Question
Gramps,
Why was God absent from giving revelation to the Jews during the 400 year intertestamental period (in between Malachi & John the Baptist)? What happened or caused it? I had wondered about that. Also, why did the Nephites, in stark contrast, still have revelation from God during that time? Thanks.
Beverly
Answer
Beverly,
Many Christians have heard about the “400 years of silence”—the period between the prophet Malachi in the Old Testament and the appearance of John the Baptist in the New Testament. During those centuries, no new books of scripture were added to the Bible, and no recognized prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, or Malachi existed. This naturally raises an interesting question: Did God stop speaking?
For members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, an even more fascinating question follows: If there was little or no recorded revelation among the Jews during that time, why were the Nephites in the Book of Mormon still receiving prophets and revelation?
The answer teaches us an important lesson about how God works with His children.
First, it helps to understand what people mean by the “400 years of silence.” The last book of the Old Testament, written by the prophet Malachi, is generally dated around the fifth century BC. John the Baptist began his ministry about four centuries later. During that time, the Bible records no new prophets ministering to the covenant people in Judea and no additional books of scripture being written.
However, the lack of recorded scripture does not necessarily mean God completely withdrew from His people. Throughout those centuries, He continued to direct events in remarkable ways.
The Jewish people survived foreign domination under several powerful empires. The spread of the Greek language following the conquests of Alexander the Great eventually allowed the gospel to be preached across much of the known world using a common language. Later, the Roman Empire established roads and relative peace, making missionary travel far easier as Jesus Christ’s Apostles took the gospel to many nations. Looking back, it becomes clear that the Lord was preparing the world for the coming of His Son, even if He was not calling Old Testament-style prophets whose writings became part of the Bible.
So why weren’t there recognized prophets in Judea during that time?
The scriptures teach that revelation and prophetic leadership are closely tied to priesthood authority and to people’s willingness to receive God’s word. Throughout the Old Testament, periods of spiritual darkness often followed widespread rejection of the Lord and His prophets.
The prophet Amos foretold such a time:
“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord” (Amos 8:11).
Many Latter-day Saints understand this prophecy to have multiple fulfillments, including the period leading up to Christ’s mortal ministry. Likewise, Hosea warned Israel:
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee” (Hosea 4:6).
While these passages do not explicitly refer to the intertestamental period, they illustrate an important principle: when people repeatedly reject divine guidance, the Lord may withdraw prophets for a time. Even so, He never abandons His covenant people.
In fact, the Lord was anything but absent. He continued preparing the world for the Savior’s birth and ministry. His timing has always been perfect, even when His hand is not immediately obvious.
This is where the Book of Mormon provides remarkable insight.
While there may have been no recognized prophetic ministry in Jerusalem, the Lord had established another covenant people in the Americas through the prophet Lehi around 600 BC. From that point forward, He continued calling prophets to lead the Nephites and record His dealings with them.
Those prophets included Nephi, Jacob, Enos, Jarom, Omni, Mosiah, King Benjamin, Alma, Helaman, Nephi the son of Helaman, Samuel the Lamanite, Mormon, and Moroni. Throughout the centuries, often called the “silent years,” revelation continued among the Nephites.
Why?
One reason is that the Lord had preserved priesthood authority among them. Beginning with Lehi, an unbroken prophetic line was established by divine calling. As long as faithful prophets remained and the people were willing to receive revelation, the heavens remained open.
Another reason was the unique mission of the Nephite record itself. The Lord intended the Book of Mormon to come forth in the latter days as another testament of Jesus Christ. To accomplish that purpose, He continued revealing His will to prophets who faithfully recorded His words.
The Book of Mormon also teaches an important truth that expands our understanding of revelation. Through the prophet Alma, we read:
“For behold, the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own nation and tongue, to teach his word” (Alma 29:8).
Likewise, the Lord declared:
“I command all men, both in the east and in the west…that they shall write the words which I speak unto them” (2 Nephi 29:11).
These scriptures remind us that God’s work has never been confined to one nation or one continent. If revelation became limited among one covenant people for a season, that did not mean the Lord stopped speaking altogether. He continued guiding His children elsewhere according to His wisdom and purposes.
Could there have been faithful individuals among the Jews who received personal revelation during those 400 years? Certainly. The absence of recorded scripture does not mean righteous people were left entirely without God’s influence. Faithful men and women undoubtedly prayed, received answers, and were guided by the Holy Ghost. However, there is no biblical evidence of a recognized succession of covenant prophets comparable to those found before Malachi or among the Nephites during the same period.
The Restoration beautifully answers the question of the “400 years of silence.” While many assume heaven was quiet between the Old and New Testaments, the Book of Mormon reveals that God was still revealing His will through living prophets on another continent. The heavens had not closed. Rather, the Lord was accomplishing His purposes in different places according to His perfect plan.
President Russell M. Nelson taught:
“One of the things the Spirit has repeatedly impressed upon my mind since my new calling as President of the Church is how willing the Lord is to reveal His mind and will. The privilege of receiving revelation is one of the greatest gifts of God to His children.”
That same principle applies throughout history. Whether He was speaking through prophets in ancient Israel, through Nephite prophets in the Americas, or through living prophets today, the Lord has always been willing to reveal His will to those prepared to receive it.
President Nelson also reminded us:
“If Joseph Smith’s transcendent experience in the Sacred Grove teaches us anything, it is that the heavens are open and that God speaks to His children.”
The “silent years” ultimately remind us not that God stopped communicating, but that His work is far greater and more expansive than we sometimes realize. His love, His purposes, and His willingness to reveal truth have never been limited by time, geography, or circumstance. Just as He prepared the world for the coming of Jesus Christ, He continues to guide His Church and His children today through continuing revelation.
Gramps
