Historical/Political Developments: 500 BC to 70 AD 
(see the visions of Daniel 2, 7, 8, 9, 10-12 as well) 

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1. The Persians are in control of the land of the Jews as the Old Testament writings are finished. 

2. Alexander the Great and the Greeks defeat the Persians (332 BC); Alexander dies (323 BC) and his empire is divided among his four generals.

3. There is repeated conflict over control of the Jews and their land between the Seleucid dynasty of Syria and the Ptolemies of Egypt.  

4. The Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175-166 BC) tries to destroy the Jewish faith.

5. The Jewish Maccabeean/Hasmonean dynasty (166-63 BC) rules during a short period of Jewish independence.

6. Pompey and the Romans conquer Jerusalem (63 BC).

7. Herod the Great rules as King of the Jews under the Romans (37- 1 BC). 

8. The birth of Jesus occurs (3 BC).

9. After Herod dies, his kingdom is divided among his sons; ultimately Judea is governed by a series of Roman procurators/governors.

10. The period of Jesus’ public ministry, death, resurrection and ascension (probably 30-33 AD).

11. The Jewish revolt of 66 to 70 AD ends in the burning and destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, formally ending the Old Covenant era.

 

Social developments among the Jews

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1. The Diaspora – Israelites/Jews who had been forced into exile develop their daily life largely apart from the Temple.

2. Synagogue life develops in each Jewish community.

3. The Samaritans (from the intermarriage of a remnant of Israelites from the northern Kingdom of Israel with non-Jews) occcupy the area between Judea and Galilee.

4. Hellenization – The pervasive power of Greek culture greatly influences Jewish life, and this continues under the Roman rule.

5. The Septuagint (LXX) translation of the Old Testament into Greek becomes widely used.

6. The Apocrypha/deuterocanonical books of the Jews are written.

7. The ‘Dead Sea Scrolls’, copies of Biblical texts and other Jewish writings, end up being hidden in caves until rediscovered in 1947.

8. Special groups develop among the Jews: Sadducees – aristocrats who stressed the Temple and controlled the Spriesthood, and accepted only the “books of Moses”/Torah and the doctrines directly stated in it.  Pharisees – “the separated ones”, they stressed a strict interpretation of and adherence to the Law, focused on individual obedience in daily life. Scribes – teachers of the Law and Jewish traditions based on interpreting the Law. Herodians – Jews who supported the Romans. Essenes – Jews who were disgusted with the mix of politics and religion of the priests and Temple; they lived in communities with special rules. Zealots – the revolutionary Jews who wanted to rebel against the pagan Romans and establish a Jewish kingdom. 

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