06/10/2026
COLLEEN’S CLIFF NOTES - "Malachi, Pt. 4: The Silence After"
The silence of God after He spoke through Malachi was critical in that it set the world and local stage for the coming of Jesus Christ. Malachi made the final prophecy concerning Jesus’ herald, John the Baptist. Malachi also proclaimed God’s disgust with his people, whereupon they argued with Him, creating a chasm between God and His people. Such a short book, only four chapters, yet it is packed with meaning in the panorama of Bible history.
The most impactful aspect of Malachi was the silence after. God would not speak again through a prophet. This was the consequence of disobedience. They had ignored generations of prophetic warnings to them. God was silent. This absence of prophetic words created a vacuum that became filled with anticipation for the promised Messiah. This made His arrival more impactful. Unfortunately, when the Messiah did arrive, he was not universally recognized. The hearts and minds of the people were filled with man’s doctrines, not God’s. This is because of the religious leadership, which will be discussed later.
Empires rose and fell during the silence. God was at work making ready the world for Messiah and the eventual spread of Christianity. Alexander the Great and his conquests made the Greek language universal to the known world. In 333, Israel fell to the Greeks and the Jews adopted their language. Later the Gospel would be shared in Greek. There were other forces at work as well: Antiochus of Syria had risen to power and gained control of Egypt. In 198 BC, he conquered Israel. One of his most heinous acts was to sacrifice a pig in the temple of Jerusalem. He tried to destroy all the Old Testament books, as well. This touched off an uprising of the Maccabean Jews who reclaimed and cleansed the temple. The Jews and Syrians continued to fight bitterly until a more powerful force emerged.
In 63 BC, the Roman empire gained control of Israel. This was a hard and cruel occupation: high taxes were imposed upon the Jews and the Romans pressed into service Jewish citizens to collect them. Any resistance to their rule was met with swift and terrible executions. It’s important to note how God’s plan was unfolding. The Roman Empire built an efficient system of roads throughout the known world. Their powerfully structured rule provided a period of peace, which made conditions perfect for the spread of Christianity.
The Romans had little respect for the Hebrew faith and traditions and had no qualms about desecrating the temple. In 47 BC, Caesar installed Antipater as procurator of Judea. Antipater was a descendant of Esau, the long-time enemy of the descendants of Jacob. Antipater’s second son, Herod, was promoted to be the governor of Galilee. Herod then established a priesthood that was not from the line of Aaron. This was contrary to the will of God, but a part of His plan.
The change in Hebrew religious leadership resulted in two political factions. The Pharisees were the conservative group. They got carried away with following the man-made traditions and the law and lost sight of the needs of the people. The Sadducees were the liberal party who favored the practices of the Greeks. They did not think that God should have any governing power. The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection. In the midst of this there arose a governing body called the Sanhedrin. They took over the legislative and judicial affairs. This governing body was presided over by the High Priest and comprised of 70 elders.
All these events set the stage for Jesus’ coming. This is less of a history lesson than an explanation of how the 400 years’ silence was part of God’s plan. I find it so interesting that God’s intent was NOT for Jesus to come to earth with a crown and a scepter and to overthrow powers and principalities … at least not in that time. But this is what the Jews were looking for, and many were disenchanted with Jesus’ ministry. The religious leaders plotted His death. And yet thousands understood the message and attained salvation through Him while he stood on the earth and taught. And the events of ancient history made it possible. The Greeks established a common language, the Romans built roads, Herod ushered in a group of misguided religious leaders, hence, they did not recognize Jesus. And finally the Jewish people hated the Roman rule and thought the Messiah’s purpose was to free them with divine power in that time. Of course, that was the wrong answer!
Our God is amazing. His purpose will be fulfilled, and His will be done. The short book of Malachi tucked away at the end of the Old Testament bears this out. Malachi’s prophecies, the 400 years of God’s silence, John the Baptist’s ministry, all led to the coming of the Savior.
GOD’S PEACE TO ALL!
