The Abomination of Desolation: According to the Prophet Danieland Jesus Christ
By Brian Godawa
The Abomination of Desolation: According to the Prophet Daniel and Jesus Christ
1st Edition
This is an excerpt from the appendix of the novel Judah Maccabee โ Part 2: Against the Gods of Greece.
Copyright ยฉ 2024 Brian Godawa
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Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001, unless otherwise indicated in the verse citation.
Other Bible versions cited:
NRSV: The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989).
LES: Rick Brannan et al., eds., The Lexham English Septuagint (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012).
NASB95: New American Standard Bible, 1995 Edition: Paragraph Version (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995).
GET THE NOVEL SET JUDAH MACCABEE: PARTS 1&2
1 THE PAST ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION
Introduction
Antiochus IV Epiphanes
Antiochus and the Abomination of Desolation
Zeus and the Abomination of Desolation
Partial or Dual Fulfillment?
2 THE FUTURE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION
Spoken of by Daniel
The Seventy Weeks
Titus Vespasian
Daniel 12
Jesus and the Abomination of Desolation
This Generation
Flee to the Mountains
Surrounded by Pagan Armies
What About the Image of the Beast?
Chart of the Syrian Wars in Daniel 11
GET THE NOVEL SET JUDAH MACCABEE: PARTS 1&2
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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1
The Past Abomination of Desolation
Introduction
The abomination of desolation is a biblical term that is a part of eschatology, which is the study of โlast thingsโ in the Bible. Since one of the most common eschatological views propagated in Christian circles is premillennial dispensationalism, letโs call it the Left Behind view for short (and who doesnโt know about the mega-selling hit novel series Left Behind?). It conjures up fantastical supernatural scenarios in oneโs mind of a โraptureโ of Christians out of this world, followed by an โAntichristโ who rises up as a world leader and makes a covenant with Israel, which he eventually breaks and sets up some kind of image of himself called โthe abomination of desolationโ in the Jewish temple in Jerusalem. The Antichrist makes it โcome aliveโ and even speak. But eventually he requires Jews to worship it, which is the catalyst that wakens many of them up spiritually and leads to their turning toward Jesus Christ as their true Messiah. Jesus then returns to fight that Antichrist, destroy his allied nations, and set up his kingdom on earth.
Okay, I know thatโs only one interpretation of many that are out there. But I use it as one of the more popular examples of what is called โfuturism,โ which is a broader term than the Left Behind view when applied to Bible prophecy. A futurist interpretation simply speculates that a specific Bible prophecy is yet to be fulfilled in our future. The belief that a Bible prophecy has already been fulfilled in the past is called a โpreteristโ interpretation. โPreteristโ comes from the Latin word that means โpast.โ
For example, all Christians are preterist in their interpretation of the Old Testament Bible prophecies of a coming Messiah to be born in Bethlehem to a virgin and who would be crucified for our sins because those are fulfilled in our past (preterist). But if you believe a certain Bible prophecy is yet to be fulfilled in our future, such as a coming Antichrist, then you would have a futurist interpretation of that prophecy.
Sometimes the terms futurist and preterist are used in a summary way to refer to two dominant (though by no means monolithic) schools of thought about โlast daysโ or โend timesโ prophecies. In general, futurists believe that there is an abomination of desolation (among many other things) to come in our future while preterists tend to believe that the abomination of desolation was fulfilled in our past and only in our past.
Like I said, there are so many views within each school of thought that I am sure some will quibble with various designations. But I am sure it will become clear that these are not the main issues to address on this subject.
To begin, letโs take a look at all the places where the abomination of desolation shows up in Scripture. These are almost all in the book of Daniel and once in the Olivet discourse by Jesus, who is quoting Daniel. Notice that the exact phrase โabomination of desolationโ is not always used. Sometimes it is described using the words or concepts of abomination and desolation together (bold underlines provided for focus).
Daniel 8:11โ14
And the regular burnt offering was taken away from him, and the place of his sanctuary was overthrown.โฆ โFor how long is the vision concerning the regular burnt offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled underfoot?โ And he said to me, โFor 2,300 evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state.โ
Daniel 11:31
Forces from him shall appear and profane the temple and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering. And they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate.
Daniel 9:26โ27
And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed. And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.โ
Daniel 12:11
And from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolateis set up, there shall be 1,290 days.
Matthew 24:15 (Mark 13:14)
So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand)โฆ
A cursory examination of all these verses show a common pattern of elements or events that seem to overlap in creating a scenario. That scenario includes the tamid, or daily sacrifice, in the temple being โtaken awayโ and the temple being โtrampled underfoot,โ โprofaned,โ or โdestroyed.โ But what does this have to do with the abomination of desolation?
Letโs take a look at the words and concepts โabominationโ and โdesolationโ in their ancient context. The Hebrew word for โabominationโ is siqqus, which the Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament describes as โalways used in connection with idolatrous practices, either referring to the idols themselves as being abhorrent and detestable in Godโs sight or to something associated with the idolatrous ritual. Idols generally are referred to as an abomination (Jeremiah 16:18).โ[1]
The god Chemosh is called โthe abomination of Moab.โ Molech is โthe abomination of the Ammonites.โ Ashtoreth is โthe abomination of the Sidoniansโ (2 Kings 23:13). And so on.[2] The context of all the passages describing these abominations of the nations was physical idols (images) to which the pagan deities were linked.
The slight variation โtransgression that makes desolateโ (Daniel 8:14) is contextually about the same abomination. The Hebrew word for โtransgressionโ means a crime that breaks relationship in some way.[3] So the idolatry that makes the temple desolate is a part of Godโs broken relationship with Israel.
The Hebrew word for โdesolationโ (mesomem) means to lay waste or make deserted.[4] This does not necessarily involve destruction. It carries the idea of desertion and is used of cities being deserted (Ezekiel 36:35) or the wasteland of the desert that represents a return to the precreation state of chaos (Ezekiel 33:28). So in the context of the temple, it most likely refers to being deserted of the presence of God or at least deserted of the rituals and practices of its purpose.
Put together and applied to the temple and/or city of Jerusalem, these words create the image of the presence of a pagan deity inside the temple of Yahweh that pollutes that temple and makes Yahweh leave its presence. Profanation is an intolerable violation of Godโs holiness, so he leaves that temple which has become host to a detestable abomination of idolatry.
Now that we have looked at the basic meaning of the term abomination of desolation, letโs find out exactly how it is fulfilled in history. For the sake of clarity, I will announce my conclusion up front. There are so many different opinions on this matter that I want the reader to follow my argument without confusion or inaccurate assumptions.
Some interpret all the passages about the abomination of desolation to be talking about one and only one instance in history. Others add to that interpretation by suggesting that there is one concept of abomination of desolation that is repeated through history in partial fulfillments or multiple fulfillments. I will argue a third option, which is that Daniel is predicting exactly two separate abominations of desolation. The first one is in Danielโs near future when Antiochus Epiphanes erects an altar to Zeus in the Jerusalem temple in 168 BC. The second one is a similar offense in Danielโs distant future that mirrors Epiphanes but with significant differences.
So what about Jesus? What did he mean when he said, โSo when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Danielโ (Matthew 24:15)? Jesus is referring to the second abomination. The first one had already happened in his past during the days of Antiochus Epiphanes. But the second one had not yet happened in his day. It was in his future.
Just who this second abomination is and when it occurs will be discussed below. But first letโs see how the Daniel passages apply to the first abomination of desolation. To do so, we must get to know Antiochus IV Epiphanes.
Antiochus IV Epiphanes
The coming king foretold in Danielโs prophecy (Daniel 11:21-35) as a โcontemptibleโ (ESV), โdespicableโ (NASB95), or โvileโ person (NKJV) who would eventually bring about the โabomination of desolationโ (v. 31) is also symbolized as โa little hornโ that would grow out of Alexanderโs broken reign (Daniel 8:8-9) and grow powerful enough to defy Yahweh and oppress his holy people (8:9-14).[5]
That is why this story of the Maccabees is so important to the unfolding of Godโs plan to bring forth the Seed of the Woman that would crush the head of the Serpentโthe very storyline of all three of my Chronicles series of novels (Genesis 3:15). That despicable and vile little horn was none other than Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the Seleucid king in Syria.
As 1 Maccabees says, Antiochus IV Epiphanes began to reign in the 137th โyear of the Greeks,โ or about 175 BC. He was the youngest son of Antiochus III the Great, so he was not heir to the throne. He usurped the crown through political manipulation just as Daniel had prophesied.
Daniel 11:21 (NASB95)
A despicable person will arise, on whom the honor of kingship has not been conferred, but he will come in a time of tranquility and seize the kingdom by intrigue.
In order to understand the โintrigueโ that Antiochus IV used to โseizeโ or usurp the crown, we must understand the historical situation of the time. The Republic of Rome would require the son of a king who was under their control to be held hostage in Rome in order to ensure the client kingโs compliance. As an Italian mobster might put it, โYou get outta line, we gotta you son.โ Antiochus IV had the unfortunate circumstance to be one of those hostages when his father was king. But later, Antiochus used that hostage experience to his benefit. Commentator Robert Doran explains Antiochus IVโs intriguing kingdom situation.
After the Romans decisively defeated Antiochus III at the battle of Magnesia (190 bce), this youngest son [Antiochus IV] was handed over to the Romans as a hostage. Antiochus III was succeeded in 187 bce by his older son, Seleucus IV. Around 176, the Romans exchanged Antiochus [IV] for Seleucus IVโs son Demetrius [because he was son of the new king]. On Seleucus IVโs death in 175 bce, Antiochus [IV] seized the opportunity to gain control of the kingdom in place of his brotherโs son.[6]
But Antiochusโs previous stay in Rome was also fortuitous in educating him in the Roman way of politics and war. He would know his ultimate opponent well.
Daniel 11:23
And from the time that an alliance is made with him he shall act deceitfully, and he shall become strong with a small people.
As this prophecy predicts, Antiochus was in alliance with Rome because of Romeโs support for him when he came to power. But in 170 BC, Egypt demanded Coele-Syria back from Antiochus in a territorial dispute. Antiochusโs capital city, Antioch, was in Coele-Syria and he would not wait for such a personal attack to occur. So he consolidated his forces in 169 BC and invaded Egypt first in what would be called the Sixth Syrian War with King Ptolemy VI of Egypt.[7]
But Ptolemy could not stand against Antiochus. His own advisors betrayed him and Antiochus swept in and took Ptolemy VI prisoner. But after he did so, the city of Alexandria installed Ptolemyโs younger brother, Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II, on the throne. Angered by this affront, Antiochus plotted with his prisoner Ptolemy VI against the installed opponent, and left to support Ptolemy VI as king in Memphis in a counter to Euergetesโs claim. But eventually, the Ptolemy brother kings became allies and united over Egypt, which spoiled Antiochusโs hopes of control.
Daniel foretold all of this [my explanations in brackets].
Daniel 11:25โ28
And he [Antiochus IV of Syria] shall stir up his power and his heart against the king of the south [Ptolemy VI of Egypt] with a great army. And the king of the south [Ptolemy] shall wage war with an exceedingly great and mighty army, but he shall not stand, for plots shall be devised against him. Even those who eat his food shall break him. His [Ptolemyโs] army shall be swept away, and many shall fall down slain.
And as for the two kings [Antiochus and Ptolemy VI], their hearts shall be bent on doing evil [plotting against Ptolemy Euregetes]. They shall speak lies at the same table, but to no avail [the Egyptian Ptolemy brothers unite], for the end is yet to be at the time appointed.
On his way back home to Syria, Antiochus stopped off in Jerusalem and plundered the templeโs treasury, which the prophet Daniel describes as imposing or โworking his willโ:
Daniel 11:28
And he [Antiochus IV] shall return to his land with great wealth, but his heart shall be set against the holy covenant [Israel]. And he shall work his will and return to his own land [Syria].
Antiochus IVโs first invasion of Egypt was very costly for the Seleucid king, who often pillaged temples as repositories of wealth to pay for his enterprises. Antiochus took the golden altar from the holy temple, as well as the famous Menorah lampstand and table of the Presence, besides all the gold and silver temple utensils and any other hidden treasures he could find (1 Maccabees 1:20-23).
The prophet Daniel explains what would happen next. A year later in 168 BC, Antiochus decided to return to Egypt to finish what he had started and take the city of Alexandria. However, Rome would not tolerate this and sent an emissary,Caius Popilius Laenas, to put a stop to the Seleucid advance. This was the infamous incident where Popilius drew the line in the sand and told Antiochus to give him an answer of submission to Rome before he crossed it. If Syria did not pull back from Egypt, they would be at war with Rome. Not a cheerful prospect of victory. Here is how Daniel described it.
Daniel 11:29
At the time appointed he [Antiochus IV] shall return and come into the south [Egypt again], but it shall not be this time as it was before. For ships of Kittim [Rome] shall come against him, and he [Antiochus] shall be afraid and withdraw.
So Antiochus obeyed Rome and returned to Syria. But upon hearing of a possible uprising of Jews in Jerusalem, Antiochus became enraged and sent forces to the holy city to punish the Jewish insurgents and re-establish his authority over the region.
Daniel 11:30
And [Antiochus IV] shall turn back and be enraged and take action against the holy covenant [Israel/Jerusalem]. He [Antiochus] shall turn back and pay attention [favor] to those who forsake the holy covenant [Hellenist Jews].
See my chart at the end of this book about the fulfillment of Daniel 11 in the lead-up to and including the Syrian Wars of the second century BC.
About the Author
Brian Godawa is a respected Christian writer and best-selling author of novels and biblical theology. His supernatural Bible epic novels combine creative imagination with orthodox Christian theology in a way that transcends both entertainment and preachiness.
His love for Jesus and storytelling was forged in the crucible of worldview apologetics and Hollywood screenwriting, as he began a career in movies and eventually expanded into the world of novels.
His first novel series, Chronicles of the Nephilim has been in the Top 10 of Biblical Fiction on Amazon for more than a decade, selling over 350,000 books. His popular book Hollywood Worldviews: Watching Films with Wisdom and Discernment is used as a textbook in Christian film schools around the country. His movies To End All Wars and Allegedhave won multiple movie awards such as Cannes Film Festival and the Heartland International Film Festival.
He lives in Texas with the most amazing wife a man could ever pray for and is accountable to a local church. He reads too many books and watches too many movies. He knows, he knows, he should get out more.
Find out more about his blog and his other books, lectures, and online courses for sale at his website, www.godawa.com.
[1] See also Ezekiel 5:11; 7:20; 2 Chronicles 15:8, etc. Hermann J. Austel, โ2459 ืฉึดืืงึตึผืฅ,โ in Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, ed. R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer Jr., and Bruce K. Waltke (Chicago: Moody Press, 1999), 955.
[2] See also Deuteronomy 29:17; I Kings 11:5-7; 2 Kings 23:24; 2 Chronicles 15:8; Isaiah 66:3; Jeremiah 7:30, etc.
[3] G. Herbert Livingston, โ1846 ืคึธึผืฉึทืืข,โ in Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, ed. R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer Jr., and Bruce K. Waltke (Chicago: Moody Press, 1999), 741.
[4] Willem VanGemeren, ed., New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology & Exegesis (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1997), 167.
[5] Horns are a common prophetic symbol of kingship or rulers. There is another โlittle hornโ that shows up in Daniel 7:20-21, 24-25. This is a different king than Antiochus Epiphanes, and he appears in the last kingdom of Rome. The Beast of Revelation matches that little horn of Daniel: Revelation 13:5-7; 17:9-10. For a full narrative depiction of this fulfillment, see my series, Chronicles of the Apocalypse.
[6] Robert Doran, โThe First Book of Maccabees,โ in New Interpreterโs Bible, ed. Leander E. Keck, vol. 4 (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1994โ2004), 31.
[7] The rest of this section on Danielโs prophecies fulfilled in Antiochus Epiphanes is drawn from Bruce W. Gore, Historical and Chronological Context of the Bible (Trafford Publishing, 2006), 10.19-23.