute belief in the one true God.
• Around 332 BC Alexander the Great defeated Persia and swept through the Middle East. This could easily have been considered only as a change in oppressors, but several factors significantly affected Israel:
• Greek culture, language, education, and philosophy spread throughout the kingdom. The common Greek became the dominant language around the known world laying groundwork for spreading the gospel in the New Testament era.
• After Alexander’s death (323 BC), his empire split, and Judea became a political pawn.
• Political control then went to the Greek rulers that controlled the area in and around Egypt. During this time:
• Life in Judea was relatively peaceful.
• Jewish community in Alexandria, Egypt grew large and influential. This will be a significant detail later when Joseph took Mary and Jesus to Egypt. There was a thriving Jewish community there to greet them.
• The Greek translation of the Old Testament, known as the Septuagint, started in 250 BC. This would give later evangelists a common translation in a known language. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and the Apostle Paul all quoted from the Septuagint in their writings.
• As with most people, the Jews grew complacent during the decades of peace and stability. That changed when the Greeks who controlled Syria and Mesopotamia conquered Judea. One of the rulers, Antiochus Epiphanes, triggered a crisis that solidified Israel’s resolve:
• Antiochus abolished Torah observance, banned circumcision, burned Scriptures, and forced pagan sacrifices.
• He desecrated the Temple by sacrificing a pig on the altar in 167 BC.
• The ultimate insult is when he erected an altar to Zeus in the Temple courts. When Jesus referred to “the abomination of desolation” mentioned in the Book of Daniel, he was likely referring to this event in connection with the prophecy of the Antichrist in the future.
• This attempt to destroy Jewish identity and religion led to a violent revolt. Under the leadership of Mattathias and his son Judas Maccabeus, the Jews fought back using guerrilla warfare against ruling forces.
• This led to the overthrow of oppressive Greek practices and the cleansing and rededication of the Temple in 164 BC.
• At the rededication, there was only one small vessel of pure olive oil worthy to use in lighting the Temple’s lamp. There was only enough oil to burn for one day, but the lamp miraculously burned for 8 days. The Jewish people celebrate the festival of Hanukkah to commemorate this miracle.
• This period solidified Jewish identity around the Torah, Temple, and resistance to foreign influence.
• The Maccabees eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom.
• During this time the borders expanded to include Galilee, Idumea, and Perea
• The Jews forced the conversion of the Idumeans. Herod the Great was from that region.
• The high priesthood became political, which led to corruption. This was also an important factor in Herod’s rise.
• Some Jewish sects arose that shaped the religious landscape of Jesus’ ministry. These include the Pharisees, Sadducees, and the Zealots.
• The Romans under general Pompey entered Jerusalem in 63 BC and made Judea a client kingdom of Rome.
• This led to heavy taxation and Roman military rule in Judea. The political tension increased and the people longed for a deliverer—the Messiah.
• The Herods were appointed by Rome to rule over Israel. While nominally Jewish, these rulers were despised by the people.
Takeaways from the Silent Years
• During the Silent Years, God was anything but silent. He shaped history throughout these 4 centuries to prepare the world for Jesus’ birth.
• When we feel like God isn’t speaking, He may be strategically preparing the circumstances for something miraculous.
• Silence is not the absence of God—it’s often the space He uses to align events, nations, and hearts to His timing. As Paul wrote in the book of Galatians 4:4, “When the fullness of time came, God sent forth his Son.”
• We may not see the divine clockwork, but heaven’s schedule is precise.
The Challenge for Today
• I have some challenges for you this week:
• As we rush into the Advent season looking forward to Christmas, I challenge you to slow down and rest when you are able. We are too easily caught up in the shopping and gift-giving aspects of Christmas and miss the real meaning of Jesus’ birth.
• If you are in a period of waiting and longing for God to work remember, God wasn’t silent before Jesus’ birth and He’s not silent now. You may not see what God is doing, but spend time in prayer and reflection and ask God to make you sensitive to the Spirit’s movement in your life.
• Take time to observe the people around you. Many people experience sadness and worry during the holidays. They may have lost a loved one recently and are dreading their first Christmas with someone missing. Others may feel like they are missing something important in the Christmas season. Be there for them to share God’s love and care especially in difficult times.
• You never know when you may be the bright light of God’s love in a dark world.
The conclusion
• Yes, the catchy jazz tune in the background means have reached the end of the episode, but I’ve got a lot more on the way.
• I hope this has been helpful. If so, take a minute to give this podcast a high rating and share it with someone you know.
• In the next episode, we look at how God used creation to announce and affirm the birth of Jesus. I have a devotional series for the Christmas season and a series, “Saints, Sinners, and Scandals: The Real Story of Jesus’ Birth.” Both are available at PowerLoveandMiracles.com.
• My prayer for you is that God would lead you to a new appreciation of the Christmas season and that you would become the gift of love to others who feel lost.
• Have a blessed week.
The disclaimers
• Just to let you know:
• All opinions are my own. If you agree, keep listening. If you don’t… keep listening. I know I have some good stuff here for you.
• All Bible quotations come from the World English Bible which is a public domain work.
• Our show theme song is “Awesome Call” by Kevin MacLeod and is available under a Creative Commons license.
• The content of this podcast is copyrighted 2025 by J. Brent Eaton
• This has been a Power Love and Miracles production.
