In The Footsteps Of The Master: The Life and Times of Jesus Christ The Time Between the Testaments September 7,

What Have I Gotten Myself Into? An open-ended, in-depth study of the Life of Jesus, based on a Harmony of the Gospels Our goal is to cover three major areas in each lesson: –Geographical and cultural setting –An episode from Jesus’ life –Application for today Hopefully we can bring Jesus to life as we walk in His footsteps

History of the Jewish Nation Israel reached its peak under David and Solomon However, Divided Kingdoms followed under Rehoboam and Jeroboam Steady downhill slide away from God Both nations were ultimately conquered and exiled for failure to keep God’s commands Israel and Judah forever subject to other nations, except for brief period

After the Exile Following the Exile –Some Jews allowed to return to homelands However, many chose to stay where settled –Zerubbabel rebuilt the Temple in 515 BC –Nehemiah rebuilt the Wall in 445 BC –But No National Jewish State After Malachi, the Old Testament is silent about the condition of the Jews –The next 400 years or so simply pass by

Silence of the OT? Daniel prophesied in BC about what was to come Read Daniel 2:26-45 He predicted the series of kingdoms that would rule over the Jews for the next years

Daniel’s Prophecy Head of Gold: Babylon Breast of Silver: Medo-Persia Belly & Thighs of Bronze: Greece Legs of Iron: Rome Feet of Iron & Clay: European Union? The Stone: An Everlasting Kingdom

From the Exile Forward DateRuling EntityCulture 931 BCDivided KingdomJewish 722 BCAssyriaAssyrian 586 BCBabyloniaBabylonian 539 BCMedo-PersianPersian 334 BCAlexandrianGreek 324 BCEgyptian (Ptolemies) Greek 204 BCSyrian (Seleucids) Greek 165 BCMaccabeanJewish 142 BCHasmoneanGreek/Jewish 63 BCRomanGreek/Roman

Views of the Messiah During the Inter-Testamental Period, the Jews’ subjection to other nations influenced their view of the Messiah, evidenced by Jewish literature The picture of the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53 gave way to that of the Warrior King who would reign on David’s throne They were expecting a Deliverer who would set things aright and restore Israel to her former glory

Inter-Testamental History After the death of Alexander the Great, his empire was divided among his generals –Ptolemy took Egypt (Ptolemaic Kingdom) –Seleucus took Syria (Seleucid Empire) Palestine/Judea lay between them and was overrun numerous times by one or the other of these kingdoms Jews struggle to re-establish a Nation

Antiochus Epiphanes Ruler of the Seleucid Empire ( BC) Sought to Hellenize the Jewish Nation –Made Jewish religious practices illegal in 167 BC –Set up a statue of Zeus in the Temple –Sacrificed a pig on the Temple Altar to prove his point Sent Syrian envoys and priests to outlying areas to give notice that Jewish sacrifices were illegal and that worship of Greek gods was required

Maccabean Rebellion Mattathias, a devout Jewish priest from Modiin, refused to follow the decree –Killed both a Jewish priest who attempted to offer a sacrifice to a Greek god and the Syrian officer who accompanied him This sparked a rebellion against the Syrian Empire, known as the Maccabean Rebellion –Led by Mattathais’ son, Judah Maccabeus (“The Hammer”)

Rededication of the Temple After two years of fighting, the Maccabeans forced the Syrians to grant religious freedom for the Jews in 165 BC –Temple cleansed and rededicated –“Feast of Dedication” or “Festival of Lights” (Hanukkah) commemorates this event However, some wanted to continue the fight for an independent Jewish state –That fight continued until ~142 BC and culminated with the establishment of the Hasmonean Dynasty

From Free State to Roman State The Hasmonean Jewish State was recognized by the Roman Senate in 139 BC However, the Hasmonean Dynasty quickly began its own downward slide –Corrupt rulers, assassinations, underhanded dealing, etc. –Antipater, father of Herod the Great, became a powerful official in the latter years Romans assumed control in 63 BC

The Dawn of the New Testament No National Jewish State –Jewish people are subject to the Romans Most Jews dislike Roman Rule –The Zealots are ready to do anything to overthrow Roman Rule Herod the Great is “King of the Jews” –Though the Jews bristle at the thought Many tensions exist –Messiah will solve them!

The World of Jesus’ Day Glory Days of the Roman Empire –Augustus is Emperor –Romans occupy Judea –Governors and Client Kings rule Secular Culture is Hellenistic –A remnant of Alexander’s Greek Empire –Greek is common language –Significant distinction between Jews who embrace Greek culture (Hellenists) and those who do not (Hebrews) Pharisees and Sadducees

Next Week The Word Became Flesh –Nick Hamilton