The Abomination that Causes Desolation

His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation (Daniel 11:31 NIV).

There is something past and something future in this verse. Therefore it is important.

The person referred to here is Antiochus Ephiphanes, who caused great trouble for Jews. This prophecy made by Daniel was fulfilled in later days.

But Jesus specifically referred to “the abomination that causes desolation” (Matthew 24:15) as something yet to happen. That means that what happened in the past is symbolic of what is yet to come.

Now what happened in the past was that this man set up something like an idol within the Jewish temple and thus defiled the holy place. He also abolished the daily sacrifice which God had ordained to be observed by the Jews. The purpose was to prevent people from worshiping God and instead make them worship idols.

Jesus was pointing out that this kind of a thing will happen again in the future. For this to happen a Jewish temple has to be built again. And the Antichrist has to make his appearance. He will be the one who will defile and desecrate the Jewish temple once again.

How he is going to do it is not the most important point. But the important thing to note is that Jesus quoted Daniel and said that it will happen. Thus Jesus was saying that these prophecies would come to pass. And when that happens it will be the end times.

One important thing this verse should do for you is that it should boost up your faith. For what Daniel prophesied came to pass some centuries later. Jesus extended the scope of this prophecy to the end times. That should give you strong conviction that world history is moving to its appointed end.

The bad news is that days of great trouble are ahead. The good news is that God has foretold what is about to happen so that you can take warning from the signs of the times.

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