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Book of Daniel / Second Temple Period Chronology
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Exclusive Feature
The Exile & Babylonian Captivity
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605 BC
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Babylonian King Nabopolassar (founder of the Chaldean Empire 605-562
B.C.) sends his eldest son Nebuchadnezzar II to stomp on the Egyptians.
On the way back from a massive victory, they attack Judah which had
aligned itself with Egypt. The attack is cut short when Nabopolassar
suddenly dies. Nebuchadnezzar II rushes back home to ensure control of the throne.
First deportation takes place (including a young lad
named Daniel, Dan 1:1).
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597 BC -
Babylon attacks the troublesome little state of Judah; 2nd deportation
is very extensive (2Kgs 24:8-16). King Jehoiakim dies. Jehoiachin reigns
but is brought captive to Babylon and kept for 37 years. Ezekiel is
also brought to Babylon at this time. |
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587 BC - Judah
continues to be an annoyance, always ranting about their God, Yahweh.
Babylon has no more patience for this: Jerusalem is destroyed; 3rd
deportation takes place. The army hangs around into 586 BC making
certain that everything including the Temple is totally destroyed and
even the walls and gates are burned with fire. (2Kgs 25:1-12; Psalm
137).
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582–575 BC -
[estimated date] Nebuchadnezzar II, believing his own press reports and failing to
acknowledge the one true God, suffers from insanity for seven years (Dan
4).
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561 BC
- Nebuchadnezzar II dies, the empire passes to his son Amel-Marduk
(Evil-Merodach - 2Kgs 25:27). King Jehoiachin is released from captivity
after spending 37 years under house arrest in Babylon.
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555–539 BC -
Nabonidus reigns in Babylon. He is the last Chaldean ruler of Babylon.
However, he spends the final ten years of his reign at his time-share
condo in
Arabia (Teima) and leaves his son Belshazzar in charge of Babylon. The
kid blows it big time and realizes it when he sees the writing on the
wall.
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550 BC - Cyrus
II defeats Astyages, king of the Medes. The Medes accept Cyrus readily.
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547 BC - Cyrus
II conquers Croesus ,
king of the Lydians.
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539/8 BC -
Cyrus II takes control of Babylonia absorbing it into the massive
Persian Empire. He decrees that the Jews may return to their homeland!
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The Return from Exile & Reconstruction of
Jerusalem
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538 BC - A
small but loyal group returns. It doesn't take long for their initial
enthusiasm to slam head-on into tough circumstances. Everything had been
destroyed: The Temple, the city walls, their homes --everything is
rubble. Foreigners had moved in and they aren't pleased to see the Jews
return. There is very little commerce or infrastructure. Feeding their
own families becomes a full-time, difficult task. This isn’t the way they
had envisioned their triumphant return to their sacred homeland.
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Zerubbabel is political leader from the line of
David, Joshua is high priest from the line of Aaron.
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522 BC -
Darius I becomes King of Persia.
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520 BC -
Temple founded.
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Work stops once obstacles arise. The Jews
divert their attention to themselves -- vision drift.
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Two prophets,
Haggai (“Build My Temple”) and Zechariah (“Don't Be Afraid, You Are My People”), motivate them to
continue construction.
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516 BC -
Temple completed! (70 years after its destruction).
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Second Temple Era
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510 BC - A
small republic is established in Rome.
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485–465 BC -
Xerxes I King of Persia.
His reign ends abruptly by his assassination in August. He was murdered
by his own political aids.
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465–424 BC -
Artaxerxes I Longimanus rules Persia.
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457 BC - Ezra
leads a second group of exiles to Jerusalem. He is known as a powerful
scholar of God’s law. He leads reforms dealing with foreign wives (&
their false gods). While Ezra has grasped God’s vision personally, he
seems to lack the social and political savvy necessary to inspire those
around him.
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445 BC -
Nehemiah, assigned as governor of Judea, travels to Jerusalem (from
Susa) with a personal mission to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, which
would serve to restore dignity and honor to the sacred land.
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Nehemiah has political clout and a strong
vision of God's mission. He leads and inspires others. The walls of
Jerusalem are re-built in 52 days, much to the surprise of surrounding
hostile peoples.
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Nehemiah also deals with social justice,
foreign wives, and reforms surrounding the Temple. When he returns to
Susa, the people rather quickly fall back into bad behaviors.
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435 BC -
Malachi warns God's people of the dangers of apathy, challenges their
doubts, and assures them they are God's people.
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433–430 BC -
Nehemiah’s second term as governor. Upon his return, he is horrified
that the people have backslidden from the many reforms he had previously
implemented.
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The Intertestamental Period
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