"WHAT IS THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION?" MATTHEW 24:15-16

INTRODUCTION

John MacArthur accurately states the perspective of humanity and their desire for a world in which things will remain stable and relatively easy. He states, “People have a natural longing for a better day, a time of peace and harmony among nations, of greater economic stability, and of decreased crime, disease, and discord.”

Would that not be a wonderful world? However, that is not the world that we have inherited. There is a day coming for Jesus people when all of things will become a reality. However, before that can happen, with the rare exception of a few better days, the world is regulated to times of increasingly worse times. The apex of that “tribulation” will be the Great Tribulation, a time on earth that will be more chaotic and tumultuous than anything that has ever been before.

The temple, wehich to the disciples seems so prominent and permanent will be thrown into the trashcan of the temporary in less than four decades. Jesus’ statement sparks the disciples to ask the question, “when?” They wanted to know when this was going to happen. What will be the signs of this? What should we be looking for? As they ask the questions, Jesus is going to show them what is going to happen in the near future, the mid future, and the further out future.

Here is where the problem comes in. There are more opinions contrary to one another n Matthew 24-25. There are great differences with many believing that these chapters have very little or nothing at all today with the Great Tribulation. On the other extreme, there are those who believe every jot and every tittle is about the Great Tribulation. Others like myself self the continuity and unity of Scripture in relation to Jesus operating as a prophet here as He brings an apolcalyptic warning not only about what will happen in the disciples’ lifetime but a further out not yet to be fulfilled. This should not be seen as something stranbe because it is all over the prophetic pages of the Old Testament-close, near, and far.

Today we seek to answer the question: What is the abomination of desolation. There are three observations to consider in relation to this question.

IT WAS A WARNING FROM THE PAST (DANIEL 9:27; 11:31; 12:11)

The abomination of desolation was a pagan sacrifice that was put upon the altar of incense inside the temple. This took place in the second century B.C. The pagan instigator in this was Antiochus Epiphanes, one of the Selucid rulers. The Selucids were a Greek empire, that succeeded Alexander the Great. Having heard of a rebellion against his rule, Antiochus quickly came to squash it.

A priest by the name of Jason led the recovery of the temple and also led the rebellion against Antichus Epiphanes. This was a great insult to this Hellenistric ruler, so he decreed that not only must military control over Jerusalem and the other areas be reagained, but he had determined that the Jewish people must be humiliated. Once Jerusalem was reconquered, he had the Jewish altar removed and a pagan altar put in its place. This became known to the Jewish people as the “abomination of desolation.”

IT WAS A WARNING TO THE PRESENT (MATTHEW 24:15-16)

Jesus is speaking to a small band of followers and is warning them and exhorting them to understand the natural flow of history. The words of Jesus here are quite complex and are not easy for our Gentile minds to grasp. In these two verses and the larger context we will observe next week, history is flowing both forward and backward. Yes, Jesus is pointing them to an ultimate end. However, before the ultimate end, there will be events experienced in closer proximity that must first be fulilled.

Jesus is speaking first of all about the “abomination of desolation.” Of course, this brings up the obvious question: What is the “abomination of desolation?” We have already observed how this phrase was initiated in the book of Daniel in chapters nine, eleven, and twelve. Here Jesus is talking about the future, but his first reference here is to the past. He is talking about what the prophet Daniel had forseen. That is why Matthew inserts the phrase at the end of verse 15, “let the reader understand.” Jesus is reminding them of that event and the ultimate destruction that it meant for Israel. He is directing their attention to a relatively close future event that will mean destruction for Israel.

Why does Jesus reference back to the past in the present? It is because the past points to the future. Jesus says, “Remember what happened in the past. it is going to happen again.” It is true that the past will repeat itself. Instead of Antiochus Epiphanes it will be Titus and the Romans who will come and conquer Jerusalem. In a willful act of revenge for their revolt, which began in A.D. 66, the Romans will come and totally destroy Jerusalem (not one stone left upon another).

What happens when that happens? When that happens, those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains (16). This is a very clear warning for the disciples to leave Jerusalem when that happens.

IT IS A WARNING DIRECTED TO THE FUTURE (REVELATION 13:5-8, 14-15)

The nation of Israel has endured many times of great suffering and persecution throughout their history. To date nothing has been worse than the complete destruction of the temple and the city of Jerusalem. It is truly the abominationi of desolation. However, this will not be the last abomination of desolation that will be directed toward Israel. There is a day coming when A.D. 70 will look like a Sunday School picnic in comparison. This abomination will focus on Israel but will be worldwide in scope.

The Greek word for abomination (bdelgma) refers to an object that is disgusting, vile, and repulsive. When used in Scripture, it is connected with idolatry and ungodliness. The Hebrew term relates to the physical objects associated with with the vile and wicked behavior of pagan religions. [read Revelation verses]

The phrase “the abomination of desolation” can be literally translated, “the abomination which makes desolate.” In other words, “the abomination causes the desolation.”

In the book of Revelation the term is used to represent the immorality and spiritual filthiness of the false religious system of the false prophet known as “Babylon the great, the mother of harlots (17:45).

This abomination of desolation will not involve Antiochus Epiphanes or Titus and the Roman army. This abomination that causes desolation will be the apex of evil. This one is the “beast” also referred to as the antichrist. He will be involved in three abominable activites that will lead the world into desolation.

First, the antichrist will seek to attack the Savior (Revl 13:5-6).

This attack is three-fold. He will attack the person of the Savior. He will attack the name of Jesus. The name of Jesus represents all that He is. It is the summation of all of His attributes. Therefore, this attack will be against Christ’s holiness, lovingkindness, power, knowledge, omnipresence, omnipotence, and more.

He will also attack the place of God. He will attack the abode of God. He will seek to attack heaven itself. He once tried attacking heaven from heaven and was summarily thrown out of heaven. He will one day attempt to attack heaven from earth. Unfortunately for him, there will be the day when he will be thrown down from earth and bound in hell.

He will further attempt to attack God’s people as is seen in the phrase, “those who dwell in heaven.” These include the saved on earth as well as the redeemed of heaven.

2. Second, the antichrist will strategize destruction upon the saints (Rev. 13:7-8).

He will declare war against those believing in God’s Word (7).

It should come as no surprise tht no only is a there a war coming against the people God, it is already here. Yet, this attack against God’s people will continue to intensify and the persecution of the saints will become more severe. Daniel 7:25 informs us, “He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, ...”

He will deceive the people of the world (8).

The phrase, “all those who live on the earth” is a reference to those committed and surrendered to the idealogies and agendas of this world. It is a phrase describing lost humanity who will be deceived by Satan. The Apostle Paul affirms this truth when he states in 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 “For this reason God sends them a strong delusion so that they will believe the lie, so that all will be condemned—those who did not believe the truth but delighted in unrighteousness.” [read Revelation 13:14-15

Revelation 13:14–15 CSB

It deceives those who live on the earth because of the signs that it is permitted to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who live on the earth to make an image of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. It was permitted to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast could both speak and cause whoever would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.

CONCLUSION

The day was June 16, 1775. It was the time of the Revolutionary War as America was in the fight for her independence and survival. Samuel Langdon, president of Harvard College, led twelve hundred Patriot troops in deseprate prayer for God’s mercy before the Battle of Bunker Hill. He prayed that no matter the outcome that the American troops and people would be a holy people. He prayed that their towns and cities would a place of righteousness.

After concluding the prayer, the Patriot soldiers moved into position as the British tropes drew near. The battle was engaged and on it raged. Soon the Patriots gainedf the upper hand and defeated the British army.

We are living at some point in the last days. Jesus is going to return in His own sovereign time. The point of the text today is to remind us that God is holy and He will punish unholiness through divine judgment. We need to understand that the connectiveness of Scripture concerning the “abomination of desolation” demonstrates an intensity of the thunders of that coming judgment. God is going to cleanse this earth of man’s disobedience, deception, and wickedness. He has done it before. The difference we need to understand is this will be a true worldwide and final judgment on the author of evil, Satan, and all who follow Him.

We have covered a lot of ground this morning. Yet, the truth is that I have barely scratched the surface. There has not been time to talk about the many references to the Great Tribulation or Daniel’s seventy weeks and how all of that connects to what is one day coming. That will have to wait for another time.

The most important thing for us to understand today is that each one of us must be prepared in our heart of hearts for the future. This can only be accomplished through genuine faith in Jesus Christ. The things that have been stated from God’s Word today should cause us to be more intentionally focused on our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, who Himself is God. These things should also cause us to focus with increased determination the prioties for the days in which we live. What are you doing with your time and abilites that God has given you? Are you investing yourself in the kingdom in these days for God’s glory? I hope you are not wasting these days of sinful and selfish pursuits. Invest them in the lives of other people for the sake of Jesus Christ.