Apocrypha: Silent years

If you have listened to enough sermons, you have probably heard about the "silent years" which typically goes as follows.

From the end of the Old Testament after Malachi until the New Testament are 400 years. These years are called the silent years since the Bible is silent about these years.

This is inaccurate or misleading at many levels.

Daniel writes about the Silent Years before they happen.
Jesus talks about the Silent Years after they happen.
Jesus says the Old Testament (Law and the Prophets) go until John the Baptist, overlapping the New Testament.
The Protestant churches decided to remove the Apocryphal history books (Maccabees 1, 2) that form a good part of the history of the Silent Years.

Let us look at some Old Testament books and where they fit in context.

2400 BC: Flood: Noah
2000 BC: Chaldea: Abraham
1600 BC: Egypt: Slavery and Exodus
1200 BC: Hittites: Joshua, Judges, Ruth
1000 BC: Israel,: David, Solomon
800 BC: Assyrians; Jonah, Isaiah, Hosea, Amos, Nahum, Micah
600 BC: Babylon: Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel (young, fiery furnace)
550-400 BC: Persia: Daniel (old, den of lions), Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Malachi

After David and Solomon, the kingdom was divided.

Israel (north)
Judah (south)

What are the "silent years"?
What are folk legends?
Does the Bible say anything about the "silent years"?
When does the Old Testament end?
How can we make sense of the order of books in the Old Testament?

The book of Malachi, the last book in the (traditional) Old Testament, is dated to about 430 B.C.

About 465 B.C. the events in the book of Esther take place in Susa in the kingdom of Persia.
About 445 B.C. the events in the book of Nehemiah take place. Originally, the books of Ezra and Nehemiah were one book.

Ezra: Rebuilding the city of Jerusalem
Nehemiah: Rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem

Daniel has major parts of several chapters in which he writes a lot of history of the "silent years" before it happens. Daniel talks about the abomination that makes desolate. This will happen about 165 B.C. (origin of Hanukkah), the so-called "Silent Years". Jesus will refer to this event in the Olivet discourse.

Daniel 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. [kjv]

Daniel is writing about 550 B.C. We writes about many events hundreds of years before the events happen. The events in Greece will take place about 200 years later.

Daniel 8:21 And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king. [kjv]

και ο τραγος των αιγων βασιλευς ελληνων και το κερας το μεγα ο ην ανα μεσον των οφθαλμων αυτου αυτος εστιν ο βασιλευς ο πρωτος [lxx]

8:22 Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power. [kjv]

και του συντριβεντος ου εστησαν τεσσαρα υποκατω κερατα τεσσαρες βασιλεις εκ του εθνους αυτου αναστησονται και ουκ εν τη ισχυι αυτου [lxx]

Isaiah describes God writing history before it happens.

Isaiah 46:9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, [kjv]

και μνησθητε τα προτερα απο του αιωνος οτι εγω ειμι ο θεος και ουκ εστιν ετι πλην εμου [lxx]

46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, … [kjv]

αναγγελλων προτερον τα εσχατα πριν αυτα γενεσθαι και αμα συνετελεσθη και ειπα πασα μου η βουλη στησεται και παντα οσα βεβουλευμαι ποιησω [lxx]

telling beforehand the latter events before they come to pass, and they are accomplished together: and I said, all my counsel shall stand, and I will do all things that I have planned: [bs3]

Isaiah in writing about 800 B.C. Daniel is given of history (and prophecy) to write about some 250 years later, about 550 B.C.

More: Bible truth

Daniel 9:27

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KJV: And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

Hebrew: והגביר ברית לרבים שבוע אחד וחצי השבוע ישבית זבח ומנחה ועל כנף שקוצים משמם ועד כלה ונחרצה תתך על שמם׃

Greek: και δυναμωσει διαθηκην πολλοις εβδομας μια και εν τω ημισει της εβδομαδος αρθησεται μου θυσια και σπονδη και επι το ιερον βδελυγμα των ερημωσεων και εως συντελειας καιρου συντελεια δοθησεται επι την ερημωσιν

Daniel 8:21

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KJV: And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.

Hebrew: והצפיר השעיר מלך יון והקרן הגדולה אשר בין עיניו הוא המלך הראשון׃

Greek: και ο τραγος των αιγων βασιλευς ελληνων και το κερας το μεγα ο ην ανα μεσον των οφθαλμων αυτου αυτος εστιν ο βασιλευς ο πρωτος

Daniel 8:22

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KJV: Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.

Hebrew: והנשברת ותעמדנה ארבע תחתיה ארבע מלכיות מגוי יעמדנה ולא בכחו׃

Greek: και του συντριβεντος ου εστησαν τεσσαρα υποκατω κερατα τεσσαρες βασιλεις εκ του εθνους αυτου αναστησονται και ουκ εν τη ισχυι αυτου

Here is what an angel told Daniel in Daniel 10 which would have been about 550 B.C..

Daniel 10:20 Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come. [kjv]

και ειπεν ει οιδας ινα τι ηλθον προς σε και νυν επιστρεψω του πολεμησαι μετα αρχοντος περσων και εγω εξεπορευομην και ο αρχων των ελληνων ηρχετο [lxx]

10:21 But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince. [kjv]

The angel is fighting "with" the prince of Persia and then the prince of Greece shall come. Is the angel fighting for or against those powers? is it clear. Is the "prince" the leader of those powers or the power behind those leaders?

It would appear that the angel could be traveling through time to take care of needed business, first with the prince of Persia, and, later, with the prince of Greece.

More: Daniel 8: Horns of Greece

Matthew 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? [kjv]

καθημενου δε αυτου επι του ορους των ελαιων προσηλθον αυτω οι μαθηται κατ ιδιαν λεγοντες ειπον ημιν ποτε ταυτα εσται και τι το σημειον της σης παρουσιας και συντελειας του αιωνος [gnt]

In Matthew, when the disciples ask about the last days, Jesus talks about the last days in the Olivet discourse, where he talks about "all of it" as in "Ol-i-vet".

More: Matthew 24: The Olivet discourse

In the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24, again in Mark) Jesus talks about the Silent Years - the some parts prophesied by Daniel (who writes a lot more history before it happens).

Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. [kjv]

και κηρυχθησεται τουτο το ευαγγελιον της βασιλειας εν ολη τη οικουμενη εις μαρτυριον πασιν τοις εθνεσιν και τοτε ηξει το τελος [gnt]

24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand: ) [kjv]

οταν ουν ιδητε το βδελυγμα της ερημωσεως το ρηθεν δια δανιηλ του προφητου εστος εν τοπω αγιω ο αναγινωσκων νοειτω [gnt]

24:16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: [kjv]

τοτε οι εν τη ιουδαια φευγετωσαν εις τα ορη [gnt]

Matthew 24:14

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KJV: And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Greek: και κηρυχθησεται τουτο το ευαγγελιον της βασιλειας εν ολη τη οικουμενη εις μαρτυριον πασιν τοις εθνεσιν και τοτε ηξει το τελος

Matthew 24:15

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KJV: When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand: )

Greek: οταν ουν ιδητε το βδελυγμα της ερημωσεως το ρηθεν δια δανιηλ του προφητου εστος εν τοπω αγιω ο αναγινωσκων νοειτω

Matthew 24:16

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KJV: Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:

Greek: τοτε οι εν τη ιουδαια φευγετωσαν επι εις τα ορη

The Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Church have books in the Bible that the Protestant denominations decided to remove - the Apocrypha, sometimes called the Deuteron-canonical books.

The words "deuteron-canonical" means, literally, "second canonical".
The name "Deuteronomy" means, literally, "second law".

These books included the history books of Maccabees 1 and 2, that form a lot of history of the Silent Years. Details include the following.

Maccabean revolt.
The "desolation of abomination" specifically mentioned by Daniel and Jesus.
The re-dedication of the temple after the desolation of abomination and subsequent revolt.

Note: After the revolt in about 165 B.C. until the Romans (under Pompey, rival of Julius Caesar) arrived in about 60 B.C., the nation was relatively independent.

Alexander the Great is not directly mentioned in the Bible but is mentioned many times in the Apocrypha history books of Maccabees.

Alexander the Great is mentioned indirectly, two hundred years before, by Daniel in a number of prophecies in the book of Daniel.

Alexander the Great defeats and destroys the Persian empire under Darius.

Here are the (most common) books of the (Old Testament) Apocrypha. (Wikipedia)

1 Esdras, 2 Esdras, Tobit, Judith ("Judeth")
Rest of Esther (Esther 10:4-16:24)
Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus (Sirach)
Baruch, Epistle of Jeremy ("Jeremiah")
Three Children (Daniel 3:24-90), Susanna (Daniel 13)
The Idol Bel and the Dragon (Daniel 14)
Prayer of Manasses (Daniel)
1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees

When exactly does the Old Testament end and the New Testament begin?
From what Jesus says, the OT (Old Testament) and NT (New Testament) appear to overlap. That is, the Old Testament, the law and the prophets, go until John.

Matthew 11:13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. [kjv]

παντες γαρ οι προφηται και ο νομος εως ιωαννου επροφητευσαν [gnt]

Luke 16:16 The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it. [kjv]

ο νομος και οι προφηται μεχρι ιωαννου απο τοτε η βασιλεια του θεου ευαγγελιζεται και πας εις αυτην βιαζεται [gnt]

The Hebrew Bible is called, in Hebrew, the The Hebrew word "תנייך" (Tanakh) ≈ "Tanakh" represents what is often called the OT. In Jewish tradition, the parts of the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible) are as follows.

"תורה" (Torah) ≈ "Torah - law"
"נביאים" (Nevi'im) ≈ "Nevi'im - prophets"
"כתובים" (Ketuvim) ≈ "Ketuvim - writings"

From the letter sounds "T", "n" and "kh" comes the word "Tanakh".

More: Hebrew alphabet

Matthew 11:13

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KJV: For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

Greek: παντες γαρ οι προφηται και ο νομος εως ιωαννου προεφητευσαν επροφητευσαν

Luke 16:16

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KJV: The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.

Greek: ο νομος και οι προφηται εως μεχρι ιωαννου απο τοτε η βασιλεια του θεου ευαγγελιζεται και πας εις αυτην βιαζεται

If you have listened to enough sermons, you have probably heard about the "silent years" which typically goes as follows.

From the end of the Old Testament after Malachi until the New Testament are 400 years. These years are called the silent years since the Bible is silent about these years.

Is this folk legend passed down from generation to generation without a thought as to what it says and means?

Summary:

Daniel writes about the Silent Years before they happen.
Jesus talks about the Silent Years after they happen.
Jesus says the Old Testament (Law and the Prophets) go until John the Baptist, overlapping the New Testament.
The Protestant churches decided to remove the Apocryphal history books (Maccabees 1, 2) that form a good part of the history of the Silent Years.

So, the next time you hear about the Silent Years, you might wonder where exactly they got their information.