79. Bridging the Testaments: The History and Theology of God's People in the Second Temple Period (Dr. George Athas)

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April 29, 2024 • 68 mins

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What happened during the approximately 400 years “between the old and new testaments?” Dr. George Athas dispels the myth of the “400 years of silence” that unfortunately breaks apart the flow of the continues Biblical story. George shares insights from his new book “Bridging the Testaments” in which he tells the grand story of this time period, synthesizing scholarship into a narrative style presentation with erudite insights.

Bridging the Testaments: https://a.co/d/6pLgYXp

Dr. George Athas has a PhD from the University of Sydney and is Director of Research of Old Testament and Hebrew at Moore Theological College. He has written extensively on Old Testament prophetic books; Ecclesiastes; Song of Songs; apocalyptic literature; the exilic and post-exilic periods; Second Temple Judaism and early Christianity; history and archaeology of the ancient Near East and Mediterranean; biblical theology; and Hebrew language.

Chapters
00:26-03:09: Intro
03:10-16:12: The Myth of “400 Years of Silence”
16:13-21:11: Important Sources for this Time Period
21:12-31:17: Zechariah Insights from the “Intertestamental Time Period”
31:18-41:40: What Makes the Persians Unique from other Empires of the Biblical Period?
41:41-49:32: The Connection Between the Samaritans and Jews
49:33-01:01:03: The Complex Story of the Maccabean Revolt and Hanukah
01:01:04-01:05:15: Enoch, Daniel, the NT, and the Apocalyptic Worldview
01:05:16-01:08:47: Concluding Thoughts