Text: “But when ye shall see the Abomination of Desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains.”
Mark 13:14.
Good morning, knowledge-hungry Christian! It is wonderful to meet fellow Christians that are blessed with a deep hunger to search and to find knowledge of the more profound meanings in the Word of God. This weekly Bible Lesson might whet your appetite.
What is the Abomination of Desolation? By Hope Bollinger
(2019)
“Past the Babylonian stories from Daniel 1-6, readers run into an interesting six chapters at
the tail end of Daniel. These prophecies appear to affect Israel in the near
future, but also, they seem to hint at the end times and connections with the
book of Revelation.
“One such prophecy,
the Abomination of
Desolation (mentioned in Daniel 9:27,11:31,12:11)
appears throughout history and in the age to come. The antichrist figure who
sets up an abomination in the place of worship has had a role throughout
history. This article will dive into what the abomination of desolation is, the
typology of the figure behind the abomination, and what this means for
Christians today.
“What is
the abomination of desolation?
“His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will
abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes
desolation” (Daniel 11:31).
“Mentioned also in Matthew 24:15, this is one of the
signs of the end times, when the antichrist sets up an abomination in the holy
place and will command the people to worship it. This object of disgust, an
idol, will cause desolation, causing those in Judea to flee to the mountains (Matthew 24:16).
“In history, this abomination was an idol. But in the
case of the end of days, the antichrist will set himself up as the idol for the
people to worship (Revelation 13:14).
“The
abomination in history
Undoubtedly, theologians have surmised the greatest contender in history
for this abomination, referred in Daniel, to be Antiochus IV Epiphanes.
In fact, some theologians have gone as far to say Daniel chapters 7-12 were written
separately from the first six chapters, saying a different author wrote the
latter half to comfort the Jewish people during the time of Antiochus Epiphanes
IV. The author of this article strongly believes Daniel 1-12 were written during the lifetime
of Daniel, foreshadowing the events to come in four hundred years, and in the
end times.
“Known by his nickname Epimanes (madman), Antiochus would attempt to
oppress Israel unlike any other empire before, writes Jason Jackson. Reigning
between 175 BC to 164 BC, this Seleucid King
was known for trying to spread Hellenistic influence throughout Israel.
“So much so that he oppressed the Jewish people in a number of ways:
- He erected an altar to the Greek god
Zeus in the middle of the Israelite temple and sacrificed a pig, both
items strictly forbidden in Jewish law, according to this article from Encyclopaedia Britannica.
- He regarded himself as Zeus, a manifestation of a god, and thus wanted Israel to worship him (foreshadowing what the
antichrist would do, force everyone to worship a false god).
- He outlawed circumcision under penalty of
death and forced the Jews to sacrifice to the Greek gods.
- He killed a great many of the Jews and sold many into slavery when they protested his abomination
of desolation. Not only did he
suppress Jewish culture, but he attempted to stamp it out. The Maccabean
revolt arose from this, and the Israelites overcome his oppression (these
events led to the eventual celebration of Hanukkah) …
“The
Antichrist and the Abomination
Prophecy in Scripture can often have
multiple fulfilments, and in the case of the latter passages of Daniel, the
Abomination of Desolation is without exception.
Not only will we see the antichrist forcing everyone to worship an abomination (himself, Matthew 24:15), but many of Antiochus IV Epiphanes’ characteristics will appear in him as well.” (What is the Abomination of Desolation? By Hope Bollinger (2019)
J.C.
Ryle Comments:
“The meaning of the “abomination of desolation,” in
this passage, has always perplexed the commentators. The most common view
undoubtedly is, that it signifies the Roman armies, who executed God’s judgment
on the Jewish nation.
“It may be questioned whether this interpretation
completely fulfils the prophecy. I venture, though with much diffidence, to
suggest that a more complete and literal accomplishment yet remains to come.
“The remarkable words of St. Paul to the Thessalonians, appear to me scarcely to have received yet a complete fulfilment: “He, as God, sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” (2 Thessalonians 2:4) I own that it seems to me by no means improbable that a personal antichrist, yet to be revealed at Jerusalem, may prove the final accomplishment of these words. I desire to avoid dogmatism on the subject. I only suggest it as a possible and probable thing.” (Footnote to Chapter 13, verse 14-23, J.C. Ryle’s Exposition of Mark’s Gospel)
Thought:
Such a Bible Lesson should whet the appetite of serious Bible Students to
continue on, searching in the Scriptures by prayer, to gain knowledge of this event.