A Time Between Testaments-Wicked, Determined Herod

By Mary Vee
Between the Old and New Testament
Around 44 BC to the Beginning of the New Testament

From the Historical records

The time in between time. 

Four hundred years are in the process of passing since God last spoke through a prophet to His people.

Remember we are counting backwards to year 0. The year is around 63 BC. (before Christ)

    400 BC                           300 BC                        200 BC                        100 BC                          Birth of Christ
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The time between the Testaments is coming to a close. .

Antipater, the man appointed king of Judah by Caesar had a son and named him Herod.

Herod grew up in Rome and received a Roman education. He made friends with the children of Caesar. He was a very smart man but also was considered a madman who became violent against his enemies and his friends. His problems could have partially due to the lead lined pipes in which water was provided. Others had suffered madness from this very reason.

When he was twenty, Herod became governor and ruler over Jews in the Galilee area. He built strong fortresses that overlooked the roads using Jewish slaves and money.

Back in Rome, Caesar was very popular. The people really liked him, but there were those who were jealous of his power and popularity. Julius Caesar, emperor of all Rome was killed by men in the Roman Senate. The people were shocked and upset. The government became a mess. Men fought to take power.

Antipater who still ruled in Jerusalem was poisoned. His son, Herod, suspected Hyrcanus the Jew and former king.

A rebellion rose up against Herod to get rid of him. He had every man in the rebellion captured and killed without a trial.

The Sanhedrin, one of the groups of Jewish priests ordered Herod to stand trial. Most of the Sanhedrin were afraid to stand up to Herod when he arrived with his army, but one man did. Shamai. 

The rest of the Sanhedrin refused to back Shamai because they were afraid of Herod. The trial was stopped. That night, Hyrcanus visited Herod. "Look, if you will leave in peace, I will smooth things over with the Sanhedrin. But, you must promise that if you ever gain power, I will be given a high position with you."

Herod left but was called to stand trial with the Romans. The Roman rulers sided with Herod and made him not only governor over Galilee again but also Jerusalem.

The Jews desperately wanted to get rid of Herod. He was a cruel madman. When a new man came into power in Rome, a man who did not like Herod, the Jews thought they would finally get rid of him.

War broke out against Rome the winners conquered Judah. Herod escaped. After he left, a Jew was appointed king in Jerusalem. Herod put on a disguise and fled to Rome. He begged the leader to let him be king in Jerusalem again. The leaders said, okay, and gave him troops to take back the city.

Herod marched to Judea, conquered it by killing 13,000 men and became king, again. There were two sections of priests. The Sadducees and the Pharisees. The Sadducees were loyal to Herod. The Pharisees were not.

The people preferred to listen to the Pharisees as their religious leaders.

Herod died in 4 AD

And so begins the New Testament.

What happens next?Come back next time.

This is the history, the events that happened to real people during the time between the Old and New Testaments. 

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sources: 
*New International Version, New King James Version. 
*My Bible College training.
*My notes and walk through classes I've taught in Children's church. Answers to student questions, etc.
*Pastoral sermons on this time
*Matthew Henry Commentary
*F. LaGard Smith Commentary
*The Hanukkah Book by Marilyn Burns, Four Winds Press, Macmillan Publishing Company, 1981
* Jewish History.org
*Jewish Virtual Library.org
*The Hasmonean Dynasty