Abomination of Desolation

Important Context

A Jewish year is done through Lunar cycles, not Solar. There are 12 months of exactly 30 days in every month, totaling to 360 days per year. We need to be careful not to modernize and lose sight of these things.

The current Jewish year is: 5,784 (according to Tradition) for the amount of 360 day cycles that have passed since the Creation of the World by God.

A “day” is from evening to evening. Once daylight ends (I don’t believe they use time for this), the current “day” is over…this follows the “there was evening and there was morning, the {x} day.”

Genesis 1—

Legacy Standard Bible CHAPTER 1

there was evening and there was morning, one day.

You wouldn’t think so, but this is actually incredibly important for understanding the timing and phrasing of the Gospels relating to events on the calendar. Jesus was technically crucified on Good Friday and died before sundown, so He was quite literally (according to Jewish custom) dead for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

The first day of the week is also Sunday, not Monday. In our culture we judge things based on the work-week, but that is not how it was in Jewish culture. The Sabbath is a recapitulation of God’s Creation, so the day of rest is the END of the week, staying in sync with the Genesis narrative style. Sunday is the “first day” of the week because of that.

Word and Passage Study

Refer: Matthew 24:15

Matthew 24:15 LSB

“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),

Parallel Passages:

Mark —

Mark 13:14 (LSB)

“But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it should not be (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains.

Luke —

Luke 21:20 (LSB)

“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is at hand.

The Greek word for abomination in the NT is:

Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Greek (New Testament) 1007 βδέλυγμα

βδέλυγμα

Passages in the OT Septuagint that use this word (click in for word study to show contextual usages):

The Lexham English Septuagint, Second Edition Chapter 11

31 Then forces from him will stand up and pollute the revered holy places, and they will take away the sacrifice, and they will set up an abomination that causes desolation.

START HERE — Daniel Passages (directly about Abomination of Desolation):

Daniel 8—Fulfilled by Ptolemy, Antigonus, Cassander, Selecus

The Lexham English Septuagint, Second Edition Chapter 8

13 And I was listening as another holy being was speaking, and another holy person said to the certain person who was speaking, “How long will the vision take place, and the sacrifice taken away, and the sinful rebellion to desolation that has caused a surrender, and the holy things be given over to desolation to be profaned?”

2300 days / 360 = ~6.5 years or about 77 months (2300 days / 30 days/month)

The primary figure of the small horn that rises up in blasphemy from the above 4 kings was Antiochus Epiphanes (referenced in the 1st Maccabees passage below). He usurped the throne of Selecus by coupling himself to the infant heir, whom he later had murdered. (“insolent and skilled in intrigue”)

Daniel 9—Fulfilled in Christ’s days (vv 24-26) — Potentially Darius’ Decree for Ezra/Nehemiah to rebuild Jerusalem starts the countdown to Jesus

The Lexham English Septuagint, Second Edition Chapter 9

27 And the covenant will be made strong for many, and it will recover again, and it will be built up in breadth and length. And at the end of the appointed times, and after seventy-seven times and sixty-two years during the set time of the consummation of war, then the desolation will be taken away when the covenant prevails for many weeks.

The interesting part is that there are 62 weeks until Christ is “cut off” from Darius’ decree until Christ’s death. But the everlasting righteousness doesn’t come until the 70 weeks are finished (v 24). Seventy being a sign of perfection and also a maximal toleration of sin yielding Judgment a play on the Year of Jubilee:

Zechariah 1:12 LSB

Then the angel of Yahweh answered and said, “O Yahweh of hosts, how long will You have no compassion for Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, with which You have been indignant these seventy years?”

Daniel 11—

The Lexham English Septuagint, Second Edition Chapter 11

31 Then forces from him will stand up and pollute the revered holy places, and they will take away the sacrifice, and they will set up an abomination that causes desolation.

Pauline use of what appears to be the Abomination of Desolation:

2 Thessalonians 2:3–4 LSB

Let no one in any way deceive you, for it has not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the sanctuary of God, exhibiting himself as being God.

Septuagint Maccabees Fulfillment Belief:

The Lexham English Septuagint, Second Edition Chapter 1

54 And on the fifteenth day of Chislev, on the forty-fifth year, they built an abomination of desolation on the altar, and in the cities around Judah, they built altars.

Temple Required (If we get here):

Why will there be another (3rd) temple built?

2nd Thessalonians—

2 Thessalonians 2:4 LSB

who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the sanctuary of God, exhibiting himself as being God.

The context for the above is the Man of Lawlessness who comes and brings about the tribulation.

Revelation — Church history says John was exiled in 95 but many believe that John leaving out any reference to the destruction of the temple indicates that it was before 70 (~65). If it was later, then this clearly indicates that a 3rd temple is required, but if it was earlier, who were the Two Witnesses?

Legacy Standard Bible CHAPTER 11

Then a ameasuring rod like a staff was given to me, saying, “Get up and measure the sanctuary of God and the altar, and those who worship in it.

The context is the Two Witnesses who battle against the forces of the anti-christ in the end times during the great tribulation.

8 Daniel —

Legacy Standard Bible CHAPTER 8

“How long will the vision about the regular sacrifice apply, while the transgression causes desolation, so as to allow both the holy place and the host to be trampled?”

How can the holy place (which is specifically about sacrifices in this context) be desolate if there is no temple?