Scholars commonly speak of 400 years of silence between the Old and New Testaments. However, try telling that to the Maccabees and Simeon. Here are two proofs of profound prophetic activity during the so-called silent years.
- Maccabees – Doreen wrote a children’s series about the feasts of Yehovah, but started with the “unofficial” feast of dedication or Hanukkah, also known as the festival of lights. Her book title was: How Hanukkah Saved Christmas. Simply put, if the Maccabees had not defeated the Greeks and then restored and rededicated the Temple, Jesus could not have fulfilled the many Messianic prophesies of the Old Testament. That very prophetic event occurred about 150 years before Messiah Yeshua appeared as the Son of David. No Temple, no Messiah.
- Simeon – Do you remember the story of Simeon, the older believer who was led by the Holy Spirit into the Temple just as baby (or toddler) Jesus was being dedicated? He was looking for the Messiah, because God had told him he would not die until he saw the Messiah. I like to joke that he recognized Jesus from the other children because of the little halo. That fact is that the Holy Spirit supernaturally revealed it and then gave Simeon a profound prophetic utterance over the child. It would not be a stretch to think he may have been prophesying the Messiah for as much as 50 years. So if you subtract 50 years from the 400 “silent years”, and then allow for the Maccabees’ prophetic actions and declarations; I don’t think it was all that silent.
“And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:
“Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.”
“And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against.”
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Notice the three underlined phrases. He held in his arms, Yeshua as Yehovah’s salvation in human form. He saw prophetically, the salvation of the Gentiles, which was unthinkable at that point in history. And finally, he saw Israel’s history as a fall and then rise. This was the opposite of all human history. Every nation rises and then falls, but he saw Israel falling which was completed by the Romans in 70 AD, and then the miraculous resurrection of Israel that we have witnessed in my lifetime! Praise God that He has always had a people and never keeps silent. We serve a living, active, Creator God who keeps His promises to a thousand generations. Hallelujah!
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Thank you for your prayers and financial support of our Elisha Vision Ministries. If you would like to make an end of year donation, just click on the “Donate” button on this site’s home page. Thank you again and may blessing and favor be yours in 2018.
Les & Doreen
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Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and pray for rain.
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Les Lawrence, Voice of Christian Zionists (Read more)
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