The Abomination of Desolation -

15 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:)

16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:

17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:

18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.

19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!

20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:

The Character of the Antichrist - Daniel 11:36-39

Daniel 11:36–39 KJV 1900

36 And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. 37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. 38 But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. 39 Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.

We find several characteristics of the Antichrist in these few verses.

1. He will do as he wills. He will be an absolute dictator answerable to no one.

2. He will magnify himself above all other gods.

3. He will blaspheme the name of God.

4. He will not regard tradition.

5. He will not regard family or women.

a. Some think that this refers to the fact that Antichrist is a homosexual.

b. Others think that he is just preoccupied so much with war that he has no desire for a home or family.

c. Still others think that this is a reference to his hatred of Christ, which is metaphorically spoken of as “the desire of women,” which means that it was the desire of every Jewish woman to be the mother of the Messiah.

6. He will not regard any other god.

7. He will honor a god of his own making, the god of forces.

Matthew 24:15 (KJV 1900)

15 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:)

1). The abomination of desolation refers to the desecration of the temple by Antichrist.

2). Daniel prophesied this in Daniel 9:27.

Daniel 9:24–27 (KJV 1900)

24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

27 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.

The Backbone of Biblical Prophecy - Daniel 9:24-27

I. The Importance of This Prophecy

A. Gives a panoramic view of the whole of Biblical prophecy.

B. Concerns both the first and second advents of Christ.

C. Gives an end point of the times of the Gentiles.

II. The Interpretation of This Prophecy

A. Its Sevens

1. The term “weeks” is the Hebrew word for “sevens”.

2. The “sevens” must be determined from the context, is it seven days, months, years, decades, or what?

3. By comparing Scripture, we find that “weeks” refer to units of seven years.

a. In Daniel 7:25

Daniel 7:25 KJV 1900

25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

we read of a time, times, and the dividing of time which translates to 3-1/2. In this verse it is a period of 3-1/2 of something.

b. In Daniel 12:7

Daniel 12:7 (KJV 1900)

7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.

we read of a period of 1,260 days during which the Antichrist will scatter the people of God. That is 3-1/2 years of 360 days each (the prophetic year).

c. In Revelation 11:2

Revelation 11:2 (KJV 1900)

2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

we read that the temple will be trodden down

42 months, or 3-1/2 years.

d. Thus we conclude that “week” must refer to years, since according to Daniel 9:27 Antichrist abominates the temple in the midst of the “week”, a period of seven years, 1,260 days, a time, times, and half a time, or 42 months.

B. Its Scope

Daniel 9:24 (KJV 1900)

1. To finish the transgression.

• Literally means “to restrain firmly the transgression.”

• Sin will one day be fully and ultimately restrained.

2. To make an end of sins.

• Means to finally deal with sin, both individually and generally.

3. To make reconciliation for iniquity.

• “Reconciliation” is the Hebrew word kephar, which means to atone or cover.

• This refers to Christ’s atoning work on the cross.

4. To bring in everlasting righteousness.

• Refers to the eternal state.

5. To seal up the vision and prophecy.

• Indicates the cessation of visions and prophecies in the Millennial Kingdom and the eternal state.

6. To anoint the most Holy

• Refers to the establishment of the eternal temple.

C. Its Start

Daniel 9:25 (KJV 1900)

1. The rebuilding of Jerusalem

2. Three possible starting points

a. The decree of Cyrus in 536 B.C. - Ezra 1:1-4

Ezra 1:1–4 KJV 1900

1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, 2 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3 Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem. 4 And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.

• This decree only referred to the rebuilding of the Temple, not the city walls.

b. The decree of Artaxerxes in 458 B.C. - Ezra 7:11-26

Ezra 7:11–26 KJV 1900

11 Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the Lord, and of his statutes to Israel. 12 Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time. 13 I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee. 14 Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellers, to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand; 15 And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellers have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem, 16 And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem: 17 That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem. 18 And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God. 19 The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem. 20 And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king’s treasure house. 21 And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily, 22 Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much. 23 Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons? 24 Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them. 25 And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know them not. 26 And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.

• Again, this decree did not refer to the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem.

c. The second decree of Artaxerxes in 445 B.C. - Nehemiah 2:1 .

Nehemiah 2:1 KJV 1900

1 And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence.

• This is the most likely candidate.

• Exactly 483 years from this date, on the April 6, A.D. 32, Christ rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey to present himself as King.

• Details of the calculations can be found in Sir Robert Anderson’s book, The Coming Prince.

D. Its Suspension

Daniel 9:26 (KJV 1900)

1. An implied break between the first 69 weeks and the seventieth.

• Implied in the phrase, “the Messiah shall be cut off.”

• Implied in the destruction of Jerusalem.

2. At the end of 69 weeks, Jerusalem will be destroyed.

• This was actually accomplished in A.D. 70 by the Romans.

• Hints that the Antichrist will come out of the people represented by the Roman Empire.

E. Its Settlement

Daniel 9:27 (KJV 1900)

1. The confirmation of the treaty

a. Antichrist will make a treaty with Israel to insure the peace for a period of seven years.

b. Israel will feel secure in this peace - Ezekiel 38.

c. This is the event that officially begins the Tribulation.

2. The cessation of the sacrifice

• In the middle of the seven years, Antichrist will desecrate thetemple and set himself up to be worshipped - 2 Thessalonians 2:4, Revelation 13:4-15.

• This is the abomination of desolation mentioned in Matt. 24:15.

3. The consummation of the desolation

• In the end, Antichrist will lose and no one will come to his aid - Daniel 7:26 .

Daniel 7:26 KJV 1900

26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.

3). Paul pictures this in 2 Thessalonians 2:4 .

2 Thessalonians 2:4 KJV 1900

4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

4). This refers to the event that marks the midpoint of the tribulation when the Antichrist desecrates the temple, breaks his treaty with Israel, and sets himself up as God to be worshiped.

5). Immediately after this event, Christ warns those alive at the time to flee into the wilderness where they will be protected for 3 1/2 years. (Revelation 12:13-17)

Revelation 12:13–17 (KJV 1900)

13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.

14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.

16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.

17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

6). The last half of the tribulation, also known as the “great tribulation”, is a time of God’s judgment on men as well as Satan’s last attempt at world dominion. Matt. 24:21 is used to give this period its name.

7). Note that this event also marks the time that Satan is cast out of heaven. (compare this passage with Revelation 12:13-17.)

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