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At the conclusion of the Old Testament Jews back from Babylonian captivity Under domination of the Medio-Persian empire Temple rebuilt, priests descended from Aaron serving in temple No king No divisions into various social, economic, religious parties

At the beginning of the New Testament A totally different world Rome is dominant power in the world, Jews under their control They have a king: the family of Herod Priests no longer from Aaron, priesthood now a political office Temple still center of worship but synagogues are found in Jewish cities Divided into three parties: Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes NT books and letters filled with allusions to events, people, institutions not found in the OT

There are 400 years of silence between the events recorded in Malachi and the world described in the Gospels. One cannot be a well-rounded Bible student and be ignorant of what occurred during these four centuries.

F rom M alachi t o C hrist: Between the Testaments

T he b ook o f D aniel

Over a period of some 69 years Daniel had a series of 4 visions regarding 4 world kingdoms plus the kingdom of God. These visions, objectively studied, provide some of the finest evidence we have for the verbal inspiration of the Bible.

Thank God for the book of Daniel! Let the liberals and skeptics be ashamed and hang their heads in disgrace for their attacks upon it. Homer Hailey

Daniel’s foreknowledge and explicit details concerning the 4 kingdoms and their rulers are such that no one could have projected such things without Divine assistance.

These prophecies also cover the 400 years between the testaments and accurately foretell various people and events within that period. Many of the events taking place during this period have a direct impact upon NT history. One cannot appreciate the latter without an understanding of the former.

Deut 18: But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die. 21 You may say in your heart, “How will we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?” 22 When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.

2 Peter 1: But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

The apologetic value of Daniel’s prophecies

Daniel’s 1 st prophecy of Media-Persia 605 BC Media-Persia ascended to prominence 539 BC = 66 years prior to fulfillment Daniel’s 1 st prophecy of Greece 605 BC Greece ascended to prominence 330 BC = 275 years prior to fulfillment

Daniel’s prophecy of Alexander the Great 547 BC Alexander the Great rose to power 330 BC = 217 years prior to fulfillment Daniel’s 1 st prophecy of Rome 605 BC Rome ascended to prominence 63 BC = 542 years prior to fulfillment

6052:362:392:392:405497:47:57:67:7-8, :3,4,208:5, :1-211:3-411:36-45 Babylon BC Media-Persia BC Greece BC Rome 63 BC

6052:362:392:392:405497:47:57:67:7-8, :3,4,208:5, :1-211:3-411:511:611: :32b-3511:36-45 Babylon BC Media-Persia BC Greece BC Alexander the Great Alexander the Great Egypt 323 BC Syria 204 BC Antiochus Epiphanes 175 BC Antiochus Epiphanes 175 BC Maccabees 168 BC Rome 63 BC

Babylon BC Media-Persia BC Greece BC Alexander the Great Alexander the Great Egypt 323 BC Syria 204 BC Antiochus Epiphanes 175 BC Antiochus Epiphanes 175 BC Maccabees 168 BC Rome 63 BC The Synagogue The Sanhedrin The dispersion Hellenism Koine Greek The Septuagint The Apocrypha The Dead Sea scrolls The Pharisees and Sadducees The Herods