The Time Between the Testaments

March 31, 2020 in Diakonos

On September 6, 1620, one hundred men, women and children crowded onto a small ship known as the “Mayflower” and set sail across the Atlantic. After a long and arduous journey, they landed in what later became known as Cape Cod. As is often said, the rest is history.

Much has changed over these past four hundred years. Nations have risen and fallen; technology has transformed. Comparing the “New World” of 1620 to the United States in 2020, we discover little that looks the same. Everything has changed.

Yet when we approach the Bible, we often forget this reality. We rightly give considerable attention to the history and customs of the Old Testament. We diligently pour over the language and culture of the New Testament. Yet as we do this, we all too frequently neglect the 400 years between the Testaments.

These 400 years, known as the Intertestamental Period or Second Temple Era, are occasionally called the “Silent Years.” Although it is true that no Scripture was written during this time, these years document some of antiquity’s most stunning events. We read of astonishing acts of faith; we learn of extraordinary miracles, and we unearth some of history’s greatest secrets. As we dig into the history of this era, we glimpse with greater clarity how God is at work and how he sovereignly and providentially guides his people.

It is only by digging into the history of the Intertestamental Period that we grasp the beauty and depth of what the apostle Paul meant when he penned, “At the fullness of time, God sent forth his Son” (Galatians 4:4). The more we explore the cultural context of this time, the more we discover it to not only be historically stimulating, but both theologically enriching and faith building.

By Dr. Jared M. August

Jared M. August has a Ph.D. from Baptist Bible Seminary. He will be teaching “New Testament Backgrounds & Intertestamental Period” this summer as a web-enhanced module. 

• Current BBS students can register for this and other summer courses by emailing registrar@ClarksSummitU.edu.
• To register for this course for personal enrichment, new students can email admissions@ClarksSummitU.edu.
• To learn more about earning a BBS Doctor of Philosophy, request information through Discover.ClarksSummitU.edu

Subscribe to Baptist Bible Seminary’s Diakonos e-newsletter

Read more content from Diakonos now.