Understanding More of Abomination of Desolation

A. Scripture exhorts us to understand the vision (which included the Abomination of Desolation).

23 Therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision… (Dan. 9:23)

B. We are exhorted “read and understand” or to take the necessary efforts to understand.

15 The abomination of desolation…whoever reads, let him understand… (Mt. 24:15)

C. The Abomination of Desolation is directly referred to by name 6 times in Scripture, 4 times by Daniel (Dan. 8:13; 9:27; 11:31; 12:11) and twice by Jesus (Matt. 24:15; Mk. 13:14). The Abomination of Desolation is the scriptural name for the Antichrist’s image that is placed in the Temple. The Abomination of Desolation is described without using the name 4 more times in Scripture (Rev. 13:11-18; 14:9-11; 2 Thes. 2:3-4; Dan. 3:1-30)

D. The Abomination of Desolation cannot occur unless Israel rebuilds the Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. For the Antichrist to stop the daily sacrifices in the Temple, the Tribulation Temple must exist. The Temple does not currently exist, but we know that it must be rebuilt (Mt. 24:15; Mk. 13:14; 2 Thes. 2:4; Rev. 11:1-2; 13:12-18; Dan. 9:26, 27; 11:31; 12:11). Even now plans to rebuild the Third Temple are being pursued aggressively in Israel. This may occur just before the beginning of the final 7-year period.

E. The Abomination of Desolation will need to be “set up”. In other words, the whole system needs to be “set up”. This will involve setting up the statue of the Antichrist in the Jerusalem Temple and setting up a worldwide infrastructure so that all can worship the image (Rev. 14:9-11). The Abomination involves stopping the animal sacrifices to replace them with the image of the Beast. It is referred to in the singular as “the” Abomination of Desolation.

11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the Abomination of Desolation is set up, there shall be 1,290 days. (Dan 12:11)

1. Jesus spoke of the statue of the Antichrist ‘standing in’ in the Temple.
2. The Antichrist’s armies will take the statue and ‘place it there’ in the Temple.

F. Daniel 8:13 gives us details to give us insight into what the Antichrist will do.
13 I heard a holy one (angel) speaking…"How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host (army of Israel) to be trampled under foot?" (Dan 8:13)

1. The Antichrist will act in a way that concerns the daily sacrifices.
2. He will lead the nations into “the transgression” that leads to the desolation of nations.
3. Someone or a group of people will “give” the sanctuary and the host to be trampled. Does this refer to God, the Antichrist, the False Prophet, or another person or group?
4. The transgression will involve giving the sanctuary to be trampled under foot or to be degraded or defiled. The sanctuary or Temple will not be torn down, but the furniture and activities will be defiled and degraded. The Abomination involves desolating the Temple with the image of the Beast and stopping the animal sacrifices offered there.
5. The transgression will involve giving the host (army of Israel or army of the Lord) to be trampled under foot. This speaks of persecuting the host. The army of Israel will be small yet it will be anointed of the Lord at the end of the conflict (Zech. 12:5-8).

G. Antiochus Epiphanes (Antiochus IV; 175-163 BC) defiled the Temple in a way that would prophetically foretell how the Antichrist will defile it in the End-Times. Daniel 11:31 gives us details from Antiochus’ example to give us insight into what the Antichrist will do. Antiochus’ forces defiled the sanctuary fortress or the Temple complex. Antiochus’ forces took away the daily sacrifices. Antiochus’ forces placed the Abomination of Desolation in the Temple.

H. The sacrifices will be taken away. This was emphasized three out of the four times that Daniel referred to the Abomination of Desolation (Dan 8:13; 11:31; 12:11). The sacrifices are “daily” showing us Israel’s commitment to host “daily” sacrifices.

I. The Antichrist will operate on the wing (pinnacle or extreme expression) of abominations.

J. Daniel 11 provides us a picture from history of the abomination of desolation which is such a significant End-Times event that an entire chapter was needed to give us an adequate historical context to make the picture clear. Antiochus Epiphanes slaughtered thousands of Jews and desecrated Israel’s temple by sacrificing a pig on the altar and setting up a statue of a Greek god in it, then he stopped the daily temple sacrifices (Dan. 11:31).

K. The Third Temple is NOT the same as the Millennial Temple. There are two distinct Jerusalem Temples prophesied in Scriptures i.e. the Tribulation Temple (Third Temple) which will be built by unbelieving Jews and then desecrated by the Antichrist. The Millennial Temple will be built by Jesus (Isa. 2:3; 60:6, 10, 13; Ezek. 37:26-28; 40-48; Zech. 2:11; 6:12-15; 14:16-21).