Advent Day 11: The Great Silence

 

The Age of Prophecy ended.  The people of Judah had been restored to their land, their temple rebuilt and worship restored.

But the people continued to sin and to grieve God.

For the next 400 years, a great silence came from God.

I don't know about your parents, but mine had this look...They didn't say a word, but when I caught their eye and saw The Look, I knew what was ahead of me.   When I got The Look,  I was due some very real and well earned punishment.  They might well act out of anger and general discontent some days but The Look never preceded  unmerited punishment.  

God spoke to his people through the prophets but then He fell silent.

The world did not come to an end.  Life went on.  A LOT happened.

Jews returned to the homeland.  They were not free exactly.  The country was still under the rule of Persia for another 100 years.  

Ezra had travelled to Jerusalem and under his priesthood the people returned to God and then fell away again.  Nehemiah came as a governor mandated by the King of Persia to rebuild  the fortified walls of the city of Jerusalem.  He and Ezra urged the people to put aside their pagan practices and stop sinning.

A revival of faith came about.   The Jews practiced temple rituals and taught the laws of Moses.  

But for most of that 400 year silence the world went on with their sin and debauchery and selfishness and pagan worship...Many of the events that took place in the four hundred years of silence, every occupation and downfall and exile,were fulfillment of Prophecies.  

Why did they not understand that this was the equivalent of "The Look" from God?  Why didn't their hearts ache the way mine has in these silent days just past?  Didn't they miss Him at all?  

Of the 2500 prophecies in the Bible, 2000 have been fulfilled.

song: The Silence of God  Andrew Peterson

Persian rule gave way to Greek rule in 332 B.C., followed by Egyptian rule in 312 B.C.   The Greek language became the common language of the people of Judah at this time.  Syria took over the country in 204 B.C. About 175 B.C., the Greeks were again in rule, having overtaken Syria.   In 171 B.C., Antiochus Epiphanes desecrated the Holy of Holies within the Temple.   

The Holy of Holies was where the Ark of the Covenant rested within the innermost area of the Temple, as well as the two tablets of the Law given to Moses by God on Mount Sinai.  It was symbolic of the Throne room of God.  Entry was forbidden of any man except the Head Priest who could only enter on Yom Kippur.  

Antiochus Epiphanes removed all the golden cups, plates, altars, the lampstand with all its fittings, the censers and the crowns within the Temple.  But it was the loss of the Ark of the Covenant and the Tablets which  brought the wrath of the Jews.

1 Maccabees 1:25-29 Then there was deep mourning for Israel throughout the country:

26 Rulers and elders groaned; 27 Girls and young men wasted away; the women's beauty suffered a change; every bridegroom took up a dirge, the bride  sat grief-stricken on her marriage bed.  28 The very land quaked for its inhabitants 29 and the whole House of Jacob was clothed with shame.

At this time, it was decreed that all the inhabitants of Jerusalem would follow the customs of Greece.  The Greek monarchs forbade Shabbat, banned sacrifices and feasts.   Many Israelites chose to accept these conditions and willingly began following pagan ways.

It was not until 165 B.C. that a group of Jew, led by the Maccabee brothers revolted and took control of Jerusalem.   This revolt culminated in a group holding the Temple for 8 nights....And it led to a temporary rule of the Jews for 100 years more, before the Greek/Roman occupations began again.   It is the revolt that was held in the Temple that leads us into Channukah.

Last night was the first night of Chanukah for 2020.  Tonight we will light three candles on the Chanukkiah.  This year, I'm placing the Chanukkiah in front of the Menorah I bought some years ago at a  thrift store.  I have to remember that I found a reminder of my personal faith relationship in a most unexpected place during this long season of hurting from life...

This song tells the story of Chanukah better than I can:

song: Candlelight Maccabeats