Today’s reading again includes more of the genealogical records. We must know that these records were important, why else would God have included them in His book?

Following today’s reading there are three days of commentary concerning the historical interlude. We would encourage you to read these comments. They will help in understanding that God was definitely not “silent” during those 400 or so years!

The book of Daniel speaks volumes concerning those “silent” years. For example, we read in Daniel 8 about a ram and a goat. We know which countries are represented by these two animals because the Bible explains the representation. The horns on the ram and the goat represent the Medes, Persians, and Greeks. During the 400 year period, the Greeks took power from the Medes and Persians as illustrated by the ram and the goat in Daniel 8. The Greeks were the dominant power in the world until Alexander the Great died and his kingdom was split into four parts among his four generals. Daniel speaks of the Egyptian influence as power was transferred from the Greeks to the Romans. 

Daniel’s prophecies have been fulfilled in exacting detail, having been documented by Biblical and secular history. So were there 400 years of silence? We don’t think so! Not if you read the book of Daniel. It’s rather “noisy”.

The books of 1 and 2 Maccabees were once canonized and were taken out. 

And of course there are many records that simply were not canonized, or were canonized and later removed, and therefore are not in our Bibles today.

And finally….on October 18 we begin the New Testament. 

Since there will be three days of commentary (we would also encourage you to read this as well)  for October 15-17 and not Scripture readings, we will take this opportunity to post writings concerning the birth of Jesus as we prepare for the beginning of the New Testament. We will explain why we choose to honor the birth of Jesus during the actual time of year of His birth which happened during the Feast of Tabernacles and not the traditional December 25 date.

For more information concerning the birth of Jesus see the book The Journey of Jesus From the Manger to the Mansion.