The last couple weeks I have been working my way through dozens of Bible and theology questions which people have submitted through that “ask a question” area in the sidebar. The following question is about the years of silence in the Bible, not just the 400 years of silence between the Old Testament and New Testament, but also the other periods of silence that are between certain sections of Scripture.
Here is the question that was submitted about these years of silence in the Bible:
Why did God leave out hundreds of years of documentation between certain books of the Bible?
Below is my answer…
I sometimes think that when people ask this question, the “question behind the question” is “Why isn’t God speaking today?”
We all want God to speak into our lives, but it often seems that God is silent. So if we can figure out why God was “silent” in times past, maybe we can figure out why God is silent in our own life as well.
I am not saying you are asking this question, but some do…
So let me try to answer your question by framing it properly. The answer to your question about the years of silence in the Bible (and the question of why God seems silent today) is found by stepping back and looking at the wider picture.
When most people ask this question, they are primarily referring to the “400 years of silence” in between Malachi and Matthew. I will try to explain what was going on during those years, but really, the question of God’s so-called “years of silence” is much more complex.
For example, it is not just the 400 years of silence between Malachi and Matthew where we have no books in the Bible. Other than a few chapters, we have almost no books in the Bible from the years between creation and the call of Abraham. While more liberal scholars believe this period of time lasted millions (or billions) of years, even the most the most conservative biblical scholars say that there was about 2000 years between Genesis 1 and Genesis 12. That’s a lot of time for only 11 chapters of biblical history.
Then, of course, there are the last 2000 years. Very few Christian groups believe that there have been additional books added to the Bible since the book of Revelation was written in the first century A.D. So even if the earth is only 6000 years old (a super conservative estimate), the Bible is missing roughly 4000 years worth of human history. If we are going to ask why there are 400 years of silence between Malachi and Matthew, we must also ask why there are at least 2000 years of silence before the events of Genesis 12, and another 2000 years of silence since the last word of the New Testament was written.
In other words, whatever we say about the 400 years of silence between the Testaments must also suggest an answer for the 4000+ years of silence in the rest of world history. The Bible doesn’t record much of anything that happened for the first 2000 (or more) years of human history as well as the most recent 2000 years of human history.
But the problem is even worse than that.
Even if we consider the 2000 years of history that are recorded in the Bible, these biblical records only cover the tiniest fraction of human events that took place during these two millennia. In other words, even though we have roughly 2000 years of biblical history in Scripture, these records only cover some of the events of some of the people who lived in a tiny, remote, relatively insignificant corner of the world.
Why, for example, does the Bible not record a single word of what was going on in Asia? Or North and South America? Or Australia? There were certainly important events going on in those places, right? God was at work in those other countries as well, was He not? Why then do we have no biblical records of what God was doing in these other places? Why is there nothing but years of silence regarding God’s work in the rest of the world?
Only by framing the question this way are we now in a position to answer it.
The question is not just about 400 years of silence in between Malachi and Matthew, but about the thousands of years of silence regarding almost everything that has happened in the world.
Obviously, God could not have recorded everything from every event in every place in the world and given it to us in the Bible.
So instead, we have to trust that God gave us what we needed to know in the Bible so that we can believe what He wants us to believe and do what He wants us to do.
So why did God leave out hundreds of years of documentation on the Bible? For the same reason He left out thousands of years and trillions of events from the rest of human history.
It is not that God wasn’t active in these other years (He was). It is not that nothing was God wasn’t speaking, or performing miracles, or answering prayers (He was). It is not that God was sleeping, was absent, was ignoring humanity, or was off playing a round of golf (He definitely wasn’t).
God is always active, is always speaking, is always involved, is always answering prayer, and is always working to accomplish His will in the world… even when He is not having people write about it. The things that God has recorded in Scripture are enough for us to go on. We need neither more nor less. What is written is what is needed to know and believe what God is like, what God is doing, and how we are to live and function in this world.
And this brings us back to the unasked “question behind the question.” As I indicated at the beginning of my answer, when people ask why there are 400 years of silence in the Bible, the unspoken question is sometimes, “Why does God seem silent in my life?”
But God’s apparent silence throughout most of history is not because God was absent or inactive, but simply because it takes eyes of faith to see where God is at work even when He doesn’t have someone write about it.
So also in our own lives.
Even if it seems your prayers seem bounce off the ceiling, even if you do not sense God’s presence, even if God feels absent and silent, the reality is the exact opposite. God is with you. God loves you. God hears your prayers, knows what you need, and is involved in your life. He is there and He is active.
It takes eyes of faith to see God’s hand at work in our lives, even when it seems God is absent or silent.
If you want to weigh in on this question, please feel free to add your comments below. Also, please consider sharing this post on Twitter and Facebook below because then others can benefit from the discussion on this theological question.
Those “silent years” were hardly silent, as the Apocrypha, which was written during that time, testifies. Even if we Protestants don’t consider those books canonical or inspired, they still record the Jews believed God was living and active in history.
Same with the writings of the church fathers, saints, and Christian authors. Again, not canonical, but they testify over and over again of the Holy Spirit’s activity from the time of the New Testament to now. And same with the so-called silent years before the bible was first written—or for that matter, the silent years of all the cultures who weren’t Hebrews, yet nonetheless knew about the one true God. We have very few of their writings. But the few we have, indicate they weren’t fully ignorant of God’s activity.
It’s only we who are ignorant of what God did among them. The “silences” are nothing more than gaps in our knowledge. It’s ridiculous of us to say, “Since I don’t know what God was up to during this period in history, he must not have been doing anything.”
Great points. The silent years are nothing more than gaps in our knowledge. I love that.
What is your view on the inspiration of the Apocrypha? Just curious…
I sorta have a “low view” and “high view” of inspiration. High, like the scriptures, directly involves the Holy Spirit in their composition. Low, like the stuff I write, means I had God on my mind when I wrote it, but I’d never claim my words were the Spirit speaking through me. I put the Apocrypha in the low category. Like Martin Luther said, good and profitable to read; but no more so than Dante, Bunyan, Milton, or Lewis.
Yes, I might take a similar view. Though the topic of inspiration has many nuances and variations.
I love the Apocrypha just for what it is, an historical book that was written during the time that God was silent, that comes with many nuances and much knowledge and variations as you said, it gives us some form of understanding we may be missing. No doubt the Bible is the final stamp on God’s word but doesn’t mean there’s more out there during those times for us to learn. If you go back and look at the church of Sardis in Revelation and study it’s time they had a library of approx 200,000 books. So that alone tells us there is a lot of knowledge we can get from outside the Bible. But that’s just what it is, KNOWLEDGE, it doesn’t make it a 2 Timothy 3:16 book. And then of course John wrote in the very last verse of his gospel that if they would have written everything they saw just with Jesus alone the world would not be able to contain it. So there’s a lot more out there for us to learn about our God and our Lord and Savior, it just depends on much we want to find out.
The Kings Son
Yes, I have enjoyed reading the Apocrypha as well. I also enjoy reading and studying many other books and ancient texts. As has been said, all truth is God’s truth, and everything the Bible says is true, but this does not mean that all truth is found within Scripture.
I love reading history and this definitely has inspired me.
Agree! I cross-reference with research and the Bible, I have a hard time understanding certain things. I read, and It comes back to me the way I understand. We all can read the same page in the Bible and come back the next day with different understandings and Different explanations given by God; at the end of the day, it all relates the same as HE wants us to understand it.
The Apocrypha is not consistent with the rest of the Bible.
When we look into the apocrypha itself, we find numerous problems. For example, we see it advocating magic where the smoke of a fish heart on a fire drives away devils.
Condones the use of magic
Tobit 6:5-7, “Then the angel said to him: Take out the entrails of this fish, and lay up his heart, and his gall, and his liver for thee: for these are necessary for useful medicines. 6 And when he had done so, he roasted the flesh thereof, and they took it with them in the way: the rest they salted as much as might serve them, till they came to Rages the city of the Medes. 7 Then Tobias asked the angel, and said to him: I beseech thee, brother Azarias, tell me what remedies are these things good for, which thou hast bid me keep of the fish? 8 And the angel, answering, said to him: If thou put a little piece of its heart upon coals, the smoke thereof driveth away all kind of devils, either from man or from woman, so that they come no more to them.”
Is it true that the smoke from a fish’s heart, when burned, drives away evil spirits? Of course not. Such a superstitious teaching has no place in the word of God.
Teaches that forgiveness of sins is by human effort.
Salvation by works:
Tobit 4:11, “For alms deliver from all sin, and from death, and will not suffer the soul to go into darkness.”
Tobit 12:9, “For alms delivereth from death, and the same is that which purgeth away sins, and maketh to find mercy and life everlasting.”
We know from Scripture that alms (money or food given to the poor or needy as charity) does not purge our sins. The blood of Christ is what cleanses us – not money or food given to poor people. “But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7).
Money as an offering for the sins of the dead:
2 Maccabbees 12:43, “And making a gathering, he sent twelve thousand drachms of silver to Jerusalem for sacrifice to be offered for the sins of the dead, thinking well and religiously concerning the resurrection.”
Can anyone truly accept that money isn’t offering for the sins of dead people? Such a superstitious and unbiblical concept has no place in Scripture.
Historical Errors
Wrong historical facts:
Judith 1:5, “Now in the twelfth year of his reign, Nabuchodonosor, king of the Assyrians, who reigned in Ninive the great city, fought against Arphaxad and overcame him.”
Baruch 6:2, “And when you are come into Babylon, you shall be there many years, and for a long time, even to seven generations: and after that I will bring you away from thence with peace.”
The book of Judith incorrectly says that Nebuchadnezzar was the king of the Assyrians when he was the king of the Babylonians.1
Baruch 6:2 says the Jews would serve in Babylon for seven generations where Jer. 25:11 says it was for 70 years. “And this whole land shall be a desolation and a horror, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.”
Brillant!
I really enjoyed reading your answers to the questions. It helps me to realize what was going in the world today.
Thank you so much.
Undoubtedly God was not silent during those periods nor is He silent now.
There seems to be no evidence that the Bible was ever intended to contain all information about history, science, theology, psychology, and so on.
The Bible contains stories about God’s interactions with people. The church selected the books we find there as especially important, some would say especially inspired writings. There are other writings from the time periods the Bible covers and from those it does not that reveal that God was active in those periods as well.
I believe that God is still quite active and involved in our world. I see evidence of that in many places. I do not think that God’s interaction with us or revelation to us has ended. We could have added to the Bible if only we could agree what to add (as if any of us think could ever be possible.) That hasn’t happened, and is unlikely to in the foreseeable future, but that is not to say that God isn’t speaking today.
Sam,
Great points. I have been thinking a lot on this topic recently.
Would you then say that there are other writings which are “nearly inspired” or maybe “just as inspired” as the Bible is?
God is definitely still involved, but is He involved in helping humans produce certain literary works? If so, how can we know which ones?
I think it best to avoid using the word “inspired” in Christian circles to apply to anything other than Scripture. Even there, it does not mean the same thing to everyone.
God continues to speak. At times, that may be through literary works. At times, those works may not be written by believers, but God may use them to speak.
How and when do we hear God speak? That’s a difficult question which apparently has many answers. For those of us who have followed Drew Marshall’s “crisis of faith” the past several years (Drew says that he never hears from God), and have heard the variety of answers as Drew has asked that question of his guests, many of them well-known Christian leaders and writers, we have observed that those questions seem to have many answers,
Yeah. It is such a loaded word. If I adjust my thinking on inspiration, I will probably use a different word so that people know what I am talking about. Drew is a funny, down to earth, practical guy. I bet he has heard God speak more than he knows. But then, that idea is based off a particular idea of what it means to hear God speak…
By the way which Prophecy really fulfill during 400 years silence period? Can anyone help me with answers…
“I see evidence of that in many places. I do not think that God’s interaction with us or revelation to us has ended.” Can you expound on this idea? I am one of those people who have lots of theories on how God is acting in our age but I am not quiet sure about any of them. I believe everything works for the good of those who believe but what specific things happening now could be the works of God in your opinion.
Beautifully written, Jeremy. Also, I fully agree with K.W. Leslie and Sam.
The “louder” our life is, the more silent God seems to be, that is, we are no longer able to discern the inner voices we hear (God, Satan, or the world). Therefore, why not withdraw for a certain time from all that trouble outside and seek Him in prayer?
“I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.” (Prv 8:17 ESV)
“For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” (Is 30:15 ESV)
“Listen to me in silence, O coastlands; let the peoples renew their strength; let them approach, then let them speak; let us together draw near for judgment.” (Is 41:1 ESV)
Yes. I often feel my life is too busy to adequately hear God. I often feel like I need several days out in the woods just to listen. Sadly, I haven’t been able to get that for about a decade now.
I totally agree that our lives are too busy to hear God well. I wonder what percentage of followers of Jesus are spending even an hour per day listening, communing in quiet times with Him? Maybe you could run a poll. I honestly believe the enemy is using this strategy to destroy the faith of many believers… and is it not effective?
“Why are there 400 years of silence between the Old and New Testaments?”
Because 399 years wasn’t enough and 401 was too many…??
OK, I’ll go back to my corner now…;^)
Ha!
Soli Deo – My first BIG belly laugh on this so serious morning of searching the scriptures on the Silent Years. Thank you,
While I agree with your statement that God is always active and speaks to us, it is interesting to see that there are 3 periods of 400 years of “silence” before a saviour is born. These periods testify of Gods faithfullness, He has not forgotten us.
But in Samuel it is writen that in the time before Samuel there were few profecies that came through. And in the time before Mozes God said that the Hebrews would suffer for 400 years in Egypt before He would act. Because the sins of the Kananites weren’t enough yet. So the Bible describes these 2 periods, periods of silence. Maybe that’s why people label the silence between old and new testament as silence.
But what is your opinion on the before Samuel period. The Bible states there were few prophecy. Was it because God chose to be silent or are there other reasons?
Hmm. Interesting. I knew about the years of slavery, but had forgotten about the other one.
I don’t think God was actually silent during these other years, only that nothing is recorded about them in the Bible. Maybe there were not public prophets, but there were undoubtedly people who sought to know and follow God’s voice.
Maybe in the period before Samuel, God was “silent” because people didnt’t seek Him. He did not want to be silent, but people just did not seek Him. It was the period of Eli and his sons who had no respect for God. But this poses another problem, because God is not dependent of people seeking Him before speaking to them.
There might be another reason that there is no recorded history in the three 400 years periods. God did not let anything be recorded in the Bible because he wanted to signify a period before a savior would be born. Is that a reasonable answer?
Before writing this comment, the prophetess Anna popped into my mind. She was like 100+ years of age when Jesus was born. And she started praying in the temple about 80 years before that. She knew Gods voice well enough to prophecy about Jesus and to recognize Gods voice in going to the right baby. I think she learned to recognize Gods voice before she met Jesus. So God spoke in the 400 years of silence (the period between 80 B.C. till 4 B.C. to be roughly exact) to Anna. The Bible gives proof itself that God speaks in the “silence” periods. But He speaks on a more individual instead of on a more nation wide level.
Good points, Erik.
It might be a bit of a stretch to say that during those periods of silence nobody was seeking him, but it might be true about God speaking more on an individual basis than a nation wide level.
I love the topic Jeremy…. 🙂
I agree with everyone who said that God is still talking with us..
I found something in ecclesiastes 3: 11
it says He has made everything beautiful in its time. He also has set eternity in the hearts men;yet they can not fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
When I ponder your topic, I realized that it was myself who limit or even stop God talk to us. Well, it had been well written in the human history since Adam and Eve to the revelation, when they decided to listen to their own mind and heart instead of God. The story about human nature to choose not to listen to God. and when we ask God to talk to us but still has that arrogant mind or desire wanting my wish still comes true instead of surrender to God who knows the best for us… I think I will do be quiet because we are quite stubborn creature, aren’t we?
Great insight from Eccl 3:11. That verse has been on my thoughts a lot lately!
1 Kings 19 v 3 to 13
Elijah heard God but it wasn’t easy for God to communicate with him. Did God shout at him?
At the end of verse 12 there was the gentle whisper of God.
God is never silent, we are just to busy to be bothered to listen. And when we find a quiet place and focus on Him, it’s always on our terms. No wonder we can’t and don’t hear Him.
In 1 Kings 18 v 25, are we like the prophets of Baal who believed their gods listened and obeyed their commands. Elijah suggested their god may have been on the toilet and maybe they needed to shout louder, but there was no reply.
God did not create and then go on vacation, he continued to delight in His creation but we refused to play and dance with Him. Those of us who have been blessed with children know all to well that our relationships with them will mean we will always have strong connections with them even when they are far away, it’s no different with God and his children.
Those who have deserted God or have ignored His promptings need to believe that He does not give up on us, far from it, it’s us who have gone our own ways and have followed false gods, power, money, philosophy, pride, you can add your own.
God is constantly calling us back. A thousand years is like unto a few hours for Him Psalm 90 v 4. Four hundred years is nothing in eternity. God scans the whole of the universe and even knows when a sparrow falls Matthew 12 v 6.
Who says God did not and does not speak, how foolish is mankind 2 timothy 4 v 3 for the time will come when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their passions.
Be not deceived. 2 John ch 1 v 7 to 11. 2 Peter 1 v 2 to 4. 1 John 2 v 15 to 17. Ephesians 4 v 14.
Yes, a whisper! Love it.
Do you think God whispers even to people who are not His children?
yes, God whisper even to to people who are not His children…. so many prove even in the old testament shows that He love so much the world…( For God so love the world…..)
Which people are not God’s children?
God will never silient remember in the book of Genesis Moses was on the mount with God for forty days, what was he doing there? there was no record for it, then God did not silent He said, all secret things belong to God He reveal to us the little He want us to know. So God have never one day.
Good points. Even though nothing is recorded, this doesn’t mean God was silent.
Seems like an awfully simplistic answer to a very complex question. The question is one of many that I have been asking and studying lately. I find a lot of pastors and teachers dumb things down too much, and do a disservice to what God is doing in the church. Most of the doubts and questions I have struggled with in the past were exasperated by these “simple” answers that don’t really answer the question. Now that I have complained about the answer given, I do have to admit I like the way you expanded the question to encompass all of the perceived periods of silence. You have inspired me to dig a deeper into the workings of God.
John,
Thanks. Yes, I try not to give simplistic answers to complex questions. I have recently been working on a different problem, and it occurs to me as I think about it, that it would also speak to this question as well in a more satisfying way. But I am not ready to write anything yet about this other problem…. Keep studying and searching!
Hi Jeremy. I just wanted to drop something that I have been wondering and this post seems like as good a place as any. I’ve noticed in scripture that when God has spoken, very few people actually seems to have listened. Is it only after it was written and hindsight enters the picture that we seem to see more clearly what was happening. This leads me to my thought: Since the beginning of the N.T. era especially after the apostles, much confusion has arisen. Could it be that God used the reformers to bring about “an opening of our eyes” so to speak and this has been continually happening throughout these last two millenia including up until today? I’m speaking of the ways we are starting to look at the ways of God in the Old Testament period through the lens of the life of Christ and His expression of who God really is? I only use the reformation as an example because it is such an obvious and devisive one. I hope that I made myself plain and have not added confusion. Thanks!
A lot of great comments. I agree with all those who say God is not silent. He speaks to us often. All we have to do is listen. I am now retired for a few years. I spent much of my working life travelling. I was in a different town every night giving a speech before groups of maybe 25 in Bangor Maine, 350 in Denver Colorado, or over 1,000 in Chicago. Like all humans, I was scared to death to speak in public, but I loved the money, and in time, I learned to control my nerves. (It is good to be a little nervous, it makes your adrenaline flow that makes you think better.) Several years ago my wife and I joined an Evangelical Church and have been very happy. A couple years ago, I was asked to lead a Sunday School Class. I had a lot of excuses why I couldn’t do it, but I told my Pastor I would pray and think about it. When I prayed, I got a sense that this was something God wanted me to do. “But I’m way too busy to prepare.” Again, I got the feeling that God would make it possible to find the time.(10 to 12 hours per week). Reluctantly, I agree to give it a try. Each week I pray that God will help me with the studies. In over two years, he has not let me down. He has been very faithful with his help. His help comes on his time though. Sometimes it is on Saturday afternoon, sometimes at 3:00 o’clock in the morning. Sometimes he leads me by the hand, sometimes he gives me a gentle nudge, sometimes it is a slap on the side of the head. I get a lot of compliments on the classes. I always say it is not me. God is who deserves all the praise. To my close friends, I tell them I do know know much about the Bible, but I have a good friend who knows it very well…..He wrote it. I now feel all the years of travelling and speaking has trained me just to do this, and I can’t wait to see what he is training me for next.
God used men to write direct from Himself, came in the flesh to interact, and promises to come again. As He is not assigned to our time lines, the gaps are irrelavent. Only He knows if there are specific reasons for gaps. But we know He still calls men into service and that the message never changes. John of Patmos must have had some sense of finality of Biblical writings when he warned in Rev. 22 that God would deal severely with any “adding” or “taking away” from the Words of “this prophecy”, and as much of Gods Word is prophecy
I think that applies to the entire Bible and not just to Revelation. Just as Daniel was instructed to “seal up the book until the time of the end”, John may have received similar instructions.
For me, and speaking as a layman, the Bible is the story of Jesus Christ. The entire salvation story starts with the fall of man and ends with the new earth after the return of Christ. In the 400 years it may just simply have been a period where the first coming of Christ was the next event. That’s my simple understanding.
Right. But the question is why was there 400 years and not 4 days, or 40 years, or 4000 years?
here is my idea about this 400 yr silence. the word says that a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like a day with God. that being said maybe just maybe the father and son were taking the time to discuss all that jesus was going to haft to go thru in order for the plan of salvation to take place. this was going to be the most important event in human history and they wanted to make sure they got it right. this is not out of the realm of reason as i have read some of the other posts. just my thinking on this.
I was looking up research for the 400 hundred years for a back ground for a sermon. I myself believe that it should be made simple. God was silent, but not absent. He said I will never leave you or forsake, yet he also said, I will give you a write of divorcement. I can not compare today to then for I have never known God to be silent in my life or the churches I have be apart off. So I would not know this. I have never known God not to be active in my life either even if I failed and stumbled into a time or season of sin. The way I look at the 400 years is pretty simple. God gave his Jewish children everything they wanted. shelter, kings, armies, wealth, safety at times, yet not Himself personally. There is nothing like having all you want but not having a father. Now when the temple was disrespected and decimated then God raised up judges. That didn’t last. I take it at face value God was silent, but ever present. To bad the people where so caught up in themselves they could not even see that. There will be a moment of silence again in heaven and earth…. Then hang on. As for now it is the whisper that thunders and the thunder that is silent.. God in Christ Jesus is not silent. Considering the lack of information what happen between certain times up until Abraham? Will it really define Gods plan or our salvation. We will find out one day.
That is a good insight into the possible reason why. It was the silence before the storm of Jesus’ advent–A storm of love.
Jeremy and all the others who posted here,
I have asked myself this question many times as I am trying to become a better defender of the faith. Tonight I set out to see what others were saying about this question as it was truly bothering me. I truly believe that God led me to this site. After reading all the posts it now makes perfect sense to me and it is really simple. God was never silent at all as you stated. He was busy working in the lives of others but just did not record any of that. As you wisely said God could not have put everything in the bible. This question has thrown me off for awhile now because I was looking at it as if God was not working or doing anything in anybody’s life and basically detached himself from everyone on this earth. NOT SO! I am so glad I understand this now.
Thanks to all who posted. This is a wonderful site!!
Good observation. But I’ m for the point that the term “silence” should not be used in the sense that God has been always on the business of talk to people in defferent forms and also during that period a lot happened, we get the likes of Zechariah the priest who always led worship ceremony.
I hear a podcast yesterday and he mentioned that it’s all reveled in Daniel 11:5-35
the four hundred years are actully when the 7 headed dragon with the gold crowns gave every body the mark of the beast. born into sin was the devils plan.both parents have the mark of the beast u be born into sin. thats why mary jesus mother was a virgin.
All other books that are not included in the holy Bible was not the inspired word of God. The holy Bible is all we need. God has not been silence since the writing of revelations. Revelations takes us to the end. I’m Pentecostal, believe me God is not silent, we just need to listen. Listen to the Bible, to Gods holy word. We need nothing else.
I speak sermons my sleep, so im told
The Bible’s main theme is Christ and His role in our Salvation. It’s purpose is to show us how we may partake of that Salvation. We are told how God worked out His plan tbrough the stories of the Bible. That’s why Asia, North and South America are not mentioned.
“Why are there 400 years of silence between the Old and New Testaments?”
Because 399 years wasn’t enough and 401 was too many…??
OK, I’ll go back to my corner now…;^)
To better answer the question, I will better ask the question: “Why were the 400 years between Malachi and Matthew silenced??” Hmmmm. Great question.
( MODERATOR: Comment edited…Refer to the comment policy at https://redeeminggod.com/comment-policy/ )
What is written is what is needed to know and believe what God is like, what God is doing, and how we are to live and function in this world.When man sin against God, he first loves us, that’s why he sent his only begotten son that who so ever believes in him would not perish but have everlasting life. Now talking of God not performing in other parts of the world like America and the rest is that;God in his own wisdom does things accordingly and to the purpose of his good will.God came to mankind again after being apart for so long, thus” 400 years “Jesus came to rescue us from the bondage of sin, God is every where and works around his people. that’s why Isaiah prophesy of the messiah to the people of God. So even though JESUS came to the world, He came for his OWN.
God was there but he want us to see whether we are living according to his will or not becouse God has already given us a chance|prevelige to live according to his will on this Earth.
I think God speaks clearly in these times because of his silence it means he has had enough of our ways we havent listened we have gone our own way we havent acted on what his prophets have spoken so he distances himself until such time that we will take him seriously.Thats how it was in the old testament he allowed his people to go into captivity or bondage when they refused to obey his word.We see this pattern repeated over and over for example In Egypt when they were in slavery it wasnt until the people acknowledged there sin and cried out to God to save them and he did by sending a savior moses.Because we have Christ we have grace he wont spurn us like he used to because Christ took away our reproach and he is free to love us despite our sinfulness.brentnz
Thanks for the great article.
It makes me think of Hebrews 1:1-2 Young’s Literal Translation (YLT),…..
1 In many parts, and many ways, God of old having spoken to the fathers in the prophets,
2 In these last days did speak to us in a Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He did make the ages
If we say God has been silent, it is only because we choose to close our eyes and ears to the words of Christ. What more can God do after having incarnated His own Precious One?
I used to ask myself these exact questions. Is God on break, chilling, talking with Moses , etc… but as I’ve grown in my faith I’ve come to understand that exact same thing that I read in a previous quote, it doesn’t matter! He gave me enough, His Son, something I didn’t deserve and His love and mercy and grace has changed my life. No one, not Billy Graham, could tell me otherwise. The coolest thing to me is that one day we will get to walk in heaven with God and ask Him these questions. Excited about this
Deuteronomy 29:29 King James Version (KJV)
29 The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.
Cain killed his brother Abel, and went to Nod east of Eden where he met his wife and a village of people. Where did all these people come from. There was probably older people in that Village than Adam, or Eve. Please comment on this part that makes me wonder about the Bible.
Respects,
Emmett Jones
My name is Desta, I think I m christian .
I m not at good condition . I was & am waiting and praying for God’s visit for not less than 8years . But no answer. Now I m exhausted &lacking hope.
If He keep silent for how long I can trust ? Im depended on Him till, is it fair to relate 400 years silence with my case. Im not comfortable to accept your message. What do you think ?
The silent years that God planned for all humanity can also be known as time that was needed for mankind to develop his skills and understanding of their creator in a way that only God could have planned. Time is what we need. God does not need time for anything. He does not exist in a place where time is needed as we do. God`s word says that one day is as a thousand years. If that is true, Jesus was born 2 days ago. Dr. Michael Apple
I like what you said. I would like to remind you that there is scientific evidence that the earth is no more than 6,000 years old or so. Kenn Hamm has a lot of this information. My best friend in High School is a Doctor, and to make a long story short he scored a 1600 on the SAT in the 9th grade, graduated from High School at 16, and had just 1 “B” in his academic life. He then graduated from Med School with honors and ran an anesthesiology department at Oconee Memorial Hospital for 20 years. He told me from a genetic point of view we can see the genetic breakdown over time. He explained this to me – did not understand it until he put it in understandable terms – but we are devolving in reality. Yet our information is evolving, but from a medical standpoint we are a point where you can see genetic markers, and see that we are not as genetically pure, and indication that life in man is winding down. This happened because when Adam fell, mankind started dying. They went from purity and sinlessness to breakdown physically. Adam and Eve were designed to live forever in their physical bodies. When they sinned God had told them they would surely die, but not at the exact moment they sinned. In a spiritual sense they did die that day! In a Physical sense they had bodies that would decay, God uses this evidence as a way to show us how deadly sin really is for us!
Thanks for that information. However, I only wanted information on why the 400 silent years between the Old & New Testament.
Thank you
I think this question is more than existential. This is also a major political-religious question. The biblical fact that God spoke to prophets and priests in OT and stopped with Malachi is a big deal. By the time we get to the gospels it’s clear that the Jews were living in darkness this whole time and awaiting the promise. So 400 years of silence. Then we find extraneous books written between 200BC and 400 AD added to the Word of God. But all scripture is God-breathed, no? So is the biblical authority claiming that God spoke when He actually didn’t? That would be heresy. For example, the Maccabees were no more than a family who kept a record of Jewish history. It was a record, not prophesy. It doesn’t belong. Anything with Daniel’s name on it does not belong. None of it belongs because God wasn’t speaking to the world, or even His own people.
Second, the Time between the Testament is where the “Traditions of Men” come from that Jesus spoke of when he rebuked the Pharisees. He was clear that this did not come from God. During this 400 years, when there was no prophesy, is when judaism became increasing legalistic because the priests were creating more and more laws. I guess they were bored or had no real leadership. Jesus called the people “sheep without a shepherd”. This only added to the darkness of the 400 years of silence.
Third, the reason there is nothing after John is because the New Testament was written by apostles, 1st generation Christians who walked with God face to face. God used them to say everything we needed to know about The Way. Now that Jesus is resurrected and we have the Holy Spirit, The Word and The Way is living and active in us. We don’t need anything new except what God does in and through each of us. Everything God had to say in scripture was universal, now, because of Christ, it’s personal.
If you would like to have a conversation about this I would greatly appreciate it.
Thank you
Why was Enoch and his prophecy left out of the King James Bible. Yes God took. And Enoch was shown the seven heavens by angels. Enoch prophised the coming of Christ. Also the Book of Jubilee was left out of the Bible and Others.
So influencial answer
The thing about Biblical Authority and Sufficiency is that it inherently means that the possible libraries of revelation outside of it have no weight. Truth is truth, is truth; then if the Bible is the only authority on truth, all else is up to question. Einstein’s sudden change to our knowledge of physics which we assumed to be fixed-truth drove that nail in deep.
If the Bible is sufficient, and authoritative, then all of God’s activity outside of it is also up to question. If it’s up to question, it might as well not have happened. After all, if it truly mattered, wouldn’t it have been written?
When God speaks, we must listen. If we only listen to scripture as revelation, it means God doesn’t speak anywhere else in a way that truly matters, and if it doesn’t matter, God might as well not speak at all: otherwise it would have as much authority as the Bible, and we can’t have that, can we? Scriptural sufficiency requires hyper-cessationism, and that the Bible interperet itself, since God’s interpereting his own word through the Spirit (like Jesus did the law) would be its own revelation again, and worth adding to Scripture.
There was no 400 years of silence 5 if the 14 books that was taken out of the Bible explains and tell of the events doing those 400 years
What 5 of 14 books?
If the books are not in order, how can we say there were 400 years from MALACHI to MATTHEW?
He was done prophesying. All the events that took place in the 400 years were prophesied in Daniel. If you follow the flow of Daniel’s interpretation of King Nebuchadnezzar’s statue dream, then you’ll see that it follows the flow of the empires that governed Israel during the 400 years, starting with Babylon and ending with Rome. Additionally, near the end of Daniel (ch 11), the reign of the evil Antiochus IV Epiphanes is outlined and it also hints at the Maccabean Revolt. The other prophets prophesied about the coming Messiah and Malachi speaks of a messenger who will prepare the way. God was done telling the Israelites the gameplan through the prophets and it was time for history to unfold to prepare the way for the New Testament. This part of history is vital apologetically because outside sources confirm what was prophesied a hundred of years prior. As you said, silent doesn’t mean inactive.
Of course God was active during the 400 years from Malachy to Mathieu. But He did not make any revelation to any one. No inspired book was written. I think, during that period of time, God was busy preparing for His incarnation on earth through Jesus Christ. That is the reason of the silence.
I’m afraid you did not answer the question. The reason for the over 400 years of silence between Malachi and John the Baptist is because God said he will be silent that long. It has nothing to do with why He was silent in other areas of history
In the book of Amos He said “the time is coming when I will cause a famine in the land. Not a famine of lack of food but of lack of the Word of God…” And so on.
Before that, God showed Daniel in a vision that “Seventy sevens have been appointed for your people and the Holy City to finish transgression, anoint the holy one, usher in righteousness…” etc. I can’t quote verbatim but read it up in Daniel 9 and 10.
There will be “seven sevens and sixty-two sevens”, the vision continued. Now calculate this: and
70 x 7 = 490 years
7 x 7 = 49 years
62 x 7 = 434 years
The 49 years was the period that God stirred the heart of Kings and the people to rebuild the temple, return from exile and resettle Jerusalem. The 434 years are the years He will remain silent and say nothing.
The answer to why there is that silence is that God said HE will be silent. God is not silent in our world and our lives today. He can’t be when He gave us the comforter, the Holy Spirit. God is only silent to those who do not have the Spirit of God in them. but to His children who have His spirit, He speaks with them every day.
Thank you for your insight on this. I’ve asked the same question myself. Learning about the history of human reasoning and philosophy has brought me to the conclusion that God was not silent but men quit listening. Today in the busyness of life we want a microwave god to give us answers right away yet we fill our life with busyness. Twenty minutes of music and praise, a thirty to forty five minute message, and we are good for the week. Unless of course a circumstance arises that we need to get our magic words out and summon the most high. Yes a little sarcastic but the truth is in there.
If we want to hear Him and know Him then we need to prioritize our life in Him. Jesus came to set us free from so much more than the law of sin and death and yet we are no different than most men in those days.
Be still and know that He is God.
What is a “True Prophet”?
John was the first “true prophet in 400 years. From Mathew , Chapters1, 2, or 3)I think but I can’t find it or the explanation.
Great article! It is unthinkable that God would be silent for 400 years. And there are those who think the same about the last 2,000 years. To paraphrase the author, Why would someone think God has been silent for the last 2,000 years, just because that person has not heard Him, or it is outside of his experience? Is it just because God has not written another Bible? I think there are those who believe that God only speaks through the Bible. Certainly, that is our standard, but I pity those who believe that God no longer speaks; they have been sequestered in unrealistic silence.