How Many Years Between the Old Testament and New Testament?
Quick Summary
Roughly 400 years passed between the end of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New Testament. This period, often called the Intertestamental Period or the Silent Years, stretched from the final prophetic words of Malachi to the events surrounding John the Baptist, who prepared the way for Jesus. Though God seemed silent, history was anything but still—nations rose and fell, languages changed, and the world was made ready for the coming of Christ.
Introduction
The Old Testament closes not with resolution, but with anticipation. Through the prophet Malachi, God promises that Elijah will come before the day of the Lord. Then, the record falls silent. No prophet speaks. No scripture is written. Yet those four centuries were anything but empty. The 400 years between the testaments were filled with political upheaval, cultural shifts, and spiritual longing that would set the stage for Jesus' birth.
Historical Overview of the 400 Years
The so-called Silent Years were not silent in history. They began around 430 BCE, near the time Malachi completed his prophecy, and ended around the birth of Christ, roughly 4 BCE. During that time, Israel passed through the rule of several world empires. Persia gave way to Greece. Greek dominance fractured under Alexander the Great's successors. Later, the Romans swept in and established control over Judea.
Under these empires, the Jewish people faced immense challenges. The temple in Jerusalem stood, but often under foreign influence. When the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes desecrated it by sacrificing a pig on the altar, Jewish rebels rose up in what became known as the Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE). This revolt led to a brief period of Jewish independence under the Hasmonean dynasty, until Rome asserted its rule.
Language, Culture, and Faith
One of the most lasting effects of this period was the spread of the Greek language. After Alexander the Great's conquests, Greek became the common tongue across the ancient world. When Jewish scholars translated the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek, the result was the Septuagint (LXX), which would later be the Old Testament used by early Christians.
Greek thought and Roman order shaped the world Jesus entered. The Roman roads and governance made travel and communication easier than ever before, paving the way for the rapid spread of the gospel. Even while prophecy paused, preparation continued. The conditions of the world were being aligned for the arrival of the Messiah.
Read More: What is Koine Greek?
Spiritual Expectation
Although prophecy ceased, faith endured. The Jewish people continued to worship, to study the Law, and to hope for deliverance. Religious groups like the Pharisees and Sadducees emerged, along with the Essenes and Zealots, each responding differently to the pressures of foreign rule. The synagogue system became central to Jewish life, allowing worship and teaching to continue far from the temple.
When John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, his voice broke four centuries of divine silence. His call to repentance echoed the prophets of old, and many recognized him as the promised forerunner—the Elijah figure Malachi had spoken of. The silence ended not with a whisper, but with a declaration: “Prepare the way of the Lord.”
Meaning for Today
The 400 years between the Old and New Testaments remind us that God's silence does not mean God's absence. Even when we cannot see His hand at work, history itself is moving toward His purposes. The story of those centuries teaches patience, trust, and the quiet assurance that God fulfills His promises in His own time.
When we wait—for answers, for healing, for peace—we live in our own kind of intertestamental space. Like Israel, we can keep faith alive, remembering that silence is never the end of the story. Christ still comes to those who wait.
FAQ
Why is it called the Intertestamental Period?
Because it falls between the two testaments of Scripture—after Malachi and before Matthew—bridging the Old and New Covenants.
Were there any writings from this period?
Yes. The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha include texts such as 1 and 2 Maccabees, Tobit, and the Wisdom of Solomon. While not included in the Hebrew canon, they provide valuable historical insight.
Did God truly stop speaking during this time?
There were no recognized prophets in Israel, but God was still active in shaping history. His purposes were unfolding quietly through nations, languages, and hearts.
How do the 400 years prepare for Jesus?
They created a world unified by language and connected by roads, primed for the gospel to spread. Spiritually, they fostered deep expectation for a Messiah who would fulfill God's promises.
