What is the abomination of desolation?

Response

Jesus mentioned a future “abomination of desolation” in the Olivet Discourse, referring to an event in Daniel 9:27. In Matthew 24:15–16, Jesus said, “So when you see the abomination of desolation, as spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place . . . then those in Judea must flee to the mountains” (CSB).

An abomination is defined as “something that causes disgust or hatred,” and desolation as “a state of complete emptiness or destruction.” Jesus cautioned that something (or someone) detestable would one day stand in the temple. When this dreadful event occurred, Judea’s residents were advised to seek refuge promptly. Other translations refer to “the abomination that causes desolation” (NIV), “the sacrilegious object that causes desecration” (NLT), and “that ‘Horrible Thing'” (CEV). The Amplified Bible elaborates that the abomination of desolation is “the appalling sacrilege that astonishes and makes desolate.”

Jesus made a reference to Daniel in His teachings during the Olivet Discourse. The prophet Daniel mentioned the abomination of desolation in three instances:

“He will make a firm covenant with many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and offering. And the abomination of desolation will be on a wing of the temple until the decreed destruction is poured out on the desolator” «And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.», <a href="https://www.bibli

(Daniel 9:27, CSB).

“Forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation” «And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. », (Daniel 11:31, NKJV).

“From the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days” «And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. », (Daniel 12:11, NASB).

The wording in the above translations indicates that the abomination of desolation is an object; in some other translations, the abomination appears to be a person: “On the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate” «And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.», (Daniel 9:27, ESV).

Regardless of whether the abomination of desolation is a person or a thing, Daniel predicted the following:

1. A future ruler will make a treaty with the people of Israel.

2. The terms of this treaty will be for a “week”—which we take to be a period of seven years.

3. Midway through this time, the ruler will gather his troops and put an end to the sacrifices and the oblation.

Offerings in the temple.

4. At that time, the ruler will desecrate the temple by setting up a sacrilegious object.

5. The desecration will continue until God’s judgment is meted out on the ruler and his followers, 1,290 days (3½ years and 1 month) later.

Daniel’s prophecies regarding the abomination of desolation appeared to have a partial fulfillment in 167 BC when Antiochus IV, a Greek ruler, desecrated the Jerusalem temple. Antiochus, who called himself “Epiphanies” (meaning “illustrious one” or “god manifest”), erected an altar to Zeus above the burnt offering altar and sacrificed a pig on it. He further committed atrocities by slaughtering many Jews, selling others into slavery, and issuing decrees against circumcision while mandating sacrifices to pagan deities and consumption of pork.

Antiochus’ actions were indeed abominable but did not entirely fulfill Daniel’s prophecy. For instance, Antiochus did not make a covenant with Israel for seven years. In Matthew 24, Jesus, speaking about 200 years later, indicated that Daniel’s prophecy had a future fulfillment.

The question arises: when post-Jesus era did the abomination of desolation prophecy come to pass? Or is its fulfillment still awaited? According to the preterist perspective, Jesus’ warning in Matthew 24:15 pertained to events leading to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. According to this interpretation, the abomination of desolation likely occurred during the Roman rule of Jerusalem when the Roman army introduced pagan symbols and standards into the temple precincts.

We adhere to the futurist viewpoint, which anticipates the abomination of desolation prophecy as yet to occur. In our understanding, Jesus referred to the Antichrist who, in the end times, will make a covenant with Israel for seven years and subsequently violate it by committing acts akin to those of Antiochus Epiphany.An atrocity was committed in the temple. The sacrilegious object Jesus referred to as “the abomination of desolation” could potentially be the “image of the beast” that the Antichrist’s right-hand man, the false prophet, will command to be erected and worshipped, (Revelation 13:14). For Matthew 24:15 to be a future event, the temple in Jerusalem will need to be reconstructed before the tribulation commences.

Those who live through the tribulation period must remain vigilant and understand that the breaking of the covenant with Israel and the abomination of desolation will mark the onset of the most dreadful 3½ years in history (see Matthew 24:21). “Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man,” (Luke 21:36).