Abomination of Desolation

Exploring Prophetic Mysteries

With Daniel Speck 8.6.10

The Abomination of Desolation

The Abomination of Desolation describes the prophecy of the takeover of the Temple in Jerusalem by the Beast, who will seat himself there and display himself as God. Jews living in Judea are specifically warned to flee immediately to the mountains when this occurs. This will lead to a three and a half year period of time known as the Great Tribulation when violence, plagues, and cosmic disasters will devastate the entire planet. A world government will prevail under the dictatorship of the Beast and the False Prophet, who will compel every person to wear a mark on their forehead or hand, and require all to bow down to an image of the Beast under the threat of execution.

“Therefore when you see the Abomination of Desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things out that are in his house. Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. But Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! But pray that your flight may not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath. For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until no, nor ever will be. Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. Matthew 24: 15-22

Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. II Thessalonians 2:3-4

He will speak out against the Most High, and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. Daniel 7:25

And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week, he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate. Daniel 9:27

Forces with him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation. Daniel 11:31

From the time the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. How blessed is he who keeps waiting and attains to the 1,335 days! Daniel 12:11-12

Satan rules the world through the Beast

The Abomination of Desolation is the defining event of the Tribulation period and marks the date when Satan, embodied in the Antichrist, will declare himself God in the Jerusalem temple to be worshipped by all the world.

But you said in your heart, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of assembly...” Isaiah 14:13

Therefore I have cast you as profane from the mountain of God, And I have destroyed you, O covering cherub. Ezekiel 28:16

The overpowering delusion

The hatred of the world for Christ and His people will usher in the time of the complete rule of Satan over all government and authority in the world. The delusion will be complete. All those who have rejected Christ will find themselves forced to take the Mark of the Beast and bow down to the image of the Beast.

For this reason God will send among them deluding influence so that they will believe what is false. II Thessalonians 2:11

The Abomination of Desolation sets in motion the invasion of Israel and the Great Tribulation

1. The Antichrist takes over Israel

2. He stops the Temple sacrifices

3. He seats himself in the Temple and declares himself God

4. Those in Judea are to flee to the mountains of southern Jordan

5. The Beast and his allies go on a rampage against the Jews and only 1/3 of Israelis survive

6. With the False Prophet, the Beast institutes the Mark of the Beast and the worship of his image

7. The Great Tribulation comes into full force as the “Time of Jacob’s Troubles”

The Abomination of Desolation requires a Jerusalem Temple

One of the strongest evidences that another Jerusalem Temple will be built is the fact that the Abomination of Desolation cannot take place unless there is another Temple in Jerusalem. Exactly when and how this will take place is still a mystery, but it may have to occur before Daniel’s last week begins. With the current political realities of the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aqsa Mosque occupying the Temple Mont, this will take some type of radical change in the power structures of the Middle East to accomplish. Perhaps another war will clear the way for a temple to be rebuilt. The Antichrist himself will likely play a role in the rebuilding of a temple in Jerusalem, perhaps as a peace broker between Israel and the Muslim nations. The seven year “covenant” may include a plan to rebuild the Temple.

He will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate... Daniel 9:27

Summary

The Abomination of Desolation occurs in the middle of the seven year Tribulation as the Antichrist seats himself in the Temple of Jerusalem and declares himself God. This is followed immediately by an attack on the Jews of Judea, ushering in the Great Tribulation, a time of unprecedented violence, plagues, cosmic disasters and persecution of Christians and Jews. The Beast and False Prophet institute the Mark of the Beast and the forced worship of the image of the Beast. While the surviving Jews flee to the mountains of southern Jordan, Christians come under the full rage and violence of the Beast and his world government. Only the coming of Christ will bring an end to this reign of terror. The Abomination of Desolation requires that a Jerusalem Temple be built in the Last Days.