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Was God Silent for 400 Years, or Just Getting Ready?

Was God Silent for 400 Years, or Just Getting Ready?

Last updated on: October 21, 2026 at 11:56 am by Benjamin Raven Pressley

Was God Silent for 400 Years, or Just Getting Ready? 2026-10-21T11:56:37-04:00 Benjamin Raven Pressley

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

God’s Global Footprints Across the Ages: How the Creator Has Always Been on the Move

I set out on a fascinating journey to confirm what I have always believed and what Scripture supports: God is always on the move on behalf of His creation, especially humanity.

When I began this journey, I simply could not accept some of the religious teachings I received growing up. According to what I was taught directly and indirectly, God was just building a members-only elite club called Christianity. I was told that everyone else in the world was going to a fiery hell unless they had a membership card proving their membership in an approved Protestant-type church. Yet, even those churches couldn’t agree on what was acceptable—half said you had to speak in tongues and be baptized in the Holy Ghost to go to heaven, while the other half said doing so meant you were going to hell. It seemed everyone claimed to hold the “God-approved” cookie cutter, and if you didn’t fit their mold, you weren’t in the club.

If you have read my previous articles, you’ve learned that God was not only on the move for the Hebrews, but was also very active among the Native Americans, the Chinese, and likely other cultures in His own unique way. Those two cultures stood out to me because I found undeniable proof that they worshipped one God, not multiple deities. If you haven’t read those articles, be sure to check them out, along with my book, God BC Before Christianity.

Did Ancient China Once Worship the God of the Bible?

Did God Speak To The World Before Jesus Came?

Did Christ Appear To The Native Americans?

The Fracture: From Unified Truth to Global Polytheism

Listen to this article:

https://wp-media.patheos.com/blogs/sites/2216/2026/10/God-is-on-the-move.mp3

Be assured, God did not create this world, tell humankind “good luck with that,” and leave us on our own. God has always had a plan. When Adam and Eve sinned and brought about the Great Fall, God already had a plan in place. Even before the foundations of the world were laid, He planned to send His Son as a sacrifice and means to salvation and redemption (Revelation 13:8, 1 Peter 1:18–20). Long before Jesus took on human form to preach the gospel, die on the cross, and rise again, God was laying the foundation for a called-out people (Genesis 12, 15, and 17). He called forth Abram, who believed God, and his faith was counted as righteousness (Genesis 15:6, Romans 4:3).

Humanity originally shared a single monotheistic belief system rooted in Noah and his sons. The shift from Noah’s monotheism to global polytheism came through key historical and spiritual turning points.

The Tower of Babel was a turning point in history in many ways.

The immediate catalyst for this fracturing was the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11). Before Babel, humanity shared a single language and a unified spiritual center. Driven by collective pride and self-reliance, they attempted to build a massive tower to reach the heavens. God intervened by confusing their languages and scattering them across the earth. According to traditional commentary and texts like the Book of Jubilees, once humanity was divided into isolated linguistic and geographical groups, they lost their unified transmission of the knowledge of the Creator. Cut off from one another, tribal groups began developing localized customs.

Once the descendants of Noah spread into wildernesses, caves, forests, and river valleys, their spiritual focus naturally shifted. Without centralized teachings, humans began focusing intensely on the immediate forces they depended on for survival—the sun, rain, fertility, and storms. Over generations, the creation began to be worshipped instead of the Creator. Powerful patriarchs, tribal chieftains, and ancestral heroes were remembered, revered, and eventually mythologized. Legendary ancestors turned into local heroes, and heroes turned into gods.

As human populations grew isolated across different continents, each civilization developed its own names, myths, and rituals to explain the unknown. What started as localized titles or attributes of a supreme power gradually hardened into independent deities (e.g., the storm god, the war god, the harvest goddess). This explains why almost every ancient culture shares parallel gods: they were all interpreting the same natural world through their own fragmented lenses.

Academic disciplines look at this same transition through different lenses:

The Theological View: Humanity started monotheistic with Adam and Noah, but degraded into polytheism due to human rebellion, isolation, and forgetfulness after Babel. Paganism was not an original starting point, but rather the destination of a humanity that had fragmented and lost its connection to a singular origin story.
The Secular View: Humanity was animistic and polytheistic as early hunter-gatherers trying to survive nature, evolving upward toward monotheism over thousands of years as societies centralized and philosophical thought matured.

Understanding the Umbrella of “Paganism”

The term paganism acts as both a broad umbrella term and a specific set of active, modern religions. It is an umbrella term similar to how “Abrahamic” encompasses Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The word comes from the Latin paganus (meaning “rural dweller” or “civilian”). In late antiquity, early Christians used it as a catch-all term for anyone practicing polytheistic, ethnic, or non-Abrahamic traditions across the Roman Empire.

Historically, “paganism” originated as a European and Mediterranean concept (Source: World Atlas). The label was overwhelmingly used by European writers, theologians, and legal codes to describe European groups such as the Celts, Norse, Anglo-Saxons, Slavs, and Greco-Romans (Source: Britannica; The Decolonial Atlas – WordPress.com).

While the term itself was a Western Eurasian construct, similar non-monotheistic spiritual systems existed globally:

The Americas: Aztec, Maya, Inca, and Indigenous North American spiritualities (though, as presented in previous articles, there are clear examples of Native American traditions that were monotheistic).
Asia: Shinto in Japan, folk religions in China, and traditional Siberian shamanism.
Africa: Traditional West African, Egyptian, and Bantu religions.

Inclusive Monotheism Across the Globe

Even within pagan contexts worldwide, ancient thought often developed inclusive monotheism and monism—the belief in a single ultimate divine reality alongside a world of lesser deities.

A prime example is India’s concept of God. The earliest written texts of Indian tradition, the Vedas (c. 1500–1000 BCE), describe deities representing natural forces, such as Indra (thunder), Agni (fire), and Varuna (water and cosmic order). Scholars describe this stage as henotheism—worshipping multiple gods, but treating whichever god you are praising at that moment as supreme. Yet even in the earliest layers of the Rigveda, sages realized these were not competing gods, but different expressions of a single underlying reality:

“Ekam sat vipra bahudha vadanti” — “Truth/Reality is One, but the wise call it by many names.” (Source: Rigveda 1.164.46, Ancient Science)

By the late Vedic period (c. 800–500 BCE), Indian philosophy moved strongly into Monism (specifically non-dualism or Advaita) through the Upanishads:

Brahman: Rather than a personal creator sitting in heaven judging humanity, philosophers conceptualized Brahman—an infinite, formless, ultimate divine essence that fills and is the entire universe.
The Atman: They taught that every individual soul (Atman) is fundamentally one with this universal divine essence. Under this framework, traditional deities are valid symbolic windows or personifications through which human minds connect with the ultimate Supreme Being.

In medieval and classical India, highly monotheistic devotional (Bhakti) movements flourished:

Vaishnavism & Shaivism: Millions of Hindus worship a single supreme God—such as Vishnu (or Krishna) or Shiva—as the sole Creator, Preserver, and Destroyer, viewing other gods as subordinate beings.
Sikhism: Founded in the Punjab region by Guru Nanak in the 15th century, Sikhism is strictly monotheistic. Sikhs worship Ik Onkar (“One God”), an eternal, formless creator, rejecting idolatry entirely.

When European colonizers and missionaries arrived in India, they saw temples, idols, and statues, and classified Indian spirituality as “pagan polytheism.” They failed to grasp that for most Indian traditions, worshiping many deities is not seeing different gods, but seeing the infinite faces of a single Divine Reality.

So, where did all these gods come from? Did humans just make them up?

If you ask a true believer: Gods revealed themselves through physical signs, visions, and direct divine encounters.
If you ask a secular historian: Gods were the natural byproduct of human psychology trying to survive, find meaning, project personality onto nature, and maintain social order in a chaotic universe.

Other ancient cultures experienced similar shifts:

Egypt: For most of its history, ancient Egypt was deeply polytheistic. However, it introduced one of the world’s earliest experiments in monotheism under Pharaoh Akhenaten (c. 1350 BCE). He declared the Aten (the sun disc) to be the one and only God, though this lasted only two decades before Egypt reverted to polytheism (Source: The Not So Innocents Abroad, by Duke Stewart and Wally).
Slavic Lands (Russia): Before adopting Christianity in the late 10th century, the East Slavs worshipped a pantheon including Perun (thunder/war), Veles (underworld/earth), Svarog (sky/smithing), and Mokosh (fertility). In 988 CE, Prince Vladimir realized localized polytheism could not unite his kingdom. He officially converted to Eastern Orthodox Christianity and ordered the population of Kyiv baptized, tearing down the pagan idols he had erected just years prior.

There were 400 years of silence between the Old and New Testament but God was still on the move!

The 400 Years of Preparation

History and modern experience bear out that human beings are deeply spiritual. As David Wilkerson put it*, “We all have a God-shaped hole inside us.”* I feel certain that throughout humanity’s search for God, He was there, leading anyone who was listening. Throughout history, even when corrupt leaders tried to burn and destroy the Bible, God preserved His written word—even using a lonely shepherd tossing rocks into an obscure cave to hear pottery break, revealing the Dead Sea Scrolls.

And what about those 400 years of silence between the Old and New Testaments? Was God really silent?

While the age of the Old Testament prophets had passed, God was far from idle. Inside that silence, four empires rose and fell, a war for the soul of Judaism was fought and won, and the world was quietly reshaped for the gospel. I don’t believe these upheavals in history were just coincidences.

Alexander the Great conquests included Palestine.

The Babylonian Exile & The Synagogue: Under Persian rule Jews were set free when Persia conquered Babylon starting with Cyrus the Great in 538 BC. Persian kings returned the sacred golden and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar had stolen from the temple and helped fund the restoration efforts. Returned Jewish exiles no longer spoke Hebrew fluently; Aramaic became their everyday tongue. To engage with Scripture, the institution of the synagogue was born for local study and reading. By the time Jesus began His ministry, synagogues existed in Jewish communities across the ancient world, which unintentionally provided a pulpit for Jesus to preach to the Jews.
Alexander the Great & A Global Language: According to Jewish historian Josephus in 332 BC, Alexander the Great, in his worldwide conquest, conquered Palestine. As Jewish historian Josephus noted, Alexander showed respect to the Jewish high priest and left the community undisturbed. More importantly, Alexander brought Hellenization—flooding the world with Greek culture and language. Greek became the common language across the Mediterranean for over 300 years. Because of this, Paul wrote his epistles in Greek, the Gospels were written in Greek, and the entire New Testament could be read worldwide.
The Septuagint: Under the Ptolemaic Dynasty in Alexandria, Egypt (around 285–246 BC), the Hebrew scriptures were translated into Greek. Known as the Septuagint, this translation unlocked the Old Testament for the whole world. When Paul stood in synagogues quoting the prophets, or when Matthew referenced fulfilled prophecy, they used the Septuagint—a Greek text produced during the silence by Jews who did not yet fully realize what their scriptures were pointing toward.
Roman Infrastructure & Expectation: Rome arrived in 63 BC, and 25 years later put Herod in charge who rebuilt the magnificent Temple where Jesus taught. Under Roman rule paved roads were built across the empire. The Pax Romana (Roman Peace) made travel safer, while Roman roads allowed Paul to travel over 10,000 miles, planting churches. Furthermore, 400 years of foreign domination produced an intense, burning Messianic expectation.

The Fullness of Time

Galatians 4:4 says:

“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law…”

The “fullness of time” was not an arbitrary moment. It was the exact moment when everything was ready: one common language, one common translated text, safe roads connecting the empire, and a scattered people carrying the scriptures. All of it was built during the silence.

The silence was not empty; it was preparation. God was fixing to draw a line in the sands of eternity for the greatest event the world would ever witness: God Himself coming to give His life in the form of His Son, Jesus, to redeem humankind.

Every human heart and every religion invented by humankind would now have to decide what to do with a truth so powerful that every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. (Philippians 2:10–11). Jesus declared Himself to be the only way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). Truth was no longer an obscure concept for religious scholars to debate; Truth was a Man who was more than a man. Words proceeded from His throat like a two-edged sword (Revelation 1:16, 19:15), cutting to the heart and fulfilling every true religious longing (Matthew 5:17).

With Jesus entering humanity’s time and space, it proclaimed that no longer does humankind have to strive to earn salvation or live up to a set of rules crafted by religious institutions. It is proclaimed to every civilization: to spend eternity with the Creator, one must simply admit they are a sinner (Romans 3:23) and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31).

With Jesus entering humanity’s time and space, Love is no longer performance-based, for Love itself came down (1 John 4:8). The judgment we deserved was placed on Him (Isaiah 53:6, 1 Peter 2:24). He died, rose again, and ascended to heaven, promising to build us a home where there is no sickness, pain, or death (John 14:3, Revelation 21:4)—and promising to return to receive us unto Himself forever (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17).

Time as we know it is running out!

Keep Watch

So you see, my friend, God has always been on the move. The Scriptures prove themselves reliable over and over again, and He is still on the move today.

However, the sands in the hourglass of time are fixing to run out, heralding the end of time merging into eternity. It may seem like God is not in control when the headlines show war and misery, but Jesus told us not to look to worldly news, but to watch the signs of His return and lift up our eyes to the eastern skies. His coming is upon us. Don’t be caught unaware:

“Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” (Matthew 24:40–42)

God has never been confined to a single geographic border, culture, or man-made system, nor was He ever passive in the shadows of human history. From the ancient dispersion at Babel to the silent centuries that quietly paved the highway for the Gospel, God was actively guiding, seeking, and drawing humanity back to Himself. Earthly empires may rise and fall, and human institutions may attempt to limit the divine, but the eternal truth remains unchanged: God has always been on the move. As the final pages of history unfold, the invitation is extended to every nation, tribe, and tongue—not to join a members-only club, but to recognize the Creator who loved us enough to step into human history, lay down His life, and prepare an eternal home for all who believe.

SOURCES:
Sources below were used throughout the article with an assist from Gemini AI

Wilkerson, David. Hungry for More of Jesus. Chosen Books, 1992. (Reference for the concept of the “God-shaped hole” and human spiritual longing).
The Book of Jubilees. Translated by R.H. Charles, The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament, Oxford Clarendon Press, 1913. (Historical Jewish commentary on the post-Babel dispersion).
Josephus, Flavius. The Antiquities of the Jews. Book XI, Chapter 8. (Historical account of Alexander the Great entering Jerusalem and showing respect to the High Priest).
Dines, Jennifer M. The Septuagint. T&T Clark, 2004. (History of the translation of the Hebrew Bible into Greek in Alexandria, Egypt).
Bruce, F.F. New Testament History. Galilee/Doubleday, 1972. (Detailed history on the rise of the synagogue during the exile, Hellenization, Roman roads, and the intertestamental period).
VanderKam, James C. The Dead Sea Scrolls Today. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2010. (Preservation and discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls).
The Rigveda. Translated by Stephanie W. Jamison and Joel P. Brereton, Oxford University Press, 2014.
Hymn 1.164.46: “Ekam sat vipra bahudha vadanti” (“Truth is One, but the wise call it by many names”).
Müller, F. Max. Lectures on the Origin and Growth of Religion as Illustrated by the Religions of India. Longmans, Green, and Co., 1878. (Coined the term “Henotheism” to describe Vedic religion).
Radhakrishnan, Sarvepalli. Indian Philosophy (Vol. 1). Oxford University Press, 1923. (Academic summary of Upanishadic Monism, Brahman, Atman, and the Bhakti movement).
Singh, Nikky-Guninder Kaur. Sikhism: An Introduction. I.B. Tauris, 2011. (Overview of Guru Nanak and Sikhism’s strict monotheism).
“Paganism.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. (Definition, Latin origins of paganus, and historical application in Late Antiquity).
“Paganism and Polytheism in World History.” World Atlas. (Geographic and historical usage of paganism vs. global non-monotheistic systems).
**“The Decolonial Atlas.”**com. (Geographic and historical mapping of European vs. Global indigenous spiritual systems).
Stewart, Duke, and Wally. “Ancient Egypt’s Experiment in Monotheism.” The Not So Innocents Abroad. (Historical background on Pharaoh Akhenaten and the Aten cult).
Hornung, Erik. Akhenaten and the Religion of Light. Cornell University Press, 1999. (Academic text on Egypt’s brief shift to monotheism under Akhenaten).
Vernadsky, George. Kievan Russia. Yale University Press, 1948. (Historical account of Prince Vladimir’s conversion in 988 CE and the Christianization of the East Slavs).

I hope this article excited you as much as it excited me writing it. God has truly never been idle throughout history, and he isn’t idle today.Do you need proof? Just pray and ask God to reveal himself to you, then wait. He will. And be sure to share this article with your friends and on social media. If you want to read a good book that delves into this subject even more, I recommend my book, God BC Before Christianity. You don’t want to miss what is coming so be sure to sign up for notifications below and consider a small donation. Thanks! And God bless and reveal himself to you!

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About Benjamin Raven Pressley

Benjamin Raven Pressley is an author, teacher and spiritual guide. He is of Cherokee heritage. He has been a follower of the teachings of Jesus Christ and the apostles since 1975. His independent studies include the Holy Bible as well as other holy books of other religions. He is ordained by the Universal Life Church. He is a self-taught naturalist and his love and respect for nature is evident in many of the things he writes. He has authored several books on spirituality as well as a fantasy series and books on survival skills. He does not consider himself to be a religious person but believes true spirituality is an all-encompassing view of life and invites open discussion on matters of spirituality. You can read more about the author here.

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