The Abomination of Desolation – Scripturally Speaking, Part 1

What is the Abomination of Desolation?  When did it occur, or has it yet to occur?  Is there a foreshadowing event in history?  Is it related to Yeshua’s first coming, or second?  In Part 1 we are looking at the primary passages people refer to and getting an overall sense of what scripture is saying; I’ve not provided a lot of commentary but have preferred to let the Word of God speak for itself.  I’ve highlighted similar language in related passages to tease out the simple meaning. Without further ado…

1.  The Abomination of Desolation is inextricably joined to Israel & Jerusalem’s rejection of Yeshua, it’s Messiah:

Mt 23:37-38: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. Behold, your house is being left to you desolate!”

Mt 24:15-16: “Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand) then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains.

Lk 21:20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is near.

2.  The Abomination of Desolation happens in conjunction with the total destruction of the temple:

Mt 24:1-3:  Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. 2 And He said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.” 3 As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen?”

Mk 13:4: “Tell us, when will these things be?”

Lk 21:7:  They questioned Him, saying, “Teacher, when therefore will these things happen?”

Mt 24:15: “Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION…”

Mk13:14: “But when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION standing where it should not be…”

Lk 21:20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is near.  Then those who are in Judea must flee…”

3.  The Abomination of Desolation would be something some of Yeshua’s hearers would see:

Mt 24:15: “Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION…”

Mk13:14: “But when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION standing where it should not be…”

Lk 21:20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies…”

4a. The Abomination of Desolation (AoD) would result in the diaspora of the Jews out of Jerusalem and Israel into the world, until the ‘time of the Gentiles’ would be fulfilled;

4b. Paul wrote while the ‘fullness of the Gentiles’ had not come in; 

4c. Seven-Year Trib people say that the AoD occurs at the Trib’s midpoint, after the ‘the time of the Gentiles’ (because they have been raptured and supposedly God is now again dealing with the Jews), but the AoD results in the Great Tribulation, initiating and concurrent with the Jews’ dispersal around the world, during the ‘time of the Gentiles’:

Mt 24:16-21:  Those who are in Judea must flee [4a] to the mountains.  Whoever is on the housetop must not go down [4a] to get the things out that are in his house.  Whoever is in the field must not turn back [4a] to get his cloak.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  But pray that your flight [4a] will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath. For then there will be a great tribulation [4c], such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will.

Mk 13:14-20:  Those who are in Judea must flee [4a] to the mountains.  The one who is on the housetop must not go down [4a], or go in to get anything out of his house;  and the one who is in the field must not turn back [4a] to get his coat.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  But pray that it may not happen in the winter.  For those days will be a time of tribulation [4c] such as has not occurred since the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will.  Unless the Lord had shortened those days, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect, whom He chose, He shortened the days.

Lk 21:21-24:  Then those who are in Judea must flee [4a] to the mountains, and those who are in the midst of the city must leave [4a], and those who are in the country must not enter [4a] the city; because these are days of vengeance, so that all things which are written will be fulfilled.  Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days; for there will be great distress [4c] upon the land and wrath to this people; and they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations [4a]; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. [4b]

Rom 11:25:  For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. [4b]

5.  Daniel 9 teaches that the Abomination of Desolation is related to and follows quickly and immediately after [5a] the work of the Messiah to make an end of sin [5b], to make atonement for iniquity [5c] putting a stop to the sacrificial system [5d], making a firm covenant [5e] and bringing in everlasting righteousness [5f]:

Dan 9:24,26-27: “Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin,[5b] to make atonement for iniquity [5c], to bring in everlasting righteousness[5f], to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place…then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. And he will make a firm covenant [5e] with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering [5d]; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction [5a], one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.”

Rom 6:2: How shall we who died to sin [5b] still live in it?

Heb 9:26: He has been manifested to put away sin [5b] by the sacrifice of Himself.

1 Jn 4:10:  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. [5c]

Heb 10:12:  He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time [5d], SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD.

Jer 32:40  “I will make an everlasting [5f] covenant [5e] with them…”

Heb 7:22:  Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant. [5e]

Heb 13:20:  the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal [5f] covenant, [5e] even Jesus our Lord

Rom 3:21  the righteousness of God [5f]  has been manifested

Mk 13:4, 14, Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled?”… “But when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION…” [5a]