"When you see ‘the abomination that causes desolation standing where it does not belong-let the reader understand." v.14

"the abomination that causes desolation"

"Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day (second coming) will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God." 2 Th 2:3-4

"He (the false prophet) ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast (antichrist) who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed." Rev 13:14-15

The person of the Antichrist

"a stern-faced king, a master of intrigue, will arise." Da 8:23

"In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a stern-faced king, a master of intrigue, will arise. He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy the mighty men and the holy people. He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power." Dan 8:23-25

"The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gos." Da 11:36

In Daniel 7, he is called the little horn that comes up and subdues three of the ten kings that are prominent in that day.

In the book of Revelation he is called "the beast" (11:7)

Paul calls him "the man of lawlessness." 2 Th 2:3-4

The existence of the end times temple "where it does not belong" v.14

In AD 70 the temple was completely destroyed. There has never been a temple in Jerusalem since that day.

Scripture

"So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel-let the reader understand" Mt 24:15

"He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven.' In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.”" Dan 9:27

"Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God." 2 Th 2:3-4

There is currently a group of orthodox Jews working to train the priests. You need 28,000 priests to operate the next temple. They have their priestly garments and all the implements necessary. They recently took 100 lbs of pure gold and made a replica the Menorah that stood in the holy place in Jesus' time. They have even made the harps that the Levities would play.

"then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 15 Let no one on the roof of his house go down or enter the house to take anything out. 16 Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak. 17 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 18 Pray that this will not take place in winter." v.14b-18

The "desolation of abomination" is to be a signal to the Jewish people to vacate Jerusalem because horrible persecution is about to be carried out on them by the antichrist.

"The stern-faced king. . . He will destroy the mighty men and the holy people"

Da 8:23

Pregnant. Representative of anyone forced to flee under especially difficult circumstances. Winter, the time when heavy rains cause streams to become swollen and impossible to cross, preventing many from reaching a place of refuge.

"because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now-and never to be equaled again. If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive." v.19-20

The last half of the tribulation is called, "The Great Tribulation"

It is called the "Time of Jacob's Trouble."

"How awful that day will be! None will be like it. It will be a time of trouble for Jacob, but he will be saved out of it." Jer 30:7

The wrath of God is poured out

"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”" Jn 3:36

"That day will be a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness, a day of trumpet and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the corner towers. I will bring distress on the people and they will walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their entrails like filth. Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of the Lord’s wrath. In the fire of his jealousy the whole world will be consumed, for he will make a sudden end of all who live in the earth."

Zep 1:15-18

"Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until his wrath has passed by. See, the Lord is coming out of his dwelling to punish the people of the earth for their sins."

Is 26:20-21

"Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go, pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth." Rev 16:1

"The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take place." Dan 11:36

"Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?"

Rev 6:15-17

The church is absent

A promise

"Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth." Re 3:10

"Wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead-Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath." 1 Th 1:10

"For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Th 5:9

The rapture

"After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this."

Rev 4:1

1 Thess 4:13-5:9

In book of Revelation, the Church is absent from the earth after this.

"If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them." v.20

"Cut short those days" v.20a and "he has shortened them" v.20b

He has limited the days of destruction because there must be survivors to occupy the Millennial Kingdom that will be set up at his second coming.

The "elect" are the genuine believers

"But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen" v.20.

"perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect-if that were possible." v.22

"And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds."

Mk 13:27

"When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed." Ac 13:48

The elect refers to the authentic believers in order to suggest the firm hand God will have on them as they struggle with the hard task of persevering in the faith.

21 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. 22 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect-if that were possible. 23 So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time." v.20-23

Powerful and persuasive miracles

New Testament example: "Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is the divine power known as the Great Power.” They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic." Ac 8:9-11

"The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved." 2 Th 2:8-10

"And he performed great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men. Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth." Rev 13:13-14

Source of this power: "Then I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon (Satan), out of the mouth of the beast (antichrist) and out of the mouth of the false prophet. They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty."

Rev 16:13-14

"to deceive the elect-if that were possible" v.22

Biblical guidelines to protect true believers

" If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a miraculous sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place, and he says, “Let us follow other gods” (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul."

Deut 13:1-3

They have been forewarned and should be able to respond properly. v.23

The clause "if that were possible" shows that the delusion will not succeed.

That God will take steps to see that they are not deceived.