1. …

2. Quarter 8
Captivity
Return From Captivity
Years Of Silence

3. Quarter 8
Lesson 19
Syria, Egypt, & The Jews

4. 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 ¶ ]

6. 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

7. 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.

8. 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

9. 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

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

12. 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

13. 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)

15. 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)

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

17. 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

18. Daniel’s Dreams & Visions
PREVIOUS
Dan 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 "Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?“
Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah…a Lamb

19. Daniel’s Dreams & Visions
PREVIOUS
Dan 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 ( BC)

20. Daniel’s Dreams & Visions
PREVIOUS
Dan 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

21. Daniel’s Dreams & Visions
PREVIOUS
Dan 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

22. Daniel’s Dreams & Visions
PREVIOUS
Dan 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) :15ff 2:34-35, 44-45

23. 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: : : [ Septuagint ]
Jesus and the apostles used it regularly

24. 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)

25. 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

27. 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 BC
Rome turned its attention eastward toward the Mediteranean world
More about the Maccabees in the next lessons

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