Introduction
So what is the abomination of desolation all about and does this Bible prophecy really affect Christians in the world today?
One of the most interesting and misunderstood prophecies in the Bible concerns the abomination of desolation. The element that makes this prophecy especially intriguing is that Jesus identifies it as a specific sign that the end is near. A careful study of Matthew 24 reveals that it is one of the many Bible passages that has a dual application. It speaks not only of the abomination of desolation that warns of the imminent destruction of the temple and Jerusalem but it also parallels this with the end of this world as we know it and the second coming of Jesus.
Speaking of the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem, “Jesus said unto them, See you not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.” The abomination of desolation was in answer to the disciples’ question that followed these just spoken words of Jesus, “the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the world?” Jesus now speaking of the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem, which also parallels the end time tribulation said, “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:) then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains... for then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.” Matthew 24:1-3, 15-21.
Christians of many different persuasions recognize this passage in Matthew 24 as a definite and peculiar sign concerning this Earth’s final days. But even though the majority of people can agree that the abomination of desolation is a very important sign, they can’t seem to agree on its specific nature. Even most preachers are thrown into a quagmire of confusion looking for something that no one is very sure about. It is a perfect example of the blind leading the blind.
Of course, some people believe they know the identity of the abomination of desolation. Some teach that this prophecy was fulfilled when Antiochus Epiphanes interrupted the temple sacrifices between 168 B.C. and 165 B.C. The abomination they point to is the pig Antiochus had offered on the altar in the temple complex. Others believe that the abomination of desolation refers to a future time when an atheistic antichrist will overthrow the temple in Jerusalem and use it as his throne. Then there are those who believe the abomination of desolation is the Roman standards which were worshipped in Jerusalem around 70 A.D. at the time of its destruction by Titus.
So just exactly what is the abomination of desolation? Is it any one of these alternatives? Is it all of them at the same time? Or could it be possible that not any of these above interpretations are correct? The answer to these questions is vitally important to those living in the end times and can only be found by careful exegesis of God’s Word and history. We really must understand the truth on this topic as Jesus clearly implies that our very lives could be at stake over this matter.
What is the abomination of desolation continued - Page 2