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.
The Abomination of Desolation (Part 1)
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.
Jesus direct His audience the meaning of "Abomination of Desolation" to His listeners. That is if they read about the "Abomination of Desolation" as written by Daniel, then they will understand the meaning.
In the book of Daniel, there are 3 passages that speak about the "Abomination of Desolation".
1. Dan 9:26 "...and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. "
2. Dan 11:31 "And forces will stand from him, and they will profane the sanctuary, the fortress, and shall remove the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the desolating abomination. "
3. Dan 12:11 "And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the desolating abomination set up..."
(See the understanding of Abomination of Desolation from a non-biblical perspective:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abomination_of_desolation )
The Jews recognized this phrase "Abomination of Desolation" to mean the destruction of their beloved Temple and their holy city of Jerusalem.
According to church historians, the Temple and Jerusalem experienced the "Abomination of Desolation" TWICE.
First time: the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem AND the re-dedication of the Temple to Zeus by Antiochus IV Epiphanes in 167 BC.
Second time: the worship of the Roman Standards on the Temple Mount under Titus in 70 AD.
(Side note: church historians generally do not consider the building of the Dome of the Rock by the Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan in 691 AD., as the "Abomination of Desolation".)
Church historians considered Dan 9:26, and Dan 11:31 as the Abomination of Desolation by Antiochus, the Syrian king. The reason is that Daniel specifically mentioned that the event happened during the reign of the king Darius of Babylon. (Remember Daniel being a Jew was taken together with others to Babylon, when Jerusalem was attacked by the Babylonians. In Babylon, he refused the king's meat, and was fed to the lions.)
See write up on Darius:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darius_the_Mede
Church historians considered Dan 12:11 as the Abomination of Desolation by Titus and the Roman army. The reason is that Dan 12 was addressing the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem, and the "people of the book" escaped the tribulation. In Dan 9 and Dan 11, the people did NOT escape, but all suffered the persecution and went into captivity in another country.
All the Jews know their Jewish history about the "Abomination of Desolation" by Antiochus, because of the oral and written traditions passed down from generation to generation. It is a sad and embarrassing event that happened in their past. The Jews at the time of Jesus Christ look at this event as a past prophecy, and not in their future.
Jesus being a Jew also, knew His audience can relate to this Abomination of Desolation by Antiochus, and draw their attention to it in the book of Daniel in Mat 24:15. He told them that it is a sign to their question in Mat 24:3. It is going to happen again as a sign of the End of the Age.
Let's look at some Jewish history that is found the "Apocrypha".
The Apocrypha is a set of writings which were earlier included in between the books of Malachi and Matthew. It covers chronologically events happening during the 400 year time gap between the time of writings of Malachi and Matthew.
A little knowledge on the Apocrypha.
Q: Why weren't the Apocrypha included in the bible?
A: When the different books or letters were put together to form the bible, the council that was responsible for compiling the bible did not see the Apocrypha as necessary or divinely inspired. Yes, they were accurate historical data and actual written records of their times.
The Apocrypha are historically accurate and correct, but it does not mean that they are irrelevant. In fact, the Catholic bible includes the Apocrypha as part of their bible. The Orthodox Anglical Church includes them in their usage. Today it is possible to find Protestant Bibles which now include the Apocrypha. The original 1611 KJV contained the Apocrypha.
See a write up on Apocrypha:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biblical_apocrypha
So let us regard the Apocrypha as Jewish history and not as divine scripture, we should be ok.
Apocrypha does talks about the history during the times of Daniel.
E.g. in 1 Maccabees 1:20-25, it talks about the reign of king Darius, king Antiochus, and the destruction of Jerusalem.
1Ma 1:1 And it happened, after that Alexander son of Philip, the Macedonian, who came out of the land of Chettiim, had smitten Darius king of the Persians and Medes, that he reigned in his stead, the first over Greece,
1Ma 1:7 So Alexander reigned twelves years, and then died.
1Ma 1:10 And there came out of them a wicked root Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes, son of Antiochus the king, who had been an hostage at Rome, and he reigned in the hundred and thirty and seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks.
Antiochus attacked Jerusalem in 168BC - 167BC.
1Ma 1:21 And (Antiochus) entered proudly into the sanctuary, and took away the golden altar, and the candlestick of light, and all the vessels thereof,
1Ma 1:22 And the table of the shewbread, and the pouring vessels, and the vials. and the censers of gold, and the veil, and the crown, and the golden ornaments that were before the temple, all which he pulled off.
1Ma 1:23 He took also the silver and the gold, and the precious vessels: also he took the hidden treasures which he found.
1Ma 1:24 And when he had taken all away, he went into his own land, having made a great massacre, and spoken very proudly.
1Ma 1:37 Thus they shed innocent blood on every side of the sanctuary, and defiled it:
1Ma 1:54 Now the fifteenth day of the month Casleu, in the hundred forty and fifth year, they set up the abomination of desolation upon the altar, and builded idol altars throughout the cities of Juda on every side;
1Ma 1:59 Now the five and twentieth day of the month they did sacrifice upon the idol altar, which was upon the altar of God.
See the write up on Antiochus Epiphanus:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiochus_IV_Epiphanes
This was recorded in Jewish history in the Apocrypha.
Antiochus Epiphanus original name was Mithradates. When he became king, he took his father's name Antiochus, and added "Epiphanus" which in Syrian language means "the god made manifest" or "god manifest".
Antiochus set himself up as god. He sacrificed a pig on the brazen altar in the Temple, and he put up the idol Zeus (Greeks called it Zeus, but the Romans called it Jupiter) as the supreme god.
According to the Roman historian Flavius Josephus, he wrote of the similar event in his book "History of Jews volume 1: page 10 - 11" .
[... Antiochus put a stop to the daily Jewish sacrifice for three and a half years..]
See J.C. Sproul account of the Abomination of the Temple by Antiochus:
https://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/abomination-temple/
Let's come back to Matthew 24, where we read that Jesus knew a similar situation was going to happen in Jerusalem within the generation of His disciples. Jesus knew of the history of the Syrian king Antiochus who attacked Jerusalem. He knew about the sacrifice of the pig on the altar. In fact, most of the Jews at that time knew about this.
Jesus referred to this event in Daniel's "Abomination of Desolation", and say that another "Abomination of Desolation" is coming as a sign of the End of the Age.
Josephus wrote that this happened in AD66 - AD70 when the Roman armies attacked and destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple.
According to John L Bray who wrote the book "Matthew 24 fulfilled", he wrote about what the early historians like Josephus recorded:
[ .. these are some of the events that happened within that period, just before AD70. A wicked Jew went into the Temple and melted the holy vessels used in the Temple service. That the priests were killed including the high priest. Under the ruler Emperor Caligula, there was a non-priest who was chosen to be the high priest over the Temple in Jerusalem and the daily sacrificial system was stopped just as it happened in Daniel's days. There would be open drunkenness inside the Temple. And prior to AD70, thousands of Jews would die at the hands of other Jews. And finally, the Roman army would break through from outside of Jerusalem to inside the city and destroyed the Temple, burning the Temple to the ground. These things happened prior to AD70. ]
Let us look at a parallel passage to Mat 24:15, in Luke 21:20.
Luk 21:20 And when you see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that its destruction has come.
Jesus said when they see... Who see? The disciples see. Not us.
Then the destruction has come.
Daniel 12 speaks about the "Abomination of Desolation". Mat 24, Mark 13, Luke 21 speaks about the "Abomination of Desolation". There is going to be a repeat of the "Abomination of Desolation" by king Antiochus. And THEY WILL SEE it happened.
Jesus used Daniel as an example event because His audience can understand what He meant. The Desolation and Destruction will start with the armies surrounding Jerusalem. Why did the armies surround the city? They were going to destroy the city and its Temple, just as Jesus prophesied.
Let's look at another early theologian Joseph Ernest Renan's writing in 1899 in his "Renan's Antichrist". Here is what he wrote concerning the Roman armies invading Jerusalem:
[.. the Romans planted their standards in the place where the Sanctuary stood and as was their custom offered them worship..].
See a write up on Joseph Renan:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Renan
He was writing about the desolation of the Temple. The Romans came into the Temple and desolate it with their standards.
Q: Can it be that there is another "Abomination of Desolation" in our future? There is historical evidence that the "Abomination of Desolation" happened in the past, but what about the future.?
A: The "Abomination of Desolation" in Daniel was fulfilled by Antiochus.
The "Abomination of Desolation" in Jesus' prophecy was fulfilled by Titus and the Roman armies.
In both cases, the listeners were warned about the impending tribulation.
Nowhere was there another prophecy of the "Abomination of Desolation" after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. NOWHERE..!
Therefore, it is incorrect to take Mat 24, Mark 13, Luke 21, (which are fulfilled prophecy) to mean another happening in our future.
For example: You cannot take the prophecy and story of Noah and the flood, and say it is going to happen again in the future. You cannot say that even if you say "thus says the Lord". Wrong is wrong.
Note: In order for the "Abomination of Desolation" to happen again, there must be a physical Temple, a priesthood system and a daily sacrificial system. Today, there is none of these things in the world. There is no Temple, and there is no sacrifices.
Futurist (or dispensation teaching) says that Jesus will rebuild the Temple, and then the priesthood and the sacrifices will resume. This is totally wrong. The prophecy has already been fulfilled, and will not happen again, no 2nd, 3rd, or 4th time fulfillment.
It is important for us to understand that Jesus came, died and resurrected to deliver the Jews from that system when He declared that the End of that Age (End of that Order) came during that generation.
My question: Why are we putting aside the finished work of Jesus and going back to the Judaistic system.? God has already destroyed that system through the work of Jesus Christ. Why would God warn us about that coming system and the "Abomination of Desolation" again.?
The Judaistic system or Judaism has nothing to do with you and me today. Are you praying for a return of Judaism? Are you praying for a return of Roman armies to surround Jerusalem and destroy it and any future Temple again? Can we force the prophecy of Jesus meant for His disciples and make it to fit into our future timeline?
Don't be obsessed with Israel and the incorrect eschatology timeline.
Conclusion:
Ask yourself: Who was Jesus talking to? Who was the audience? Can we force our timeline into their timeline? Are we that generation that will see the destruction of Jerusalem?
Jesus was answering the disciples' question in Mat 24:3. It was for their generation, in their lifetime and in their era, not ours.
Matthew 24 was written TO the disciples and not TO us. But we can learn lessons from it because it is applicable FOR us. We should consider Mat 24 as fulfilled prophecy and take the infinite Kingdom of God to the whole planet and share the good news.
The church is now free and powerful to move into the limitless future to spread the Kingdom of God. We should spread the knowledge of the glory of the Lord to cover the whole earth as waters cover the sea. This is the job and purpose of the church Today.
Next post will be "Abomination of Desolation" (Part 2)
