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Quarter 8 Captivity Return From Captivity Years Of Silence

Quarter 8 Lesson 19 Syria, Egypt, & The Jews

Some Preliminary Thoughts These 400 years are best viewed as a “transitional period” Greek language becomes dominant – Bible students will observe the move from O.T. names & places to ones recognized in the N.T. [ Waldron, pg. 131 – 4th full ¶ ]

Some Preliminary Thoughts These 400 years are best viewed as a “transitional period” – Bible students will observe the move from O.T. names & places to ones recognized in the N.T. – Effects of this historical period still seen in N.T. activities of the church – Roman advancements (travel, roads, etc) -- A precise language used in the New Testament – Possibly like Gal 4:4-5

Ga 4:4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Some Preliminary Thoughts This lesson focuses on how the Jews fared under the competing “empires” resulting from Alexander the Great’s death [~301 B.C.] – Waldron’s idea of “threads” – Now primarily 3 “threads”(Syria, Greek, Jews) – Roman “thread” soon to come

Syria Ruled by Seleucus Nicator (Alex. general) Founder of Seleucid dynasty Antiochus a tormentor of Jews… lead to the Maccabean Revolt (~167 B.C.) Built Antioch (Syria) – son named Antiochus Territory included Judea (claimed by Egypt) as well as Thrace, southern Asia Minor, Babylon and Media

Acts 13:4 1st Missionary Journey (Acts 13-14)

Syria An empire that would last until ~64 B.C. (Seleucid kings) There was a major threat gaining strength to the west of Syria. It was Rome It will be the ruling empire in time

Egypt/Grecian Ruled by Ptolemy Soter (Alex. general) Founder of Ptolemies Main territory = Egypt (also claimed Judea) Capital city = Alexandria (Alexander’s model city he personally marked out in western delta)

Egypt Ruled by Ptolemy Soter (Alex. general) Founder of Ptolemies Main territory = Egypt (also claimed Judea) Capital city = Alexandria (Alexander’s model city he personally marked out in western delta) Tolerant of Jewish religious practices (Ex. Septuagint translated in Alexandria ~200 B.C. - quoted by Jesus & apostles)

Acts 21:7 3rd Missionary Journey (Acts 18-21)

Judea “Battleground” between Syria & Egypt Calls to mind the previously studied prophecy re: God’s people and how they were going to be affected Daniel 7-12

Daniel’s Dreams & Visions PREVIOUS Dan 7 Vision Of Four Beasts – The succession of 4 worldly empires – Describing events up to & after 4th beast (Rome) – Very similar to Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Dan 2) – Superiority of God’s kingdom over the kingdoms of men – Presentation of Christ (“Son of Man”) to the “Ancient of Days” Acts 1:9ff Rev 4-5 "Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?“ Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah…a Lamb

Daniel’s Dreams & Visions PREVIOUS Dan 8 Vision Of Ram & Goat – The overthrow of Medes & Persians by Greece – Describing events between Babylon & Rome (namely, transfer of power from Medes/Persians to the Greeks/Macedons) – Fall of Alexander the Great & rise of 4 kingdoms – Most likely, “little horn” = Antiochus Epiphanes – His cruel treatment of Jews (defiling temple, etc.) eventually led to Maccabean Revolt (167-164 BC)

Daniel’s Dreams & Visions PREVIOUS Dan 10-12 Vision Of End of Time – 4th king after Cyrus (Cambyses, Smerdis, Darius I, Xerxes/Ahasuerus) decides to attack Greece – Alexander the Great responded, defeating the Persian forces – Almost as quickly as he gained victory, Alexander died at the young age of 32…his kingdom was divided between 4 of his generals

Daniel’s Dreams & Visions PREVIOUS Dan 10-12 Vision Of End of Time – Concerns the people of God as they were caught in a “power struggle” between 2 dueling factions of the remnants of Alexander the Great’s empire – Under Antiochus Epiphanes, the Seleucids finally gained control of Palestine Ptolemaic empire (Egypt) Ptolemy – Alexander’s general Seleucid empire (Syria) Seleucus – Alexander’s general

Daniel’s Dreams & Visions PREVIOUS Dan 10-12 Vision Of End of Time – Antiochus Epiphanes used Palestine as a staging area to attack Egypt on several occasions – When defeated, he would mistreat the Jews – Eventually, the Jews revolted (Maccabean Revolt) – Finally, Rome gained power from the west and controlled both the Ptolemais & Seleucids – Rome destroy Jerusalem in A.D. 70, Rome could not crush the spiritual kingdom spoken of numerous times by the prophets (Daniel included) 11:15ff 2:34-35, 44-45

Judea Effects of Hellenism (Greek culture)… mainly seen in the ability to read and speak the modern world-wide language This “ability” would eventually result in proselytes (Greek converts to Judaism) Acts 13:43 16:14 17:4 [ Septuagint ] Jesus and the apostles used it regularly

Rome Recall Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Dan 2) and Daniel’s vision of beasts (Dan 7) Legend says Rome founded in 753 BC A power that would eventually spread East Played out in the Punic Wars (Rome’s victories over Carthage that opened doors for her spread eastward into the Mediterranean area in 146 B.C. and after)

Gold Silver Bronze Iron & Iron and Clay Nebuchadnezzar Gold This is the Kingdom of Christ that will never be destroyed Cyrus Silver Alexander Bronze And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed Pompey Iron & Iron and Clay Stone was cut out of the mountain without hands

Rome grew about the time the Old Testament closed around 390 BC Rome Punic War began in 219 BC Hannibal of Carthage resisted the uprising He took troops using trained elephants to go over the Alps which put him in the heart of Rome The Punic war ended in 201 BC Rome finally destroyed Carthage after the third Punic War 149-146 BC Rome turned its attention eastward toward the Mediteranean world More about the Maccabees in the next lessons

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