The course of Hebrew history over the centuries did not fulfill the prophets' hopes. Instead, one disaster after another overtook the nation. After the death of King Solomon, Israel was divided into a northern and a southern kingdom, and each kingdom went through a series of tragic experiences. In 722 B.C., the northern kingdom was taken captive by the Assyrians. A century and a half later, the southern kingdom suffered a similar fate at the hands of the Babylonians. Eventually, a Hebrew state was restored for a time, but conditions were far from ideal. Internal strife was present, and the nation was under a constant threat of destruction from foreign enemies. Under these conditions, prophetic messianism began to wane, and apocalyptic messianism appeared in its place.
The dominant characteristic of apocalyptic messianism was a conviction that the kingdom of God would not come about by a gradual transformation of society under the leadership of a great and good king. Rather, it would be brought about by a sudden supernatural intervention. When the right time arrived, God would act, bringing punishment to all the forces of evil and establishing his kingdom as a dwelling place for the righteous for all time to come. This event, referred to as the coming of the Day of the Lord, what in the Old Testament is referred to as the Day of Yahweh, was described as a great catastrophic event, an end of the world and the ushering in of a new age. Although there are variations in the different apocalyptic texts, some of these writings convey the idea that the Messiah will be a heavenly being who will descend to earth and inaugurate the new era. His appearance will bring destruction to the wicked and deliverance to the righteous. A resurrection of the dead and a judgment of all the people who have lived on the earth will occur. After the wicked have been completely destroyed, a new heaven and a new earth in which only justice and righteousness prevail will exist.
