"Abomination of Desolation"
In A.D. 64 Jerusalem and Judea were again in an uproar. The Roman emperor Nero had begun slaughtering Christians in and around Rome. Rumors of war became reality in 66 when Roman soldiers killed thousands of people in Jerusalem. The Jews revolted. The legion sent to quell the rebellion was defeated. Then, in 67, Vespasian invaded Judea with a Roman army.
Jesus had warned the inhabitants of Jerusalem of a future siege and destruction: "For the days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side" (Luke 19:43).
Luke's version of the Olivet prophecy supplies another warning: ". . . When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you know that its desolation is near" (Luke 21:20).
Parts of Jesus' Olivet prophecy were to have two fulfillments. The first occurred in the lifetime of many of those who had rejected Jesus as Messiah. They lived to see some aspects of Christ's prophecy come to pass with the siege and fall of Jerusalem. Other parts of His prophecy, however, have yet to be fulfilled.
Just as the partial fulfillment of the abomination of desolation by Antiochus Epiphanes involved capturing Jerusalem and defiling the temple, so would the partial fulfillment of Christ's prophecy in the first century involve similar events.
The first-century Jewish historian Josephus describes the siege of Jerusalem as one of the most bloody in history. Famine and diseases wracked the weakened populace. Josephus records strange events, including people seeing visions of soldiers and chariots in the clouds. On the Feast of Pentecost the temple shook and the priests "heard the sound as of a great multitude, saying, �Let us remove hence'" (Wars of the Jews, Book VI, Chapter V, Section 3).
In 70 Titus captured Jerusalem and erected an idol on the devastated temple altar. Josephus claims 1.1 million Jews were killed and 97,000 enslaved in the war and siege (Wars, VI, ix, 3).
The second fulfillment of the abomination of desolation ended with the destruction of the temple at the hands of the Romans. The temple was destroyed and the priesthood and sacrifices abolished, ushering in a condition that continues to this day.
However, Christ's Olivet prophecy is primarily concerned with His second coming. After all, Jesus Christ gave this prophecy in response to the disciples' plea: ". . . What will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" (Matthew 24:3).
The future abomination of desolation
Paul tells us that a major religious figure will arise at the time of the end.
Notice 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4: "Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day [of Christ's return] will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God."
This apostate leader will be destroyed by Christ at His second coming (verses 5-8), but not before he has deceived many with "power, signs, and lying wonders" (verses 9-12).
This description fits prophecies of the second beast in Revelation 13:11-14. Echoing Paul's warning, Revelation warns us that this leader "performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven . . . And he deceives those who dwell on the earth."
Since the first two fulfillments of the abomination of desolation involved the cessation of sacrifices, it appears that sacrifices will again be instituted before Christ's return. Daniel 12:9-13 describes the abomination of desolation as occurring at "the time of the end." Apparently once again sacrifices will be initiated at or near Jerusalem; armies again will surround Jerusalem, and the sacrifices will be cut off.
In the footsteps of Antiochus
A great religious leader will play a pivotal role in end-time events. In addition to performing great miracles, he "exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God" (2 Thessalonians 2:4). His deceptive powers will be so great that most people will believe he is God's direct representative if not a divine being himself.
God, however, calls him "the lawless one" (verse 3, NRSV). He represents a system that opposes God's law. Antiochus Epiphanes, who engineered the original abomination of desolation, may well be the forerunner of this end-time "man of sin."
Antiochus Epiphanes tried to stamp out worship of God and ruthlessly persecuted all who remained obedient to Him. Many prophecies tell us that history will repeat itself. Many of God's faithful followers will again be persecuted and murdered at the time of the end (John 15:18-20; 16:2; Revelation 6:9-11; 17:6; 20:4).
Revelation 13 describes an end-time religious leader who will "cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed" (verse 15). Government and religious powers will be brought to bear on those who see through this deception and are faithful to God. Christ's end-time warning to true Christians-"they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake" (Matthew 24:8-9)-will be fulfilled.
A warning for today
Jesus encouraged His followers to "watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming" (Matthew 24:42). Understanding the first two fulfillments of the abomination of desolation, we can be alert for coming prophesied events:
� Moves to reintroduce daily sacrifices in Israel.
� The rise of the "man of lawlessness," a religious figure who claims to speak for God.
� Geopolitical events that will lead to armies massing around Israel and Jerusalem.
God will send His Son to earth to save mankind from self-destruction. But before Christ's return the world will suffer a "great tribulation" like no other time in history. Christians, however, aren't left without information concerning end-time events.
