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What Is the Abomination of Desolation?

"Abomination of desolation" is a Hebrew expression, meaning an abominable or hateful destroyer. To the Jews, the "abomination of desolation" spoken of by Daniel brought to their minds the Assyrian ruler Antiochus Epiphanes.

According to Jewish history recorded in the Apocrypha, the passages in Daniel were fulfilled in the time between the Old and New Testaments. 1 Maccabees records how Antiochus Epiphanes (who ruled Syria from 174 to 164 B.C.) came against Jerusalem and what he did that the Jews called "the abomination of desolation." Antiochus, had surnamed himself Epiphanes, which means "the God Made Manifest." It was his goal to stamp out the Jewish religion. A royal edict was proclaimed suspending the practice of the Jewish religion on pain of death. He even turned priest's rooms and the Temple chambers into public brothels. In December 168 B.C., the Temple was dedicated to Zeus, and over the altar was placed a statue of Zeus which resembled Antiochus. A pig was sacrificed on the alter itself! This was a filthy abomination in the sight of the Jews.

Josephus said of Antiochus Epiphanes, "He also spoiled the temple, and put a stop to the constant practice of offering a daily sacrifice of expiation for three years and six months.....he compelled the Jews to dissolve the laws of their country, and to keep their infants uncircumcised, and to sacrifice swine's flesh upon the alter" (Josephus, vol. 1, pp. 10-11).

Jesus said that this "abomination of desolation" had been "spoken of by Daniel the prophet." This expression, "abomination of desolation," or “abomination that makes desolate” is found four times in Daniel.

Antiochus Epiphanes sat up a statue of Zeus on the altar of God in the temple of God. The face was sanded down and re-shaped to make it look like the face of Antiochus. Many scholars identify this as being the pre-type of the abomination of desolation.

During this time, the people loyal to Antiochus would hunt the mothers who obeyed the Ten Commandments and who had their boy babies circumcised, and they would crucify the mothers and hang their sons from their mothers’ necks. Antiochus hated the law of God and hated the Sabbath of God, much like many religious leaders in today’s world.

A similar situation will exist just ahead of us. Another idol, another statue, will be set up. It will be the end time abomination of desolation. This is the one that Christ spoke of (Matthew 24:15-16).

The modern day Beast will “…think to change times and laws….” So if you are not already grounded in God’s Sabbath and God’s law, you will find little reason not to go along with what the Beast wants to implement.

“And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of the time” (Daniel 7:25).

The willful King, who hates God’s Sabbath and hates God’s law, will rule for three and a half years, the time period also known as the great tribulation.

-- wilyelder

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