Sadly, although his "heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life", Asa did not remove the high places from Israel.
 
His son Jehoshaphat continued his religious reforms, sending officials to teach the law throughout Judah. He also strengthened his alliance with Israel, and won a miraculous victory through prayer and worship. But he also did not remove the idolatrous high places, and the people still had not fully set their hearts following on the God.
 
And so, after 63 years of religious reform, Judah quickly returned to their wicked ways, led by Jehoshaphat's son Jehoram who married Ahab's daughter Athaliah, and introduced Baal worship in Judah. "He passed away, to no one's regret (!), and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings" (2 Chronicles 21:20, emphasis added). His son Ahaziah succeeded him for a year, before being killed by Jehu in his purge of the house of Ahab in Israel.
 
And then Judah too turned into a Hollywood movie.... With the assistance of the army he engineered a coup, proclaimed Joash as king, and had Athaliah killed.
Joash repaired the temple in Jerusalem, and while Jehoiada was alive he promoted true worship and discouraged idolatry.But after the priest's death, Joash turned away from God and allowed idolatry to flourish, even ordering the stoning of Jehoiada's son for rebuking the king. In his later years he became so unpopular that his own servants assasinated him.
 
His son Amaziah continued in idolatry, before he too was killed after a series of unpopular decisions and military defeats.
 
Uzziah (Azariah) followed his father, and some sanity returned to the kingdom of Judah. He sought the Lord under the guidance of Zechariah, and prospered. He expanded Judah's territory, strengthened defences by fortifying Jerusalem, developed agriculture and fostered trade and invested in infrastructure. But his successes went to his head and he attempted to burn incense in the temple, a role reserved for priests. As a result God struch him with leprosy, and he spent his last years in isolation.
 
Due to his leprosy his son Jotham ruled as co-regent during his later years (approximately 8 years). Jotham continued in faithfulness to the Lord, and was followed by his son Ahaz, a wicked king who introduced pagan practices and aligned Judah with Assyria.
 
His son Hezekiah instituted sweeping religious reforms. He removed the high places, destroyed idols, restored proper worship in the temple and re-established the celebration of Passover. He rebelled against Assyria, and strenthened Judah's defences, including the construction of the Siloam tunnel to ensure Jerusalem's water supply. Sennacherib of Assyria marched against Judah, but after Hezekiah prayed for deliverance God miraculously delivered them. He contracted a terminal disease, but after prayer God granted him 15 additional years of life.
 
His son Manasseh followed, a wicked king who introduced extreme idolatry – yet he repented and turned to God late in his life. That had no effect on his son Amon, who continued idolatry, before being killed by palace servants after a reign of only two years.
 
The conspirators placed his son Josiah on the throne, and he began seeking the Lord in his youth. At age 20 he initiated a national religious revival and purge of idolatry. He repaired and restored the temple, initiating a nenewed focus on worship. Remarkably, during restoration the Book of the Law (likely Deuteronomy) was discovered in the Temple. Josiah was deeply moved by its contents. He made a covenant before the Lord, pledging to follow His commands and urging the people to do the same, and re-instituted the celebration of the Passover.
 
Despite warnings, Josiah confronted Pharaoh Necho II of Egypt, who was traveling through Judah to aid Assyria, leading to Josiah's death in battle at Megiddo.
 
Josiah's son Johoahaz followed him but was quickly deposed by Pharoah Neco II, who placed his brother Jehoiakim (originally named Eliakim) on the throne. After Babylon defeated Egypt, Judah became a vassal of Babylon, but after three years Jehoiakim rebelled, leading to Babylonian attacks. He was known for oppressive policies, and even burned a scroll with the prophet Jeremiah's prophetic warnings.
 
His son Jehoiachin became king as Babylon was besieging Jerusalem, and surrendered to Babylon to save the city. This led to the first major deportation of 10,000 of Judah's elite to Babylon, including Jehoiachin and his family and officials, leaving only the poorest people behind.

Jehoiachin's uncle Zedekiah was installed as a puppet king, and allowed corruption and injustice to flourish. He initially pledged loyalty to Nebuchadnezzar, but later rebelled, hoping for assistance from Egypt (despite warnings from Jeremiah not to rely on Egypt). This led to Nebuchadnezzar returning in force, and after a long siege, Jerusalem fell in 586 BC. The temple was destroyed, the city burned, and the remaining population was either slaughtered or exiled to Babylon. Zedekiah was captured trying to flee, and after witnessing the execution of his sons, he was blinded and taken to Babylon in chains.

Nebuchadnezzar appointed Gedaliah to be over the people he had left behind in Judah. In the seventh month, however, Ishmael son of Nethaniah, who was of royal blood, came with ten men and assassinated Gedaliah and also the men of Judah and the Babylonians who were with him at Mizpah. At this, all the people from the least to the greatest, together with the army officers, fled to Egypt for fear of the Babylonians". 2 Kings 25:11-26 , edited)
 
Defiant and rebellious to the very end!
 
And so the Southern Kingdom of Judah ceased to exist.
 
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But once again, we are also given the reason for the destruction of Jerusalem:

But all was not lost, The LORD, the God of Israel, keeps his promises. He promised Abraham that all nations will be blessed through Him, and he promised David that there will always be one of his descendants carrying on his dynasty, even if they were not physically on the throne.

And so, even as the kingdom was falling, God made a promise through the prophet Jeremiah:
Summary of the Southern Kingdom of Judah

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THE EXILE

The Bible doesn't go into great historical detail about Israel's time in exile, so to get the full picture, we turn to other sources – like the Deutero-Canonical (Apocryphal) books and various historical accounts – to understand historical events and processes during this critical time.

¤ God Did Not Forget His People

When we look at this period it is important to note that God had not abandoned His people. Even in exile He continued ministering to them through a number of individuals.

Daniel

Daniel, probably a teenager at the time (~605 BC), is taken from Judah to Babylon with the first wave of exiles. He is selected for training to serve in the royal courts, and eventually served in several high-ranking government positions under Babyblonian and later Medo-Persian kings. He interpreted dreams, witnessed the rise and fall of empires, and stayed faithful to God in a culture steeped in pagan practices, even ending up in the lions' den for his faithfulness. His loyalty, along with the courage of his friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, became inspirational stories for their fellow exiles – reminders that God was still in control, even far from home.

About 538 BC Daniel "understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the LORD given to Jeremiah the prophet" (Dan 9:2) that it was about time for the Jews to return to their land, and started praying to God for that. This was followed by a number of visions relating to the end-times that were so upsetting to Daniel that he mourned for three weeks, ate no choice food, and did not even use lotions.

He probably wrote his book in the 530's BC, near the end of his life.

Ezekiel

Ezekiel was likely a young priest in training when he was taken to Babylon in the the second deportation of 597 BC, and began his life in exile as a prophet. He probably ministered from 593-571 BC in Tel Abib, near the River Chebar, in Babylonia. He received vivid and powerful visions of God's glory, judgment, and promises of future restoration, and also acted out a number of God's messages to His people, emphasising God's holiness and the hope of restoration.

Esther

Thousands of Jews eventually returned to Jerusalem, but many more chose not to return. Esther, and her uncle Mordecai, was part of those who remained in the Persian empire. Her story plays out in the Medo-Persian (winter) capital Susa, located in the southwest of modern-day Iraq, about 55 years after the edict of Cyrus allowed the Jews to return. It is a romantic story, but also a story about how the Jews were almost wiped out – all that stood between them and total genocide was Esther, guided by her uncle Mordecai. Those events are commemorated to this day in the Jewish feast of Purim.

She became queen during the reign of Xerxes I, and foiled Haman's plot to destroy the Jews in ~473 BC. The book was written, probably by Mordecai, around 460-450 BC.

Baruch

Another voice to the exiles was Baruch, the faithful scribe of the prophet Jeremiah. His reflections, preserved in the apocryphal Book of Baruch, include heartfelt prayers, confessions, and prophecies of hope. Baruch stayed by Jeremiah's side through prison, persecution, and political upheaval, and risked his life delivering Jeremiah's prophecies to hostile rulers and people.

He probably recorded and arranged delivery of Jeremiah's letter to the exiles (see Jeremiah 29), warning them not to get caught up in Babylon's idolatry and assuring them that after 70 years, God would bring them back to their land – if they remained faithful.

After the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC, Baruch and Jeremiah was taken by force to Egypt by a group of rebellious Jews (Jeremiah 43). He probably died there, but conservative scholars believe he continued recording Jeremiah's words while in Egypt.

The ministries of these individuals were only part of the picture. The exile was a deeply formative season for the Jewish people – perhaps second only to the Exodus in shaping God's people – with deep changes to the way the Jews viewed themselves and their faith, and how they expressed it. They returned from exile as a changed people – forever cured of their addiction to idols, they carried with them a renewed devotion to God, a collection of Scriptures, and a growing class of spiritual leaders and scholars.


¤ Letting Go of Idols

After Babylon fell to Persia, the Jewish people were introduced more directly to Zoroastrianism – the dominant religion of their new rulers. This encounter made a lasting impression. Having felt the shame of their past idolatry, they were probably struck by how much of Zoroastrianism seemed to reflect what God had revealed to them – but in a clearer, more ordered way. This may have motivated them to return more fully to the pure monotheism to which God had called them.

Before the exile, many Israelites practiced something closer to monolatry – worshiping one God without denying the existence of others. Their time in Babylon and exposure to Persian religion likely helped clarify their understanding that the God of Israel was not just one god among many, but the one true God.

While Zoroastrian ideas may have influenced the Jews in how they expressed certain theological concepts, the core of their beliefs remained grounded in their prophetic tradition and sacred texts. The Persian religion didn't overwrite their faith; rather, it challenged them to think more deeply and organize their beliefs more clearly, laying the groundwork for what would become a more structured and resilient Judaism.


¤ Enter the Scribes

The exile also brought about a new kind of leader in Israel: the scribe. Originally tasked with writing and record-keeping (see 2 Sam. 8:17 ), scribes during this time stepped into more spiritual roles. They began collecting, compiling, and interpreting the sacred texts – preserving the Law and helping the people understand it.

Ezra is the prime example of this shift. He wasn't just a copyist; he was described as "skilled in the Law of Moses" (Ezra 7:6). Later, he would lead a public reading and explanation of the Law, helping the returned exiles reconnect with their faith (see Nehemiah 8).

Before the exile, many in Israel had taken God's Word for granted – to the point that the 'Book of the Law' had been neglected and left to gather dust in the dilapidated temple (see 2 Kings 22). But in exile, a shift occurred. Scribes worked together with the remaining priests to gather and preserve these sacred writings, organizing them in ways that deepened their meaning and relevance. This wasn't about editing God's message but about stewarding it faithfully – making sure it would endure for future generations.


¤ Shaping The Scriptures

With the Temple gone and the monarchy dismantled, the Jewish people had to reimagine how they would stay connected to God. That challenge pushed them to focus on what they still had: God's Word. While many parts of Scripture already existed in oral or partial written form before the exile, this period became a turning point in pulling it all together.

The Torah – the foundational teachings originally recorded by Moses – likely took its final shape during this time, under the guidance of scribes like Ezra. Historical books (from Joshua through Kings), as well as the prophetic writings of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and others, were also organized and edited with great care. The Wisdom literature (known as "the Writings") were probably also collected from various sources into their current form.

The goal wasn't to rewrite history, but to faithfully preserve it and show how even Israel's darkest moments fit within God's bigger plan. Themes like covenant, judgment, hope, and restoration were woven together to remind the people that God had never abandoned them.

Though the full Hebrew Bible wouldn't be finalized until later, by the time of Jesus the categories of "the Law and the Prophets" were already well established – and treated as authoritative Scripture (see Matthew 5:17).


¤ The Synagogue is Born

Another major shift during the exile was the rise of the synagogue. With no temple and no access to traditional worship rituals, Jewish communities began gathering informally to read Scripture, pray, and support one another. These gatherings gradually became more organized, laying the foundation for the synagogue system that would become central to Jewish life.

Synagogues were practical and spiritual lifelines. They helped preserve religious identity, encouraged study and prayer, and kept the faith alive across generations – especially after some Jews returned to Jerusalem and others remained scattered across the empire.

This shift away from Temple-centered worship toward community-based gatherings would have a lasting impact. Synagogues later became natural entry points for spreading the gospel, especially as Jewish communities settled throughout the known world.

¤ A New Hope: Return under Cyrus

As Babylon's power waned, a new leader rose to power: Cyrus the Great of Persia. In 539 BC, he conquered Babylon and issued a decree allowing displaced peoples, including the Jews, to return home and rebuild their temples.

Amazingly, the prophet Isaiah had named Cyrus by name over a century earlier, calling him God's chosen instrument for deliverance. The Cyrus Cylinder, an ancient artifact, confirms that Cyrus restored temples and supported the return of exiled communities – moves that helped stabilize his rule and earn widespread loyalty.

The Book of Ezra records Cyrus's decree and tells how roughly 50,000 Jews returned to Jerusalem in 538 BC, led by Zerubbabel (a descendant of King David) and Jeshua the high priest. It marked the beginning of a new chapter: one of rebuilding, renewal, and rediscovered faith.

Overview of The Exile

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The Return From Exile

This was a crucial era in Jewish history (roughly 538-430 BC), marked by rebuilding, spiritual reform, and prophetic voices.

When Cyrus the Great issued his decree in 538 BC allowing the Jews to return to their homeland, it marked the beginning of a new chapter in Israel's story – one filled with hope, challenges, and a long journey of spiritual renewal. After decades of exile, a remnant returned to rebuild not just their cities and temple, but also their identity as God's people.

¤ The First Return: Zerubbabel and Jeshua

The first group of returnees, around 50,000 strong, was led by Zerubbabel, a descendant of King David, and Jeshua (or Joshua), the high priest (Ezra 2). This pairing of royal and priestly leadership symbolized Israel's hope for both political restoration and spiritual renewal, and was to become the template for government of post-exilic Israel.

One of their first major undertakings, even before the Temple itself was rebuilt, was rebuilding the altar so sacrifices could resume (Ezra 3:1-6). Then came the laying of the Temple's foundation, which stirred both joy and weeping among the people: joy for the progress, and weeping from older folks who remembered the former glory of Solomon's Temple (Ezra 3:10-13).

However, their progress soon stalled. Opposition from local Samaritans and political maneuvering led to a halt in construction for nearly two decades.

¤ Haggai and Zechariah: Rebuilding and Hope

Into this situation stepped two prophetic voices: Haggai and Zechariah (both active around 520 BC). Haggai's message was simple and direct: "Why are you building your own houses while God's house lies in ruins?" (Haggai 1:4). His call shook the community out of their complacency and reignited the Temple project.

Zechariah offered a more visionary approach. Through a series of symbolic dreams and prophecies, he pointed to God's plans for spiritual renewal and a future messianic king, someone like Zerubbabel, but greater. Both prophets emphasized that God hadn't abandoned His people – He was still at work, and their obedience mattered.

Thanks to their encouragement and the leadership of Zerubbabel and Jeshua, the Second Temple was finally completed in 516 BC, exactly 70 years after the first was destroyed – a fulfillment of Jeremiah's prophecy.

¢ The Second Return: Ezra the Scribe

Decades later, around 458 BC, a second wave of exiles returned under Ezra, a priest and a scribe "skilled in the Law of Moses" (Ezra 7:6). By this time, the Temple was standing, but the spiritual life of the community had grown lax. Intermarriage with pagan nations, neglect of the Law, and general moral drift were causing concern.

Ezra came not just to enforce the Law but to teach it. He led a spiritual reform, calling the people to repentance and recommitment to God's covenant. One of his most powerful moments came when he stood before the people and read the Law aloud – and they wept, realizing how far they had strayed (see Nehemiah 8). This moment marked a renewal of their identity as "the people of the Book".

Ezra's arrival also marked a shift: scribes were now seen not just as record-keepers, but as spiritual leaders, interpreters of God's Word and guides for the community.

¤ The Third Return: Nehemiah and the Walls of Jerusalem

About 13 years after Ezra's return, another key figure emerged: Nehemiah, a cupbearer to the Persian king Artaxerxes. When Nehemiah heard that the walls of Jerusalem were still in ruins, he was devastated. With the king's permission and support, he led a third wave of returnees around 445 BC to rebuild the city's defenses (Nehemiah 2).

Rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem was no small feat. Nehemiah faced opposition from every side – threats, mockery, sabotage – but with prayer, strategy, and perseverance, the walls were completed in just 52 days (Nehemiah 6:15). His leadership was marked by deep faith, practical wisdom, and a strong sense of calling.

Nehemiah didn't stop at construction. He also tackled issues of social justice: he called out wealthy Jews who were exploiting the poor, and helped to reestablish Sabbath observance, proper worship, and community accountability.

Together, Ezra and Nehemiah formed a powerful team: Ezra rebuilt the people's hearts, and Nehemiah rebuilt their city.

¤ The Final Prophet: Malachi

Sometime after the ministries of Ezra and Nehemiah, the last prophet of the Old Testament appeared: Malachi, whose name means "My Messenger". His short book packs quite a punch. He called out a spiritually lazy and disillusioned people: priests offering blemished sacrifices, people questioning God's justice, and widespread neglect of tithing and the covenant.

Malachi's message was clear: God desires genuine worship, faithful leaders, and hearts turned toward Him. He warned of coming judgment but also spoke of hope: a "sun of righteousness" who would rise (Malachi 4:2) and a messenger who would prepare the way for the Lord (Malachi 3:1). That final promise would echo into the New Testament, pointing to John the Baptist and the coming of Jesus.

By the time Malachi finished speaking, the Jews were back in their land, the Temple stood once more, the Law had been rediscovered and embraced, and synagogues were becoming central to community life. Yet, challenges remained: foreign rule, spiritual complacency, and a lingering sense that the full restoration God had promised was still out ahead.

The post-exilic period wasn't a grand political revival, but it was a deep spiritual reform. The Jewish people emerged from it with stronger institutions – like the priesthood, the synagogue, and the scribal tradition – and with a renewed commitment to the Scriptures.

And then... silence. For about 400 years, there were no new prophets. But the stage was set. Israel had been refined, restored, and prepared. The next voice they would hear would be crying out in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the Lord".

Overview of the post-exilic period

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The Silent Years - The Intertestamental Period

When the prophet Malachi put down his pen sometime around 430 BC, he closed not just his own book, but also the long line of Old Testament prophecy. His message – a call for purity, justice, and sincere worship – ended with a promise: "I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes" (Malachi 4:5). Then... silence. No more prophets, no new Scripture. But while heaven seemed quiet, history rolled on – full of drama, struggle, and preparation for what was coming next.

These 400 "silent" years were anything but uneventful. Empires shifted, the Jewish people were tested and transformed, and the stage was set for the coming of the Messiah. By the time John the Baptist burst onto the scene, shouting in the wilderness, everything had changed – and yet, in many ways, everything was exactly as Malachi had left it: Israel waiting, yearning, watching.

¤ Persian Rule and the Further Rise of the Scribes

At the time Malachi spoke, the Persian Empire still ruled over Judah. The Jews were allowed to live in their land, worship at their rebuilt Temple, and follow their laws, so long as they remained politically quiet. During this time, the high priest held growing authority, especially in Jerusalem, where no king sat on David's throne. The Temple – though not as glorious as Solomon's – became the spiritual center of Jewish life.

Without fresh prophetic voices, the focus shifted heavily to the written Scriptures, especially the Law, and those who taught it. The scribes and teachers of the Law began to play a bigger role. Traditions were collected, interpreted, and passed down orally, forming the early groundwork of what would later become rabbinic Judaism.

¤ Greek Conquest: Enter Alexander the Great

In 332 BC, the world changed. Alexander the Great swept through the Middle East like wildfire, defeating the Persians and establishing Greek rule over Israel. With him came not just new soldiers, but a new culture – Hellenism. Greek language, education, and philosophy began to influence every corner of life.

While many Jews embraced Greek ideas, others resisted fiercely, seeing Hellenism as a threat to their identity and faith. This growing cultural tension would eventually erupt – but not just yet.

After Alexander's early death, his empire was divided among his generals. Israel became the tug-of-war rope between two of those successor kingdoms: the Ptolemies (based in Egypt) and the Seleucids (based in Syria).

¤ The Seleucid Crisis and the Maccabean Revolt

At first, life under the Greeks was relatively stable. But in 175 BC, things took a dark turn when Antiochus IV Epiphanes, a Seleucid king, tried to force Hellenism on the Jews. He outlawed circumcision, Sabbath observance, and the reading of the Law. Then, in a move that shocked the nation, he desecrated the Temple, setting up an altar to Zeus and sacrificing pigs on it – an act known as the "abomination of desolation".

The response was swift and fierce. A rural priest named Mattathias refused to comply and launched a rebellion. His sons – especially Judah Maccabee – led the charge. This Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BC) was part guerilla warfare, part religious revival, and it succeeded in reclaiming Jerusalem and rededicating the Temple in 164 BC.

That rededication is still celebrated today in the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.

¤ The Hasmonean Dynasty: A Brief Taste of Independence

Following their victory, the Maccabees (also called the Hasmoneans) established an independent Jewish kingdom – the first in centuries. They took both religious and political power, with high priests now doubling as kings. At first, the people rejoiced. But over time, the Hasmonean rulers became increasingly corrupt and power-hungry, even persecuting rival Jewish groups.

This era also saw growing divisions within Judaism. Various sects emerged, each with its own ideas about how to be faithful to God in difficult times:
¤ The Pharisees emphasized strict obedience to the Law and oral tradition.
¤ The Sadducees, mostly wealthy priestly elites, focused on Temple worship and rejected newer traditions.
¤ The Essenes withdrew to the desert, waiting for divine judgment.
¤ The Zealots believed in violent revolution against foreign rule.

¤ Rome Arrives: Herod and the Puppet Kings

The internal conflict among the Hasmoneans eventually led to a civil war – and an invitation for outside help. In 63 BC, the Roman general Pompey entered Jerusalem and claimed Judea as a Roman province. So much for independence.

Rome installed Herod the Great as king of the Jews in 37 BC. Though not of Davidic or even full Jewish descent, Herod ruled with Roman backing and brutal efficiency. He was known for his paranoia, lavish building projects – including a massive renovation of the Jerusalem Temple – and cruelty. (This is the same Herod who later ordered the massacre of infants in Bethlehem in a desperate attempt to eliminate the newborn "King of the Jews" – Matthew 2.)

During this time, Judea was crawling with tension. The people longed for deliverance. The prophecies of Daniel, Isaiah, and Malachi were being re-read with renewed urgency. Many were looking for a Messiah, a kingly deliverer who would overthrow Rome and restore God's kingdom.

¤ The Religious Scene at the End of the Old Testament Period

By the time the New Testament opens, Judaism had become centered around three major institutions:
The Temple in Jerusalem, rebuilt and beautified by Herod, was the heart of sacrificial worship, controlled largely by the Sadducees.
Synagogues, local gathering places for teaching and prayer, had spread everywhere Jews lived – in Judea and far beyond. These were Pharisee strongholds.
The Scriptures, including the Law, Prophets, and Writings, were highly revered. Many Jews now read them in Greek, thanks to the Septuagint, a Greek translation produced in Alexandria around the 3rd-2nd century BC. This was also the Scriptures used by Jesus and New Testament writers. (See here for a brief history of the Septuagint.)

Also during this time, many Jews lived in the Diaspora – scattered throughout the Roman Empire. These communities kept the faith alive outside of the land of Israel, often more passionately than those near the Temple.

¤ The Silent Years Were Not Silent

Crucially, silence does not indicate inactivity or insignificance - God was at work behind the scenes. To Israel this was a dark time: Not a single prophet, not a single word from on high, just a succession of conquerors and repression. Yet, without anyone knowing, these four centuries were crucial to God's strategy in human history.
 
¤ Firstly, the Jews were used to hearing God through a prophet (or king) - in the Exile, and the years thereafter, they had to learn to hear His words from the Scriptures.
¤ Secondly, it allowed time for the finalisation of the Old Testament canon (the list of books accepted as the inspired word of God).
¤ Thirdly, it allowed time for 70 Jewish scholars to translate the Old Testament into Greek, the world language of the day - the so-called Septuagint, completed in 132 BC, which became "the Scriptures" for Jews living all over the then-known world, including the apostles and the early church.
¤ And fourthly, it brought the founding of synagogues in virtually every city of the then-known world, the ideal springboard for the apostles' preaching of the gospel.
 
When the apostles and early disciples began to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to all nations, they had "the Scriptures" as an agreed-upon collection of authoritative writings, they had it in a language understandable to most people in the then-known world, and they had a synagogue audience every city, used to hearing God speak from His Scriptures. They had everything they needed to conquer the world. It took God 400 years to finalise "the fullness of the times" for the coming of His Son. Three hundred years later His followers had reached their entire known world with His message.

Overview of inter-testamental period


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SUMMARY

And so we finally come to the end of the Old Testament history. From the divided kingdoms to the Exile and return, and through the silent years, God was preparing for what Scripture calls "the fulness of time", towards which all history has been building. His faithfulness remains, even though Israel again and again fell away from Him, until the time in Exile changed their very psyche as a people.

When John the Baptist stepped out of the wilderness and pointed to Jesus, the long wait was over. The voice crying in the wilderness had come – and behind him walked the One they had been waiting for all along.

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