November/December 2012

The 400 Silent Years

What took place between Malachi and John the Baptist?


The Old Testament closes with Malachi’s pronouncement of judgment. The New Testament opens with John the Baptist’s preaching of repentance. This issue explores the intertestamental period between those two prophets and the significant events that happened during that time. It also includes a special Hanukkah story.

Features

When God Steps In

A rapidly rising tide of aggression is aimed at Israel, and the West seems impotent to stem it. But there is One who is omnipotent, and He has made promises He intends to keep.

Before the Silence

To understand the Intertestamental Period, it’s important to look at Israel’s postexilic history and see what happened to God’s Chosen People before the silence fell.

The Not-So-Quiet Years

Some people misconstrue the term silent years. They think the absence of a prophetic Word from the Lord meant the Lord was absent. That was not the case, as you’ll see.

A Savior Who Is Christ the Lord

A few miles from the hubbub of Bethlehem, you can visit a spot where the message of Christmas remains pure and undiluted. Relax, and let this wonderful article take you there!

A Hanukkah Menorah

The menorah is the very heart of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. Here is a true story about a treasured menorah whose light will shine brightly this holiday season.


More In This Issue

Inside View Nov/Dec 2012

When U.S. presidential candidate Mitt Romney visited Israel in July, he called Jerusalem the undivided capital of Israel and vowed to move the U.S. Embassy there if elected. It was the first...

Map of the Middle East.

Eye on the Middle East Nov/Dec 2012

In an attempt to comply with the U.S. State Department, an Israeli Knesset member has proposed legislation to let Christians and Jews pray on the Temple Mount. But the bill has ignited...

Silhouette of man speaking.

Selling the Big Lie

Explaining why she left her job, a reporter for a major organization in Washington, DC, said recently, “I feel like I am, as a reporter in the Capitol, lied to every...

The Septuagint: The First of the Bible Translations

Over the centuries, God’s Word has penetrated many nations and cultures through translations that have made it available to people in their native languages. The Septuagint, from the Latin word...

They Cry in Silence Nov/Dec 2012

Violent attacks on Nigerian Christians continue to increase at  an alarming rate, and they seem to be the work of the notorious, radical Islamist group Boko Haram, which has vowed...

Diary of a Wimpy Church?

Now that national elections are over, I have taken the time to reflect on a consistent theme in American politics of late: the presence (or absence) of civility in campaign...

When God Broke the Silence

Sometimes silence is a welcome friend. Sometimes it can be deafening because of what it conveys, such as disapproval. With the final verse of the book of Malachi, the Hebrew...

The Seven Keys to History Part Four

The first three keys to history are found in the first 2,000 years of the world, from Genesis 1 through 11: creation, corruption, and catastrophe. Genesis 12 holds the fourth...

The Apocrypha

In the original 1611 printing of the King James Version of the Bible, between the conclusion of the Hebrew canon and the opening words of the New Testament, the KJV...

Counseling the Christian Hebrews 13:7–17

Chapter 13 of Hebrews contains the book’s final admonishment. Whereas verses 1–6 provide practical and personal exhortation on how believers should live in Christ, verses 7–17 focus more on theological...

The Grace of God Part One

This article begins a study of God’s grace in the Scriptures. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew verb related to grace is hanan.1 In one form it “has the meaning...

Israel in the News Nov/Dec 2012

Moishe Oofnik, Israel’s version of Sesame Street’s Oscar the Grouch, is on the cover of a new 15-page pamphlet telling Israelis how to prepare for war. The leaflet, part of a public-awareness...

Zvi Nov/Dec 2012

A few months ago, a young ultra-Orthodox man whom I did not recognize came to our home with some of his friends. He was not nice or friendly. In fact...

Daily News from Israel

News Digest — 6/20/25

Defense Minister Israel Katz said, “The Hezbollah Secretary General Naim Qassem is not learning from his predecessor and is threatening to...

News Digest — 6/19/25

A missile launched from Iran struck Soroka Medical Center in the southern city of Be’er Sheva on Thursday (19th)...

News Digest — 6/18/25

The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit reported early Wednesday (18th) that more than 50 Israeli Air Force fighter jets...

Israel at War: Week 88

It happened! After prolonged speculation and frustration with Israel’s delay in going after ‘the Head of the Snake," Iran...

Israel Dominates Iran—Now Tehran Wants to Talk?!

After Israel’s precision airstrikes devastated key elements of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and crippled its...

News Digest — 6/17/25

The IDF cleared for publication on Tuesday morning (17th) that Staff Sergeant Naveh Leshem , 20, from Nokdim, a soldier in the...

News Digest — 6/16/25

Two women and a man about 70 years of age, and a man about 80, were killed early Monday morning (16th) in central Israel...

BREAKING! Israel Strikes Iran: What It Means for the Middle East—and Bible Prophecy

Israel’s unprecedented strike on Iran marks a pivotal moment in the Middle East...

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