Intertestament

How much time was there between the Old Testament and the New Testament?

The final events of the Old Testament center on the restoration of Israel after the Babylonian exile. That restoration, led by Ezra and Nehemiah, ends circa 430 BC. The first events of the New Testament deal with Zecharias, Elizabeth, and the birth of John the Baptizer (Luke 1:5ff) circa 6 BC. That period of time is sometimes referred to as the “400 silent years,” as there was no ordained, prophetic voice to God’s elect, the Jews.