Who is “the reader,” and what should he or she understand? [26], Chapter 13 of Mark's gospel is a speech of Jesus concerning the return of the Son of Man and the advent of the Kingdom of God, which will be signaled by the appearance of the "abomination of desolation. Has this come up for anyone else? Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it. In what sense should readers “flee to the mountains”? Abomination That Causes Desolation, the. … Continue reading --> In fact, many Christians did flee, sparing their lives, when they saw Rome’s armies coming. [9] In Daniel 8 one angel asks another how long "the transgression that makes desolate" will last; Daniel 9 tells of "the prince who is to come" who "shall make sacrifice and offering cease, and in their place shall be an abomination that desolates"; Daniel 11 tells the history of the arrogant foreign king who sets up the "abomination that makes desolate"; and in Daniel 12 the prophet is told how many days will pass "from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that desolates is set up..."[10], One of the more popular older views was to see in the "abomination" a contemptuous deformation (or dysphemism) of the Phoenician deity Baal Shamin, the "Lord of Heaven";[11] Philo of Byblos identified Baal Shamin with the Greek sky god Zeus,[11] and as the temple in Jerusalem was rededicated in honor of Zeus according to 2 Maccabees 6:2, older commentators tended to follow Porphyry in seeing the "abomination" in terms of a statue of the Greek sky-god. "[28] While Daniel's "abomination" was probably a pagan altar or sacrifice, the grammar in Mark uses a masculine participle for "standing", indicating a concrete historical person: several candidates have been suggested, but the most likely is Titus. Dan 11:31; 12:11; 2 Macc 6:5),[17][18] or the pagan altar on which such offerings were made. [7][8] The visionary chapters of Daniel, chapters 7-12, were added to the Book of Daniel at this time in order to reassure Jews that they would survive in the face of this threat. This is an abomination because it is idolatry, and it brings desolation because it defiles the holy place at the heart of Israel. Indeed, the parallel account in Luke 21 makes this point explicit: “when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies . “So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand—" Matthew 24:15. In the historical books, “abomination” always describes idolatry, often with child sacrifice (1 Kings 11:7, 2 Kings 23:13). The disciples probably thought they were asking one question. Eusebius, the first great historian of the church, says that when the Romans fell upon Jerusalem, “the church at Jerusalem . The Gospel Coalition supports the church by providing resources that are trusted and timely, winsome and wise, and centered on the gospel of Jesus Christ. Originating among the Jewish community in the late 4th to early 3rd centuries BCE. And they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate” (11:31). At the very moment it happens, a decisive change in the course of world history will have taken place that will cause the entire earth to become a desolate wilderness. . The abomination that causes desolation is a major end times event! And a believer will not want to flee. The abomination of desolation (Matthew 24:15) is another one of those prophetic topics that meets with a lot of misunderstanding and a lot of speculation. "[5] In all three it is likely that the authors had in mind a future eschatological (i.e., end-time) event, and perhaps the activities of some anti-Christ.[5]. Dan Doriani (MDiv, PhD, Westminster Theological Seminary; STM, Yale Divinity School) is vice president at large and professor of theology at Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, and a Council member of The Gospel Coalition. The people of the earth will be tricked into believing that it is alive and will worship it. [12] More recently, it has been suggested that the reference is to certain sacred stones (possibly meteorites) that were fixed to the Temple's Altar of Sacrifice for the purposes of pagan worship,[13][14] since the use of such stones is well-attested in Canaanite and Syrian cults. Read Document. [5], The Book of Daniel is a considered a prophetic book. The abomination of desolation may be translated, “the abomination which makes desolate, or lays waste.” In other words, the … Then, in 24:36, Jesus starts to speak exclusively about “that day”—that is, the last day. To be more precise, it is one of the major events in the final few years of this age and during the time of the antichrist is the abomination that causes desolation. 27:15) or immoral sexual practices (Lev. In the new heaven and new earth there will be “nothing unclean and no one who practices abominations and lying” (21:27). The reasons for uncertainty are easy to list. In some bible versions the abomination causes destruction. The Roman armies were always an abomination because they carried with them idolatrous images of the emperor, whom they worshiped. Print Article; An expression that occurs three times in the Septuagint of Daniel (9:27; 11:31; 12:11) and twice in the words of Jesus (Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14), where slight linguistic variation exists. 9:27, Dan. "The reason this is the abomination that causes desolation is very simple," Ken says. Daniel 9:27 mentions the abomination that causes desolation while giving the interpretation of the Messiah’s death in the 70 weeks prophecy. A generation normally lasts 40 years in Scripture, and Jerusalem and its temple did fall within 40 years, as Jesus said. Luke's account of this prophecy (21:20) is more general and speaks of armies surrounding Jerusalem. flee to the mountains” (Luke 21:10-24). He and his wife, Debbie, have three children. The words “abomination of desolation” come from Matthew 24:15 and Mark 13:14, When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) The mentioning in Dan 11:31 is not in correlation with what Jesus stated. The disciples then asked Jesus to explain: “When will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?” (24:3). [23][24] It is almost certain that none of the authors were eyewitnesses to the life of Jesus,[25] and Mark was the source used by the authors of Matthew and Luke for their "abomination of desolation" passages. Some of the definitions of desolate are deserted, uninhabited, barren, devastated, abandoned. TheLittleLady. It cannot possibly apply to Jesus’ return. It may seem to us that they asked three questions: But a close reading shows that Jesus heard and answered two questions. The Al-Aqsa Mosque was built first, but the Al-Qibli Mosque—where they train imams—was finished in A.D. 705. “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand.” (Matthew 24:15) The phrase “the abomination of desolation” refers to the presence of an idolatrous person or object so detestable that it causes the temple to be abandoned and left desolate. He and his wife, Debbie, have three children. Holy Golgotha's empty tomb, was substituted for a sepulchre of doom. April 16, 2020, 7:13pm #2. What is the connection between the prophecies of Daniel and Jesus? [6] At that time a lamb was sacrificed twice daily, morning and evening, on the altar of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem, but Antiochus IV, the king of the Greek Seleucid dynasty which then ruled Palestine, put an end to it in 167 BCE. The abomination of desolation affects every Christian on this earth, so it's an important issue to study and understand. left the city, and moved to a town called Pella.”[1] So Jesus, ever the Good Shepherd, told the first Christians how to survive those most harrowing years of the church’s infancy. Then we analyze the structure of the passage and do the necessary lexical and grammatical work. and 165 B.C. The article looks at the phrase "The abomination that causes desolation" that can be found in Daniel. Instead, his purpose is to protect and guide and instruct his people. The term abomination of desolation is found twice in the Old Testament, and also twice in the New Testament (Daniel 11:31, 12:12, Mat 24:15, Mar 13:14). Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation” (Daniel 11:31). Copyright © 2021 The Gospel Coalition, INC. All Rights Reserved. Indeed, Scripture calls sexual sins like adultery, homosexuality, and bestiality abominations (e.g., Leviticus 18:22, 29-30). The phrase “abomination of desolation” refers to Matthew 24:15 (KJV): “So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation,' spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand.” This is referring to Daniel 9:27, “He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven.' . (Daniel uses siqqus, a term that always appears in connection with idolatry.). The Bible clearly defines that it is the abominations done by God's very own people that causes desolation. What abomination does Jesus have in mind? Report: Ravi Zacharias Engaged in Sexual Abuse, Church Small Talk Was More Important Than I Thought, A Conversation with Tim Keller: On Cancer, Book Recommendations, Celebrity, and the Reformed Resurgence, Meet the World’s Fastest-Growing Evangelical Movement, The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters, Economics for Church Leaders: How Minimum-Wage Laws Affect the Poor, 4 (Good) Ways Your Hard Kid Is Changing You. Please make sure all fields are filled out. Should they obey literally or metaphorically? [15] Both proposals have been criticized on the basis that they are too speculative, or dependent on flawed analysis, or not well-suited to the relevant context in the Book of Daniel;[15][16] and more recent scholarship tends to see the "abomination" as a reference to either the pagan offerings that replaced the forbidden twice-daily Jewish offering (cf. Mentioned also in Matthew 24:15, this is one of the signs of the end, when the antichrist sets up an abomination in the holy place and will command the people to worship it. Daniel 9:26-27 refers to a prince who will destroy the city (Jerusalem) along with its temple and sacrifices, “and on the wings of abominations shall come one who makes desolate.” Two chapters later there is another reference to an “abomination” in connection to the temple: “forces from him shall appear and profane the temple and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering. Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases on Amazon.com. It deals with a desecration of the worship of God by setting up a new form of worship. ‘—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.”. Many people try to say the verses in Daniel 8:9-14, 9:27, 11:29-35, 12:8-13 that refer to the “abomination of desolation” have already been fulfilled. Other candidates have included the Zealots who occupied the temple and slaughtered the priests in 67/68, the Roman armies, the eagle standards to which they offered sacrifices, and others. The abomination of desolation will become a major transition point to the destruction of the last days. Abomination of Desolation:This phrase is usually used concerning violation of the ritual purity of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. When he came to suppress the rebellion, his forces entered the temple, stopped the regular sacrifices, set up an idol of or altar for Zeus, and apparently offered swine there as a sacrifice. Abomination also refers to idolatry in the prophets, including Daniel 9 and 11. In Matthew 24, Jesus gave us some clear connecting points between Daniel 9 and the Book of Revelation. "Abomination of desolation" is a phrase from the Book of Daniel describing the pagan sacrifices with which the 2nd century BCE Greek king Antiochus IV replaced the twice-daily offering in the Jewish temple, or alternatively the altar on which such offerings were made. #3 “‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—” Daniel prophesied about this abomination in Daniel 9:27, 11:31, and 12:11. There are two direct mentions of the abomination of desolation in Daniel (Dan 11:31, Dan 12:11), and one indirect by saying on the wings of abominations shall be one who desolates (Dan 9:27). He has authored a number of books, including. This outrageous act rendered the Temple unclean and became known as the Abomination of Desolation.” In Daniel 11:31 he speaks of the abomination that causes desolation. Then he says, “When you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation . 24:15), an image from the book of Daniel (Dan. This major event is mentioned directly five times in the Bible and found in both the Old and New Testaments. He has authored a number of books, including Work: Its Purpose, Dignity, and Transformation. When Jesus gives instruction concerning future events, his purpose is not to satiate our curiosity or answer all or our speculative questions. After the Messiah’s death, there will be an abomination that causes desolation. God declared something an “abomination” when it was a serious violation of His law, such as idolatry (Deut. In a general sense, abomination of desolation also describes the latter-day judgments to be poured out upon the wicked wherever they may be. Jesus mentioned, "the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel." For the same reason, the following command not to go back to get a cloak and the woe for nursing mothers who must flee cannot refer to Jesus’ return. Having surveyed the original meaning of “abomination of desolation” in Daniel, we now to turn Matthew 24:15-16, first looking at the larger structure of Matthew 24. An abomination is normally a great sin, commonly worthy of death. And those armies brought desolation because their commander leveled the city and entered the holy of holies, defiling it. Become a monthly supporter to advance gospel-centered resources. [29][30][Notes 1], Matthew 24:15-16 follows Mark 13:14 closely: "So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains", but unlike Mark he uses a neutral participle instead of a masculine one, and explicitly identifies Daniel as his prophetic source. The phrase “the abomination that causes desolation” was never something that made sense to me until now. Our new podcast episode with Tim Keller, talking about cancer, what books shaped him, defining evangelicalism, Christian celebrity, and the Young, the Restless, and the Reformed. After the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, Jerusalem was attacked and the temple destroyed. Antiochus treated Israel with such violence and contempt that they rebelled against him. Resource Toolbox. An expression that occurs three times in the Septuagint of Daniel (9:27; 11:31; 12:11) and twice in the words of Jesus ( Matt 24:15; Mark 13:14), where slight linguistic variation exists. If we are going to be diligent about Bible reading, we are going to have to learn how … This prophecy makes sense only with reference to the fall of Jerusalem. Indeed that abomination did come in Roman form in AD 70. As always, the first step is to read the text in literary, cultural, historical, and canonical contexts. Answer: The phrase “abomination of desolation” refers to Matthew 24:15 (KJV): “So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation,' spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand.” This is referring to Daniel 9:27, “He will confirm a covenant with many for one ’seven.' We begin with the key phrase, “abomination of desolation.”, The term “abomination” (Hebrew toevah and siqqus) appears more than 100 times in the Old Testament and just a few times in the New Testament. The ‘abomination of desolation’ appears in the context of the reign of Antiochus IV Epiphanes (2nd century BCE), and is therefore not likely to be the same ‘abomination of desolation’ of which Jesus speaks in the New Testament, since Jesus was referring to an ‘abomination of desolation’ which was still future. 4 Likes. "Abomination of desolation" is a phrase from the Book of Daniel describing the pagan sacrifices with which the 2nd century BCE Greek king Antiochus IV replaced the twice-daily offering in the Jewish temple, or alternatively the altar on which such offerings were made. The segment ends with Jesus promising “this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place” (24:35). Larger Structure Christian Cruse (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1955), 86-87. So his core prediction was fulfilled by AD 70. 12:11) . I think part of the desolation will be caused by the 6 th Seal earthquake, which will generate a tsunami, which is why Judea is told to flee to the mountains when the abomination is set up. The "Holy Sepuclhre" is a Holy Fake and another Abomination of Desolation: With Apollyon as his guide, Emperor Jesus Constantine did contrive, The Christian Faith to overthrow, and filling Hades to overflow. Many false teachers in the Christian church proclaim that the abomination that causes desolations is a prophetic reference to the desecration of a jewish temple. in St. Louis, Missouri, and a Council member of The Gospel Coalition. In What Really Happened At Christmas you say “Antiochus captured the Temple, sacrificed a pig on the altar, and erected a statue of the Greek god Zeus in the Holy Place requiring everyone to worship it on pain of death. What is the sign of the close of this age. Some people believe they know what the abomination of desolation is and teach that this prophecy was fulfilled when Antiochus Epiphanes interrupted the temple sacrifices between 168 B.C. Abomination That Causes Desolation, the. Ken says that's the exact year a mosque was built on top of the Temple Mount. The abomination they point to is the pig Antiochus had offered on the altar in the temple complex. This is an abomination because it is idolatry, and it brings desolation because it defiles the holy place at the heart of Israel. Jesus gave relatively little attention to the question “When?” and much toward the question “How shall we live faithfully?” Preaching on such texts today should be shaped by Jesus’ concern for the welfare and endurance of his church. . But they make perfect sense if Jesus predicts that another abomination of desolation, like Antiochus Epiphanes of Daniel, is coming. [1] In the 1st century CE it was taken up by the authors of the gospels in the context of the Roman destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in the year 70,[2] with Mark giving Jesus a speech concerning the Second Coming,[3] Matthew 24:15-16 adding a reference to Daniel,[4] and Luke Luke 21:20-21 giving a description of the Roman armies ("But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies..."); in all three it is likely that the authors had in mind a future eschatological (i.e., end-time) event, and perhaps the activities of some anti-Christ. Readers immersed in current debates about sexual ethics may first think an abomination is a sexual sin. “His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. But more often throughout the Bible “abomination” refers to major covenant violations, especially idolatry (in Deuteronomy alone, see 7:25, 13:6-16, 17:2-5, 18:9-12, 27:15, 32:16). "As long as it's there, no Jewish temple can be built. It's time to end Apollyon's desolation, [20] The resulting First Jewish–Roman War ended in 70 CE when the legions of the Roman general Titus surrounded and eventually captured Jerusalem;[21] the city and the temple were razed to the ground, and the only habitation on the site until the first third of the next century was a Roman military camp. The tsunami is described in Luke 21:25, below. In His great discourse on the end time, Christ points to “the abomination of desolation” (Matt. . The interested reader may consult orthodox commentaries.) These troubles are not signs of the end; the disciples must be ready to “stand firm” through them (24:4-8, 13). Other versions say the abomination causes desolation. [19][15], In 63 BCE the Romans captured Jerusalem and Judea became an outpost of the Roman Empire, but in 66 CE the Jews rose in revolt against the Romans as their ancestors had once done against Antiochus. 11:31, Dan. Q. If a group of Christians sat down to list perplexing passages, it wouldn’t take long for someone to mention Matthew 24:15-16: “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.”. What is an abomination? sfn error: no target: CITEREFGoldingay1989 (, Summary of Christian eschatological differences, "The Two Eschatological Perspectives of the Book of Daniel", Safety of high-energy particle collision experiments, Existential risk from artificial intelligence, Self-Indication Assumption Doomsday argument rebuttal, Self-referencing doomsday argument rebuttal, List of dates predicted for apocalyptic events, List of apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Abomination_of_desolation&oldid=1007203248, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 16 February 2021, at 23:49. Scholars generally agree that the first reference of these prophecies is the Seleucid king Antiochus Epiphanes IV, who ruled Palestine from 175-64 B.C. The Abomination That Causes Desolation. This act was the abomination “of” desolation, the abomination “causing” desolation. It is used in different prophecies concerning the temple destroyed in A.D. 70 and at the end of the age when the yet to be rebuilt temple is being used. When (and How) to Avoid Contentious People, Leaders Need Tough Hides and Tender Hearts. This object of disgust, an idol, will cause desolation, causing … "So when you see the abomination that causes desolation..spoken of through the prophet Daniel.." The Abomination of Desolation is the image of the Antichrist which will be placed inside the rebuilt Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. It seems to refer to something or some act that will desecrate a holy place. The line “let the reader understand” (24:15) means that those who read Matthew—which would have been written before AD 70—must be ready to flee when they see Roman armies besieging Jerusalem. In the 1st century CE it was taken up by the authors of the gospels in the context of the Roman destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in the year 70, with Mark giving Jesus a speech concerning the Second Coming, M… One that belongs to his generation, or one from the last days? Felicity: the abomination that causes desolation. . This is the first installment in a new series that analyzes perplexing passages of the Bible. Some Christians, including theologians have said that it was Antiochus Epiphanes who sacrificed a pig in the temple nearly 200 years before Christ was even born. The interpretation of Daniel 9-11 is difficult and disputed, but it does have some fixed points, and the nature of the abomination that causes desolation is one of them. After Jesus mentioned the end-time “abomination of desolation,” He warned that God’s people will have to flee (Matthew 24:16-20) because shortly after the “abomination of desolation” is set up, “there will be great tribulation” (verse 21). #4 “let the reader understand—” These verses come in the context of the Olivet Discourse, which begins with Jesus telling his disciples that the temple will be destroyed (24:1-2). Evangelical scholars will disagree about how much of this passage is devoted to each question, but they generally agree that 24:3-35 mostly refers to events leading up to the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70. A wise preacher dealing with this passage may find particular value in focusing on this point. . (Space forbids that I address double and partial fulfillments of elements of 24:3-35. Yet, that victory will be short-lived because God will step in and the rapture will happen, events of which will ‘cause desolation’. The fall of Jerusalem, Jesus’ return, and the end of the age were one complex event in their minds. Author: Ángel Manuel Rodríguez. In all biblical uses, the term can be understood as the "abomination causing the desolation." "[3] It begins with Jesus in the temple informing his disciples that "not one stone here will be left on another, all will be thrown down;" the disciples ask when this will happen, and in Mark 13:14 Jesus tells them: "[W]hen you see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains..." Mark's terminology is drawn from Daniel, but he places the fulfilment of the prophecy in his own day,[27] underlining this in Mark 13:30 by stating that "this generation will not pass away before all these things take place. Abomination of Desolation Understanding the Abomination that causes Desolation “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing … This act was the abomination “of” desolation, the abomination “causing” desolation. In 24:4-14, the, Jesus is preparing his disciples for events—most of them extremely difficult—that will take place in their lifetime. The abomination of desolation is mentioned three times in the book of Daniel: Though it is true that the abomination that causes desolation is the Roman army itself, it is likely that the “setting up” of the abomination that causes desolation may also refer to another pig sacrifice on the Temple Mount 1290 days after the cessation of the “regular sacrifice” to Caesar. The abomination of desolation will be the image of the beast that will defile the sanctuary in the temple of Jerusalem. It is a flag post that will mark the beginning of the end for the Antichrist. [4] Luke 21:20-21 drops the "abomination" entirely: "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. [22] It was against this background that the gospels were written, Mark around 70 AD and Matthew and Luke around 80-85. This is mysterious and interpretations vary. The word "desolation" means to be in a condition that is uninhabitable and devastated. [1] Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, trans. The word abomination is generally defined as sin, evil, something abhorrent or offensive to God. What is the Abomination of Desolation? When he comes it will be pointless for an unbeliever to try to flee.
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