Beth-El Baptist Church

05/06/2007

Greg Tomlinson

 

What is the “abomination of desolation” in Matthew 24:15?

 

This is one of those highly debated topics regarding end-time prophecy that has resulted in all kinds of “modern” day fulfillments.

 

1.      What is the context of the passage?

Matthew 24:1-16, 17-31    (In particular Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14; Luke 21:20)

Mark 13:1-27

Luke 21:5-28

 

(Verse numbers from Matthew 24)

While commenting about the beauty of the Jerusalem Temple (v1), Jesus identified its destruction (v2) and his disciples desired to know about the end of the world or age (v3). Jesus identifies several things that will be noticeable to many. (1) false Christs (v5, 11, 23-26), (2) wars, famine, natural disasters(v6-7), (3) persecution (v9-10) (4) world wide proclamation of the gospel (v14), (5) “abomination of desolation” (v15), (6) flee! (v16-20), (7) great tribulation (v21-22, 29), (8) sun, moon, starts lose their light (v29), (9) Jesus’ return (v30-31). The abomination of desolation comes in the midst of end time’s prophecies.

 

In particular, the “abomination of desolation” is identified with Daniel’s prophecies and it “stands in the Holy Place” (Matthew 24:15), “standing where it ought not” (Mark 13:14), “Jerusalem compassed with armies” (Luke 12:20). Based upon the text that follows these verses it is very clear that they are talking about the same event and not three different events.

 

2.      What does the prophet Daniel have to say about this ‘abomination of desolation”?

Daniel 9:20-27; 11:27-39; 12:1-11; 8:9-13, 19-27

 

Daniel 9 is Daniel’s 70 weeks (considered to be apocalyptic use of weeks of years). Which is comprised of 7 + 62 weeks (483 years) (v25) from the rebuilding of the temple to the coming of the Messiah (Jesus’ birth or ministry). This time is for the completion or fulfillment of the transgressions of Israel and then to purify them by ushering in everlasting righteousness (v24). The Messiah will be cut off (killed) for the people. The city will be destroyed, including the temple (v26). For a short time the covenant will be confirmed, the sacrifice and the oblation will be stopped, and desolation or destruction will come due to excessive abominations.

 

Daniel 11 talks of a great series of battles between a northern and southern kingdom, divided after a great king (see Daniel 8) dies splitting the kingdom into 4 pieces. Eventually the northern king dominates the region and sets to battle the southern kingdom but is stopped by ships (11:30). He attacks again with a great army surrounding Jerusalem, pollutes the sanctuary, stops the sacrifice, carry out the abomination that makes desolate.

Daniel 12 points to the rescue led by Michael the “great prince” during which even the dead are raised and judged an everlasting judgment (2). The book of visions is sealed (4) but Daniel presses for more information regarding the timing. He is giving what is most likely a symbolic timing starting from the removal of the sacrifice and the abomination that makes desolate.

 

3.      How do we understand some of the key words?

Holy Place: Exodus 26:33-34; 28:35; 29:30-31; Leviticus 16:2-3, 16-20; Ezekiel 41:4; 42:14-13; Acts 6:13-14; 21:28-29; Hebrews 9:12, 25

 

This is the not the Holy of Holies but just outside the Holy of Holies where Showbread was, candlesticks were, and incense offered. It is a place of offering burnt offerings as well. It is also a general designation for the temple. Occasionally used of the Holy of Holies (Hebrews 9:12, 25)

 

Abomination: Deuteronomy 29:17; 1 Kings 11:5-7; 2 Chronicles 15:8; Isaiah 66:2-4; Jeremiah 7:30-31; 13:27; 32:33-35; Ezekiel 5:11; 7:20; 20:7-9; Zechariah 9:7; Luke 16:15; Revelation 17:4-5

 

An abomination is identified as idolatry. It is also used as God’s view of the Jewish “proper” sacrifice that is offered with an impure heart or motive. They made their offers but rejected the Word of God.

 

Desolate: Leviticus 26:21-32; Numbers 21:30; 1 Samuel 5:6; 1 Kings 9:7-9; Ezra 9:3-4; Job 16:7; Psalm 69:25; 79:7; Isaiah 33:8-9; 49:8; 54:3; Jeremiah 12:9-12; 18:16; 33:10; Lamentations 1:16; 3:11; Ezekiel 20:26; 33:28; 36:2-5, 33-36; Zechariah 7:14

 

Being desolate is an expression of being empty, a wasteland that is utterly worthless. It is such a picture of destruction that onlookers are bewildered and astonished about the destruction.

 

Summary

(Historical Statistics come from “The Annals of the World” by Bishop Ussher).

As we put all of this together, the “abomination of desolation” is specifically associated with a great army that surrounds and conquers the Holy City even the temple it self. Historically speaking, this first took place in about 170 BC when Antiochus Epiphanes entered into the Holy of Holies, sacrificed a pig on the temple altar and poured its blood on the Holy Books. This again took place in AD 70 when Titus of Alexandria surrounded Jerusalem during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the ensuing famine was so severe that “a mother devoured he own child”. The entire siege was so severe that more than 700,000 died. The deaths were so many that they essentially just tossed the bodies over the wall and filled the ditches (Jeremiah 19:2-3). Some of the Jews defending the city took and distributed the items from within the inner part of the temple (Holy Place) and gave them to soldiers. Titus eventually lit the temple on fire with the Jews atop it and watched in amazement as the temple burned.

 

What can be said about the “abomination of desolation” from a non-historical sense is that it is related to a rejection of the Word of God and religious practices that are more closely related to idolatry than to proper service to God. The practice is so empty and worthless that those who rightly follow after God will be absolutely astonished by it. God rejects that which is sacrificed due to an impure heart of the one offering the sacrifice. Since Jesus talks about the abomination of desolation taking place in the “Holy Place”, this points to a historical marker associated with the Jewish Temple. It cannot be the new temple since it is the true believers and the totality of true believers.