Olivet Discourse (Part 2) (3)

“ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION”

This is a fulfillment of Dan. 9 where the prophet declared, “And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”

But is mentioned 3x in Daniel. (9, 11:31, 12:11)

The immediate NT audience would have understood that one would come to desecrate the temple by worshipping false idols in there - where the presence of God was known to dwell.

In 167BC King of Syria (Antiochos Epiphanes) offered a pig to Zeus on the altar of the Holy of Holies

Josephus records that in 70 AD a Roman general Titus invaded Jerusalem to crush a Jewish revolt, entered the temple, had the building destroyed, and carried off the lampstand and other temple artifacts to Rome.

While thinking through what will happen in the Temple, we have to remember the question at hand, “what will be a sign that the Temple is about to fall?”

BIBLICAL NARCCISSIM

Jesus points out to his listeners the things listed above and then he tells them what to do when the temple in fact falls.

v.14 - “flee to the mountains.”

Immediately, stop what you are doing and go.

v.18 - “And pray it doesn’t happen in the winter,” because the weather is harsh in the mountains in the winter - especially for nursing mothers.

Here is what is amazing, he is telling Peter, James, John, and Andrew this and the word spreads - and the Jewish Xians were actually spared.

Titus desecrated the Temple and killed 1 million Israelites in Jerusalem).

Christian Jews fled to the mountains and most were saved from the Roman reign that only lasted a few years before they were able to return to Jerusalem.

Sinclair Ferguson - Points out that they were leaving their holy city, their holy temple, and allowing pagans to reign. But, they were not to think that their beloved city was greater than their calling to preach the gospel.

May we never forget this! We have a place not made with hands, we have a people that are closer than a brother, and we have a purpose that carries eternal weight.

Don’t be led astray to think that this place is your home...

v.19 - Is where we start to see that there is more here than meets the eye. There is an already, but not yet tone to Jesus’ teaching.

Yes, Jerusalem would fall, the Temple would be torn down, the disciples along with those in Judea should flee - that was going to happen, and we have seen that it did.

But, Jesus said, “For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be.”

The destruction Jesus foretold was horrible, but it was in no way the worst thing to happen since “the beginning of creation.”