I've noticed quite a few brethren are confused as to what the "abomination of desolation" per the Book of Daniel actually is. One thing it is not, it is not about literal destructions of Jerusalem and the temple.
Rev 13:11-17
11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
(KJV)
That event is yet to happen upon this earth. That "image of the beast" follows the OT pattern in the Book of Daniel, when the false prophets sought to trap Daniel and his fellows for bowing in worship to The One True GOD. They went to the king of Babylon (Nebuchadnezzar) and suggested he make an idol image of gold, and decree all to bow in worship to it at the sound of the psalter. Then they went around looking to see if Daniel and his fellows would bow to it, or still hold prayer to our Heavenly Father. When Daniel and his brethren were caught not bowing to that idol image, they were taken before the king of Babylon and sentenced to death.
Christ's disciples were upon the Mount of Olives with Him, overlooking the temple buildings standing in Jerusalem at that time, and our Lord Jesus warned of the coming "abomination of desolation" from the Book of Daniel (Matt.24; Mark 13). He said when you see the desolation stand in the "holy place" (hagios topos), and "standing where it ought not", then let those in Judea flee to the mountains (Matt.24:15; Mark 13:14).
That "abomination of desolation" event did not happen with the Romans destruction of the sanctuary and city back in 69 A.D. Per the Jewish historian Josephus, the Romans had intended to sieze the Jerusalem temple, but it caught fire while they attempted to take it, and it was destroyed. The Romans never got access to the "holy place" which per the OT means inside the Israelite temple at Jerusalem.
In 165-170 B.C., one Antiochus Epiphanes conquered Jerusalem with an army, went inside the 2nd temple and desolated it, then setup an idol inside the temple and decreed all to bow in worship to it. Problem with the timing of that though, is that already was history when our Lord Jesus warned about the "abomination of desolation" from Daniel per Matt.24 and Mark 13. So Antiochus was not who our Lord Jesus was talking about. But we're to note that pattern for the "abomination of desolation" which Antiochus did, setting up an idol abomination inside the 2nd temple prior to Christ's first coming.
Apparently, not many brethren realize there's yet another... Biblical pattern for the "abomination of desolation" idol standing in the "holy place", and it's for the end of this world just prior to Christ's return. God showed it to Ezekiel by vision... it's in Ezekiel 8.
(Continued...)
Ezek 8:1 And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in mine house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell there upon me.
2 Then I beheld, and lo a likeness as the appearance of fire: from the appearance of his loins even downward, fire; and from his loins even upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber.
3 And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy.
God placed Ezekiel in The Spirit and gave him a vision of Jerusalem, at the inner gate of the temple, from there an "image of jealousy" upon a "seat" could be seen towards the north. And it provoketh God to jealousy. It's about an IDOL image, something worshipped instead of God, and it makes Him very jealous, because there is no other God but Him. Is this the kind of thing our Lord Jesus warned about with the "abomination of desolation" standing in the holy place, where it ought not? Yes! The idea of an abomination to God is about idol worship of anything else instead of worshipping Him.
4 And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision that I saw in the plain.
5 Then said he unto me, Son of man, lift up thine eyes now the way toward the north. So I lifted up mine eyes the way toward the north, and behold northward at the gate of the altar this image of jealousy in the entry.
Ezekiel looks up and sees this "image of jealousy" northward at the gate of the altar in the entry.
6 He said furthermore unto me, Son of man, seest thou what they do? even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here, that I should go far off from My sanctuary? but turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations.
Note God specifically mentions the "house of Israel" with this, even though at the first Ezekiel was present among the eleders of Judah. The "house of Israel" was put only for the ten tribes at this point in history. So this prophecy involves both the elders of Judah, and the ten lost tribes which are scattered among the Gentiles to this day. What it shows is a world-wide participation in this abomination event at Jerusalem, involving a rebuilt temple there. God tells Ezekiel to look further, and he'll see even greater abominations inside this temple.
7 And He brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold a hole in the wall.
8 Then said He unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had digged in the wall, behold a door.
A hole in the wall represents a secret chamber hidden from public view. A closed door was hid behind that, revealing even a greater level of secrecy.
9 And He said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here.
10 So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, pourtrayed upon the wall round about.
(KJV)
Upon the walls inside this secret chamber were portrayed pagan images of creeping things, beasts, and idols of the house of Israel. Once again, this is involving the leaders over the ten scattered tribes of Israel also, along with leaders of Judah.
11 And there stood before them seventy men of the ancients of the house of Israel, and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, with every man his censer in his hand; and a thick cloud of incense went up.
The elders of the house of Israel (ten tribes), and we're given two specific names, Jaazaniah and Shaphan. God often does this because we're to note the meaning of names involving a prophetic vision, it usually includes a lesson. Shapan means 'rock-rabbit', from a Hebrew root word that means 'to conceal'. Fits this situation pretty well, doesn't it? Ezekiel being told by God to dig through a hole in the wall and to fina door to this secret chamber. The name Jaazaniah means 'Yah hears'. In other words, God sees and hears the abominations these are doing inside that secret chamber.
12 Then said He unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, "The LORD seeth us not; the LORD hath forsaken the earth."
That cements the idea that these elders were doing these things in secret, thinking God can't see what they do. Do you think this kind of thing is going on today, in hidden secret chambers away from the public eye? I assure you, it is, and Ezekiel's vision here is about it.
13 He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do.
14 Then He brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD's house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.
Tammuz was a Phoenician pagan god. Here women sat in that secret chamber, weeping for the false god Tammuz. All this is inside a chamber in the temple Ezekiel was shown.
15 Then said He unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these.
16 And He brought me into the inner court of the LORD's house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east.
Now Ezekiel is shown 25 of Israel's men with their backs towards the temple, pointing to the east, worshipping the sun. Sun worship, another pagan practice of old.
17 Then He said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke Me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose.
18 Therefore will I also deal in fury: Mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in Mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them.
(KJV)
Now God includes the "house of Judah" along with the "house of Israel" in this abomination of idol worship at Jerusalem's temple. Notice God said they "returned to provoke" Him to anger with this working. That's about Judah's return to the holy lands after the 69 A.D. destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans. And this false pagan worship involves a temple at Jerusalem. The vision is for our days, the last days.
Rev 13:11-17
11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
(KJV)
That event is yet to happen upon this earth. That "image of the beast" follows the OT pattern in the Book of Daniel, when the false prophets sought to trap Daniel and his fellows for bowing in worship to The One True GOD. They went to the king of Babylon (Nebuchadnezzar) and suggested he make an idol image of gold, and decree all to bow in worship to it at the sound of the psalter. Then they went around looking to see if Daniel and his fellows would bow to it, or still hold prayer to our Heavenly Father. When Daniel and his brethren were caught not bowing to that idol image, they were taken before the king of Babylon and sentenced to death.
Christ's disciples were upon the Mount of Olives with Him, overlooking the temple buildings standing in Jerusalem at that time, and our Lord Jesus warned of the coming "abomination of desolation" from the Book of Daniel (Matt.24; Mark 13). He said when you see the desolation stand in the "holy place" (hagios topos), and "standing where it ought not", then let those in Judea flee to the mountains (Matt.24:15; Mark 13:14).
That "abomination of desolation" event did not happen with the Romans destruction of the sanctuary and city back in 69 A.D. Per the Jewish historian Josephus, the Romans had intended to sieze the Jerusalem temple, but it caught fire while they attempted to take it, and it was destroyed. The Romans never got access to the "holy place" which per the OT means inside the Israelite temple at Jerusalem.
In 165-170 B.C., one Antiochus Epiphanes conquered Jerusalem with an army, went inside the 2nd temple and desolated it, then setup an idol inside the temple and decreed all to bow in worship to it. Problem with the timing of that though, is that already was history when our Lord Jesus warned about the "abomination of desolation" from Daniel per Matt.24 and Mark 13. So Antiochus was not who our Lord Jesus was talking about. But we're to note that pattern for the "abomination of desolation" which Antiochus did, setting up an idol abomination inside the 2nd temple prior to Christ's first coming.
Apparently, not many brethren realize there's yet another... Biblical pattern for the "abomination of desolation" idol standing in the "holy place", and it's for the end of this world just prior to Christ's return. God showed it to Ezekiel by vision... it's in Ezekiel 8.
(Continued...)
Ezek 8:1 And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in mine house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell there upon me.
2 Then I beheld, and lo a likeness as the appearance of fire: from the appearance of his loins even downward, fire; and from his loins even upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber.
3 And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy.
God placed Ezekiel in The Spirit and gave him a vision of Jerusalem, at the inner gate of the temple, from there an "image of jealousy" upon a "seat" could be seen towards the north. And it provoketh God to jealousy. It's about an IDOL image, something worshipped instead of God, and it makes Him very jealous, because there is no other God but Him. Is this the kind of thing our Lord Jesus warned about with the "abomination of desolation" standing in the holy place, where it ought not? Yes! The idea of an abomination to God is about idol worship of anything else instead of worshipping Him.
4 And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision that I saw in the plain.
5 Then said he unto me, Son of man, lift up thine eyes now the way toward the north. So I lifted up mine eyes the way toward the north, and behold northward at the gate of the altar this image of jealousy in the entry.
Ezekiel looks up and sees this "image of jealousy" northward at the gate of the altar in the entry.
6 He said furthermore unto me, Son of man, seest thou what they do? even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here, that I should go far off from My sanctuary? but turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations.
Note God specifically mentions the "house of Israel" with this, even though at the first Ezekiel was present among the eleders of Judah. The "house of Israel" was put only for the ten tribes at this point in history. So this prophecy involves both the elders of Judah, and the ten lost tribes which are scattered among the Gentiles to this day. What it shows is a world-wide participation in this abomination event at Jerusalem, involving a rebuilt temple there. God tells Ezekiel to look further, and he'll see even greater abominations inside this temple.
7 And He brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold a hole in the wall.
8 Then said He unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had digged in the wall, behold a door.
A hole in the wall represents a secret chamber hidden from public view. A closed door was hid behind that, revealing even a greater level of secrecy.
9 And He said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here.
10 So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, pourtrayed upon the wall round about.
(KJV)
Upon the walls inside this secret chamber were portrayed pagan images of creeping things, beasts, and idols of the house of Israel. Once again, this is involving the leaders over the ten scattered tribes of Israel also, along with leaders of Judah.
11 And there stood before them seventy men of the ancients of the house of Israel, and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, with every man his censer in his hand; and a thick cloud of incense went up.
The elders of the house of Israel (ten tribes), and we're given two specific names, Jaazaniah and Shaphan. God often does this because we're to note the meaning of names involving a prophetic vision, it usually includes a lesson. Shapan means 'rock-rabbit', from a Hebrew root word that means 'to conceal'. Fits this situation pretty well, doesn't it? Ezekiel being told by God to dig through a hole in the wall and to fina door to this secret chamber. The name Jaazaniah means 'Yah hears'. In other words, God sees and hears the abominations these are doing inside that secret chamber.
12 Then said He unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, "The LORD seeth us not; the LORD hath forsaken the earth."
That cements the idea that these elders were doing these things in secret, thinking God can't see what they do. Do you think this kind of thing is going on today, in hidden secret chambers away from the public eye? I assure you, it is, and Ezekiel's vision here is about it.
13 He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do.
14 Then He brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD's house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.
Tammuz was a Phoenician pagan god. Here women sat in that secret chamber, weeping for the false god Tammuz. All this is inside a chamber in the temple Ezekiel was shown.
15 Then said He unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these.
16 And He brought me into the inner court of the LORD's house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east.
Now Ezekiel is shown 25 of Israel's men with their backs towards the temple, pointing to the east, worshipping the sun. Sun worship, another pagan practice of old.
17 Then He said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke Me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose.
18 Therefore will I also deal in fury: Mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in Mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them.
(KJV)
Now God includes the "house of Judah" along with the "house of Israel" in this abomination of idol worship at Jerusalem's temple. Notice God said they "returned to provoke" Him to anger with this working. That's about Judah's return to the holy lands after the 69 A.D. destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans. And this false pagan worship involves a temple at Jerusalem. The vision is for our days, the last days.
