MATTHEW 24:15-28
The words of Christ should be carefully noted: “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by
Daniel the prophet....” (Mt.24:15). Christ was about to explain in more detail what Daniel had prophesied. Thus Christ ex-
plained that the first half of Daniel’s week would consist of signs which were “the beginning of sorrows” (Mt.24:8; cp.
Mt.24:5-14), and the last half of Daniel’s week would consist of unparalleled trials of “great tribulations.” The second half of
the week would be launched by “the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place” (Mt. 24:15, 21).
3. A third matter that needs to be looked at is the time frame of the end time (the seventieth week) as predicted by
Christ and Daniel.
Scripture does refer to the length in these words (see notes—Rev.11:2; 12:6).
“Time, times, and half a time” (Dan.7:25; 12:7).
“1260 days” (Rev.12:6).
“42 months” (Rev.11:2; 13:5-6).
Based upon the days and months given in the Book of Revelation, if Daniel’s time equals one year, then his words, “Time
[1 year], times [2 years], and half a time [1/2 year]” are equal to 3 1/2 years. Daniel stated that the abomination of desolation
shall be executed “in the midst of the week,” that is, after three and one-half years. It is assumed that Christ’s words “the
beginning of sorrows” (that is, the first half of the week) are also three and one-half years. Thus in combining the two
periods of time (3 1/2 years each), the length of the last days or end time is said to be a literal seven years. Based upon the
words of Revelation the prophecy of Christ can be charted as follows.
THE END OF THE WORLD
Seeing the Sign of the
Abomination of Desolation Seeing the
In the Middle of the Time or Years Son of Man Coming
(v.15) (v.29-30)
3 1/2 years 3 1/2 years
Signs which are Unparalleled trials of “His angels...gather
“The beginning of “the great tribulation together His elect”
sorrows” (v.8) (v.21) (v.31)
However, it should be noted that many Biblical scholars say that the words “times” in Daniel and “days” and “months” in Reve-
lation are often used to refer to blocks of time, that is, to longer periods or indefinite periods of time.
4. A fourth matter that needs to be looked at is this: What or who is meant by “the abomination of desolation”? As has
already been discussed, many excellent commentators hold that the prophecy refers to the destruction of Jerusalem under
both Antiochus Epiphenes (170 B.C.) and under Titus (70 A.D.). There is strong historical evidence, as well as the fact that
Christ was answering a specific question of the disciples (Mt. 24:3), to support a past fulfillment of the prophecy. But, what
about the future fulfillment? What or who is meant by “the abomination of desolation” at the end of the world?
a. Some indication is perhaps given by the phrase itself. In the Old Testament the word abomination is
connected with idolatry or sacrilege. Of desolation means the same as causes desolation. In this case, it is the
abomination that causes desolation. That is, the abomination acts upon the Holy Place and personally
causes the desolation. This, of course, points toward a person’s fulfilling the prophecy in the future just as
there were two literal persons who fulfilled it in the past, Antiochus and Titus.
b. Mark 13:14 actually uses the masculine participle which indicates strongly that the abomination of
desolation is a person.
c. Daniel 9:27 speaks of a prince who causes the desolation. Leupold, the great Lutheran theologian,
translates the prince as the destroyer. (Leupold. Exposition of Daniel, p.433. Because of his extraordinary
scholarship and simplicity of writing, Leupold should be referred to in studying Daniel.)
d. Second Thessalonians and Revelation identify an antichrist who is to arise in the last days and cause
unparalleled havoc upon the world and God’s people.
“That man of sin [shall] be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth
himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the
temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with
you, I told you these things?” (2 Th.2:3-5).
2
(24:16-20) Antichrist—Abomination of Desolation: there is the warning to flee “the abomination of desolation”—
immediately. No believer will be able to stand up against the abomination, not even the strongest. The imminent danger
and urgency is stressed by Christ in four statements.
1. A person is to forget all comfort of home: pictured by arising from his roof and immediately fleeing (see DEEPER
STUDY #2—Mt.24:17).
2. A person is to forget all personal possessions: pictured by not returning from his work to get his clothes (or possessions).
3. A person is to grieve for those who cannot flee rapidly: pictured by pregnant women who are responsible for small children.
4. A person is to pray for good conditions in fleeing: pictured by both winter and the sabbath day. The sabbath day
represented certain religious rules that would forbid fleeing (travel) for the religiously strong.
15
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53