Part 2 - Before the 400-Year Silence This lesson considers the state of the priesthood and the people in the days just before the 400-year silence begins. The 400-year time period was between the prophet Malachi and the birth of Jesus Christ. Prior to His silence, God accused the priesthood and people of wearying Him with their false accusations against Him. This study explains the meaning behind God's statement "I loved Jacob, and I hated Esau" in Malachi 1. Clearly, God's purpose was chastisement of Israel and not its destruction.