Scenes of Israel
Learn about the 450-year period between the Old and New Testaments and how it prepared the world for the arrival of the Messiah. Explore the lives of the Jewish people and the leaders in Israel during this time. Gain a deeper understanding of biblical events and their historical background. Perfect for those interested in Israel’s history and its connection to the Bible.
What you’ll learn
- Discover what occurred in the 450-year period between the Old and New Testaments.
- Learn how the events during this time prepared the world for the messiah’s arrival.
- Explore the lives of the Jewish people during this time.
- Learn about the leaders in Israel in the Intertestamental Period.
The Bible is largely silent about the 450 year period between the return to the land of Israel by a remnant of Jews who had been held captive in Babylon, and the coming of the Messiah under Herod, a vassal king of the Romans. Yet, a knowledge of this Intertestamental Period (between the end of the Old Testament narrative and the beginning of the New Testament) is essential for understanding the background and foundation of the appearance of the Messiah.
Dr. John Moore presented these four fascinating teachings on the historical background of the Intertestamental Period while lecturing at BibleInteract, a non-profit organization whose teachers represent various fields of biblical study. Dr. Moore specializes in bringing the history and culture of ancient Israel to life with vivid descriptions and images.
To understand the Intertestamental Period Dr. Moore portrays the background of Cyrus the Great, king of Persia, who conquered the Babylonians and expanded his empire to include virtually all the ancient Near East, which began an entirely new era for the people of Israel. God called Cyrus a “Messiah,” and returned His people from captivity in Babylon to the land of Israel.
Dr. Moore then focuses on Alexander the Great who came from Macedon in northern Greece to conquer the massive Persian Empire and beyond. However, far more important to the biblical narrative, Alexander initiated a unified culture and language throughout the entire ancient Near East that would later be adopted by the Romans when they conquered the Greek empire. This dominant culture is described as Hellenistic because the Greeks referred to themselves as Hellenes. The Hellenistic culture clashed dramatically and sometimes violently with the Jewish culture of God’s people, and still causes tension with biblical values today.
Greek rule under the Ptolemies was somewhat benevolent and fostered at least a little independence. Therefore, when the Seleucids captured the Holy Land from the Ptolemies, the scene was set for dramatic events that had major consequences. The arrival of the Messiah entered a world that was primed to hear his message.
Who this course is for:
- Those with a desire to learn Israel’s history and how it relates to Biblical events.
