MATTHEW 24:15-28
are determined. 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 abomina-
tions he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured
upon the desolate” (Dan.9:24-27).
“And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take
away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate” (Dan. 11:31).
“And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that ma-
keth desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days” (Dan.12:11).
In Daniel 9:27, the term is Bdelugma ton eremoseon. The Hebrew says, “Upon the wing [or pinnacle] of abominations
[shall come] the desolater” or “upon wings as a desolater [shall come] abomination.”
In Daniel 11:31 the Hebrew says, “they shall put [place] the abomination that desolates.”
In Daniel 12:11 the Hebrew says, “and from the time the daily [sacrifice] shall be taken away, and the abomination that
makes desolate set up, [shall be]....”
Several matters need to be discussed about the “abomination of desolation” spoken of by Christ and Daniel.
1. When was Daniel’s prophecy fulfilled?
a. There was a past fulfillment; that is, there was a fulfillment before the time of Christ about 170 B.C. This is
clear. Antiochus Epiphanes, the king of Syria, conquered Jerusalem and tried to force Grecian society upon
the Jews. He wanted the Jews to become full-fledged Greeks both in custom and religion. He knew that to
be successful he had to destroy the Jewish religion. He therefore did three of the most horrible things that
could ever be done in the mind of the Jewish people. He desecrated the temple (1) by taking the great altar
of the burnt offering and turning it into an altar for the Greek Olympian god Zeus, (2) by sacrificing swines’
flesh upon it, and (3) by setting up a trade of prostitution in the temple chambers (cp. 1 Maccabees 1:20-62;
cp. also Josephus, Ant. 12. 5:3-4; Wars. 1. 1:2).
b. Christ said there is a future fulfillment: “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of
by Daniel the prophet....” There are primarily four views of the future fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy.
g159 One view says there is no future fulfillment; all the signs were fulfilled in the destruction of Jeru-
salem in 70 A.D. by Titus.
g159 Others see Christ’s referring to the church age and to the trials which the church has to go through
before Christ returns.
g159 Still others view the prophecy as referring exclusively to the end time, having nothing to do with
the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.
g159 Others believe Christ is answering the very questions the disciples asked. He predicts both the de-
struction of Jerusalem and the end of the world.
In looking at what Christ was saying, it is best to let Him speak for Himself without adding to or taking away from His
words. An attempt to let Him speak for Himself has been made in the former notes (see all notes—Mt.24:1-25:46; DEEPER
STUDY #1,2—24:1-31; 24:1-14; 24:15-28). The conclusion of the notes is that the prophecy is fulfilled in both Jerusalem’s
destruction and the end of the world. The Lord is answering the disciples’ questions.
Christ was saying this: the same thing that happened under Antiochus Epiphanes will happen again to the Holy Place. In
fact, Christ was saying that the temple would be so destroyed that not one stone would be left upon another. This destruction
did happen: what Christ said took place in a most literal sense under Titus in 70 A.D. (See outline and notes—Mt. 24:1-14,
especially the notes that quote Josephus, the Jewish historian. Reading Josephus’ record of Jerusalem’s desolation reveals
just how terrible the temple, the city, and the people were devastated.)
However, as discussed in the former notes, Christ was not only answering the disciples’ question about when the destruc-
tion of Jerusalem would take place, He was also answering their question about His return and the end of the world. Daniel’s
prophecy and the Lord’s elaboration on Daniel’s prophecy are to have a double fulfillment. The signs that point toward one
who had sinned so terribly (Jerusalem) are much the same as the signs that point toward another who is guilty of terrible sin
(the world in the end time). The sin of Jerusalem was the most heinous sin that could be committed: the killing of God’s own
Son. And the sin of the world at the end of time will be just as terrible by following “the abomination of desolation.” There-
fore, the world will witness an increase, an intensification of the signs at the end of time. As a result, there will be great trial
such as the world has never seen (v.21). (Again, see the outline and notes—Mt. 24:1f.)
2. A second matter that needs to be discussed about “the abomination of desolation” is the division of time that Christ
and Daniel both seem to give. Christ says that the abomination of desolation launches the worst tribulation the world has ever
known (Mt. 24:15, 21). In His own words, the signs that occur up until the abomination of desolation are called “the begin-
ning of sorrows” (Mt. 24:8); and the trials that take place after the abomination of desolation are called “great tribulations,”
tribulations so great that they are unparalleled in history (Mt.24:21). Daniel also gives a division of time just as Christ does.
“And he [the prince] shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he
shall cause...the overspreading of abominations” (Dan.9:27).
“In the midst of the week” (Daniel’s seventieth week) definitely points to a period of time (one week) that is divided into
two parts. Now note these factors.
a. Daniel was dealing with the “seventieth week,” the end of his prophecy. Two facts tell us that Daniel was also
dealing with the end time just as Christ was: (1) the fact that Christ was dealing with the end of Jerusalem and
the end of the world and, (2) the fact that Christ said He was elaborating on Daniel’s prophecy.
b. Daniel said that what begins the second half of his seventieth week is “the abomination of desolation” or the
prince who causes “abominable idols” (H.C. Leupold. Exposition of Daniel. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker,
1969, p.434).
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