Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) Gromacki's "New Testament Survey:" Intertestamental Period

          Gromacki, Robert G. New Testament Survey.  Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic Books, 1974. A recent edition is available at http://www.amazon.com/New-Testament-Survey-Robert-Gromacki/dp/0801036267/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377034920&sr=8-1&keywords=robert+gromacki

1.      Introduction/pages 1-39.  A few intersections between Israel and the geo-political environment.

Babylon (626-539)

·        Conquest of Israel by Assyria in 722

·        Babylon conquers Egypt at the Battle of Carchemish.  Judah comes under Babylonian yoke (605)

·        Daniel taken in first deportation.  Temple wealth confiscated.

·        Jehoiakim rebelled against Babylon and was exiled.

·        Jehokain ruled for 3 months (597) when a second major deportation occurred. His mother, wives, military advisors, soldiers and craftsmen deported (2 Kings 24.6-16; 2 Chron. 36.8-10). Ezekiel goes into exile (Ez. 1-2). The poor remained in the land.

·        Zedekiah was put on the throne.  Against Jeremiah’s advice, he aligned himself with Egypt.  A third major deportation followed a tragic seige-operation against Jerusalem in 587-586.  The Temple was destroyed and burned along with many residences in Jerusalem.

·        Depending on how one dates it, the 70-year exile occurs.  609-539? 606-535?

Persia (539-331 B.C.

          Achaemenid Dynasty

• 559-530 - Cyrus the Great
• 529-522 - Cambyses (son)
• 522 - Smerdis (Bardiya) (brother)
• 521-486 - Darius I, the Great
• 485-465 - Xerxes I (son)
• 464-424 - Artaxerxes I, Longimanus (son)
• 424 - Xerxes II (son)
• 424 - Sogdianus (brother)
• 423-405 - Darius II, Nothus (brother)
• 404-359 - Artaxerxes II, Mnemon (son)
• 358-338 - Artaxerxes III (Ochus) (son)
• 337-336 - Artaxerxes IV ( Arses) (son)
• 335-330 - Darius III (Codomannus) (great-grandson of Darius II)

     Seleucids

• 305-281 B.C. - Seleucus I Nicator
• 281-261 - Antiochus I Soter
• 261-246 - Antiochus II Theos
• 246-225 - Seleucus II Callinicus

     Parthian Empire - Arsacid Dynasty

• 247-211 - Arsaces I (conquered Parthia c. 238)
• 211-191 - Arsaces II (son)
• 191-176 - Priapatius (son)
• 176-171 - Phraates I (son)
• 171-138 - Mithridates I (brother)
• 138-128 - Phraates II (son)
• 128-123 - Artabanus I (son of Priapatius)
• 123-87 - Mithridates II, the Great (son)
• 90-80 - Gotarzes I
• 80-77 - Orodes I
• 77-70 - Sinatruces

Ishtar Gate

·        Medo-Persia. Cyrus conquered Babylon, Assyria, Mesopotomia, Armenia, and Cappodocia. Later, he took Lydia, Asia Minor, Hyracania, Parthia, Arachosia, Marginanno, and Bactria.  He was a benefactor of Israelites, allowing Exiles to return (Ez. 1-4).  Under Zerubabbel, 42, 360 exiles returned as well as 7337 servants (Ez.2.64ff.)

·        Cyrus died and Belshazzar took over (539-38, Daniel 5).  He campaigned successfully against Egypt and Ethopia.  He died en route.  The army place Darius 1 in his place. 

Bihustin: Assyro-Babylonian
Trilinqual Inscription
Facilitated translations

·        During Darius’ rule, Haggai and Zechariah prophesied about the Temple reconstruction (Ez. 5-6).  Opposition developed.  Archival research by Darius resulted in orders for imperial support to the Exiles (Ez. 6.7-12). The Temple was finished in 516-515. Darius went on to take Thrace, Macedonia, Scythia, and registers a defeat of the Greeks at Marathon.

·        Xerxes followed. He put down rebellions on the home turf, but also Egypt.  He took Athens but lost the battle at Salamis.  He is known as “Ahasueris,” the husband of Esther.

·        Artaxerxes 1 was the successor who allowed Ezra to return to Israel (Ez. 7-10). Nehemiah returned (458-457, Neh.1-2) and also reconstructed the walls (445-444).  The Feast of Tabernacles was remembered and covenant renewal occurred with renewed vows of faith and obedience.

Greek and Macedonian Conquest

·        Philip of Macedon and Alexander the Great 

·        Ptolemies and Seleucid rulers and empires (varied boundaries and internecine fights amongst Alexander’s successors in 275, 245, 240, 219, 217)

 ·        Maccabees (166-135 B.C.).  Judas Maccabeus, the “Hammer,” defeats the Syrians and liberates Jerusalem.  The “Feast of Lights” or “Hanukkah” originates in the deliverance from the Seleucid ruler, Antioches Epiphanes IV, who had oppressed Israel, burned their scrolls, outlawed the Sabbath and circumcision, and had defiled the Temple with pig-sacrifices.

·        Hasmoneans (135-63 B.C.)

Roman Empire

·        http://www.pbs.org/empires/romans/empire/