The Abomination of Desolation (Part 2)

The Abomination of Desolation (Part 2)

Mat 24:15  Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place (whoever reads, let him understand). 

Mat 24:16  Then let those in Judea flee into the mountains. 


This is the keyword to the End Times. We read of Jesus referring to the "Abomination of Desolation" as described in the book of Daniel. So let's go to Daniel 9.

Dan 9:26  And after sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself. And the people of the ruler who shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. And the end of it shall be with the flood, and ruins are determined, until the end shall be war. 

Dan 9:27  And he (Messiah) shall confirm a covenant with many for one week. And in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease, and on a corner of the altar desolating abominations, even until the end. And that which was decreed shall be poured on the desolator. 

In v27, we read of Daniel speaking about the "Abomination of Desolation". Also in v26, we know that Daniel was talking about the Messiah (i.e. Jesus Christ) and not the Antichrist as some may say.

The Messiah shall confirm the covenant. The word "confirm" speaks of "prevailing, strengthening". Jesus is going to prevail with a strong covenant.
On the Cross, Jesus death and resurrection was confirming the covenant. He got rid of the Old Covenant, and ushered in the New Covenant.

We read in Mat 26:28 that Jesus brought about the New Covenant by His precious blood.

Mat 26:28  For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 













Dan 9:27 says Jesus will confirm the covenant with "many".. Who are the many? These  are those that have believed in Jesus and was ushered into the New Covenant by faith in Jesus Christ.

Historians tell us that many people, especially the believing Jews, believed in the words of Jesus and His warnings (Mat 24:16; Luk 21:21) about fleeing to the mountains. Not only those in the city of Jerusalem but including those in Judea, they are to flee. Those who fled were saved from the destruction.

Mat 24:16  Then let those in Judea flee into the mountains. 

Luk 21:20  And when you see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that its destruction has come. 

Luk 21:21  And let those in Judea flee to the mountains. And those in its midst, let them go out. And those in the open spaces, let them not go into her. 

See a write up about the fleeing to the mountains in wiki:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_to_Pella

How did those in Judea knew when to flee? They were not in the city? They did not know what is happening at the Temple. Luk 21:20 give us the clue. They can see the Roman armies advancing towards the city. They can see the strategy of them surrounding all the walls of the whole city. When they saw, they remembered the warning of Jesus to flee to the mountains together with all the rest of the believers in Jerusalem because destruction is very near.

Sure enough, the Roman army desolated the city and the Temple, and set up the Roman god together with their emperor's image and the eagle crescent, and worshiped. This was recorded by several historians as a sad day for the Jews and the nation of Israel. In fact, the destruction was so extensive that the Jews did not have anymore daily sacrifices and all their traditional religious Judaism practices ceased.

Coming back to Mat 24:15-16 ...therefore when you "see" refers to those who were inside the city who saw the coming of the Roman armies. v6 tells us of "wars and rumors of wars", and in v15, the start of the war.

Check it out at the First Jewish Roman War:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Jewish-Roman_War

This was a specific answer to a specific question by Jesus disciples in Mat 24:3. The "Abomination of Desolation" is to be a major sign of the End of the Age and the coming of Jesus.


Here is what Albert Barnes (1798-1870) wrote in his commentary of the bible on page 254, regarding the "Abomination of Desolation".

[ Matthew 24:15 ‘The abomination of desolation – This is a Hebrew expression, meaning an abominable or hateful destroyer. The Gentiles were all held in abomination by the Jews, Act_10:28. The abomination of desolation means the Roman army, and is so explained by Luk_21:20. The Roman army is further called the “abomination” on account of the images of the emperor, and the eagles, carried in front of the legions, and regarded by the Romans with divine honors. ]

See a write up on Albert Barnes:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Barnes_(theologian)


Another bible scholar Cecil Saunders in his book "The Future: An Amillennial Perspective: A Biblical Study of Things to Come" in 1990 wrote:

[  ..when reporting on the Olivet Prophecy, Luke did tell us who the "Abomination of Desolation" was. He said in Luke 21:20 "when you shall see Jerusalem encompassed by armies, then know the desolation is near. by reading the surrounding verses, one cannot deny that this is a parallel discourse of the Olivet prophecy in Matthew 24. Parallel accounts cannot have a different meaning. By combining Luke passage with secular history, it is clear that Titus and his armies is the "Abomination of Desolation". It was fulfilled in AD70 when the Romans desecrated and destroyed the Temple and Jerusalem. Matthew 24:15 and Luke 21"20 are parallel accounts speaking of the same event..]


The prophecy of Jesus was fulfilled about 35 years after He warned the disciples. Not only this warning about the "Abomination of Desolation" but all the prophecies in thie Olivet Discourse were fulfilled during that period leading to the End of the Age. Jesus was bringing in a new Age, the Age of the New Covenant.

As we have entered into this Age of the New Covenant, we will continue to :

a. experience the richness of God's grace, due to the kindness shown to us through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:7).

b. be greater led by the Holy Spirit who has made his abode in us and treats us as  the Temple of the Living God.

c. learn and be taught by the Holy Spirit as we read and understand from the lessons in the Old Testament and the New Testament.