(The Answer May Surprise You). 10. This something different does not restrict matters to a modern-day period of three and a half years to parallel the period of 66-70C.E. The eighth chapter of Daniel makes that connection clear, as the context indicates the removal of the constant feature and the trampling of the holy place coincides with the fierce-looking king bringing to ruin the people made up of holy ones. . They say unto him, Yea, Lord. 24:15, 16) In the first fulfillment, the "standing in a holy place" occurred in 66 C.E . Inasmuch as the appointed times of the nations ended in the year 1914C.E. These will battle with the Lamb, but, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, the Lamb will conquer them. 25. . How J. K. Rowling Played, then Lost, the Polarization Game, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Christian Nationalism, GAFCON IV: Lessons from a Communion in Birth Pains, What to Do When Your Child Is Addicted to Video Games, Radical Christian Gentleness in an Era of Addictive Outrage, The FAQs: Anglican Group Calls on Church of Englands Leader to Repent, Whats the Earliest Evidence for Christianity? (1Cor. The same Eighth World Power will be his handy tool in making the desolation of Babylon the Great complete. 17:12, 16,17) The fulfillment of this part of the prophecy takes place after the scarlet-colored wild beast ascends out of the abyss, and hence sometime after the year 1945, when it made this ascent out of the abyss. (Space forbids that I address double and partial fulfillments of elements of 24:3-35. And the prophecy says that the disgusting thing "causes desolation" because the United Nations will play a key role in the destruction of all false religion. (b)Thus the great tribulation such as has not occurred since the worlds beginning begins and ends upon whom? It is then, in the future, when the disgusting thing will be put into place. Such Jerusalem was considered holy by the Jews down till its destruction in 70C.E., and it was the type, the warning example. However, Jesus prophecy indicated something different in the case of the anointed chosen ones in the present-day time of the end when great tribulation is getting near for antitypical unfaithful Jerusalem (Christendom). If a group of Christians sat down to list perplexing passages, it wouldnt take long for someone to mention Matthew 24:15-16: So when you see standing in the holy place the abomination that causes desolation, spoken of through the prophet Daniellet the reader understandthen let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.. (b)What question does this raise regarding the chosen ones of today? She is an international religious harlot, for the kings of the earth commit spiritual fornication with her and the commercial leaders of the earth do business with her. And since that is prior to the destruction of Babylon the Great the disgusting thing includes the harlot with her cup full of disgusting things. Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural. 2. Who was it that suggested such an almost unbelievable thing, and how? And, as modern history shows, the anointed chosen ones of Jehovah God have been fleeing from bondage to Christendom and Babylon the Great since the year 1919C.E., the year in which the disgusting thing that causes desolation was set up, even though they did not perceive in that year that the League of Nations was then the abomination of desolation or the disgusting thing that causes desolation. But they did understand Gods command, Get out of her, my people, that is, out of Babylon the Great, as including Christendom. Instrumental in executing this judgment of Jehovah God upon her will be the modern-day disgusting thing that causes desolation, the Eighth World Power. As always, the first step is to read the text in literary, cultural, historical, and canonical contexts. Jesus' reference to "the disgusting thing that is causing desolation " (11:31), in his prophecy about the sign of his presence, shows that this power struggle of the two kings continues right down to "the conclusion of the system of things." Jehovahs Witnesses are well aware that the disgusting thing originally appeared in the form of the Roman armies, which was foretold in the 9th chapter of Daniel. Is it out of affection for God that the scarlet-colored wild beast destroys Babylon the Great (including Christendom)? That terrible time of trouble is destined to coincide with the coming of Christ. Overconfident because of having been used to destroy the false religion, the Eighth World Power will make a final attempt to desolate the true worship of Jehovah God as an act of defiance of Jehovahs Godship and sovereignty. No! This bad condition and heart attitude led to their monumental act of rebellion in rejecting Gods own Son, and Jesus showed that this would bring certain destruction upon them.Mt 21:33-41; Lu 19:41-44. The "abomination of desolation" is a Hebrew idiom, meaning "the abomination that maketh desolate." St. Luke ( Luke 21:20) does not use the expression; it would have sounded strange to his Gentile readers. a great crowd of sheeplike persons have been separated from the goatlike persons who do not do good to the anointed chosen ones, the spiritual brothers of Jesus Christ. A generation normally lasts 40 years in Scripture, and Jerusalem and its temple did fall within 40 years, as Jesus said. 5,6. jw2019 So we need to be alert to identify the modern-day " disgusting thing that is causing desolation" and then to be sure that we get out of the danger zone. One that belongs to his generation, or one from the last days? 9. Of the two, the former seems, in its enigmatic form, more likely to have been the phrase actually used; the latter to have been an explanation. The United Nations will attack Christendom and the rest of Babylon the Great, as also foretold at Revelation 17:16-18. The Gospel Coalition supports the church by providing resources that are trusted and timely, winsome and wise, and centered on the gospel of Jesus Christ. (a)To be true to type, Christendoms desolation must come within what time period, and Daniel associates that time period with the placing of what? . 7. . That connection is confirmed in the 8th chapter of Daniel as well, where we read regarding the fierce-looking king: In the next verse the fierce-looking king is shown to also bring desolation upon a holy place. In the 1st century CE it was taken up by the authors of the gospels in the context of the Roman destruction of . Jesus gave relatively little attention to the question When? and much toward the question How shall we live faithfully? Preaching on such texts today should be shaped by Jesus concern for the welfare and endurance of his church. But when you shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that reads understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: Daniel 8:13 Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? 21,22. This prophecy makes sense only with reference to the fall of Jerusalem. So, the "putting in place the disgusting thing that causes desolation"is in reference to the sanctuary of Jehovah, of which Christ is both the cornerstone and High priest. Additional prophecies of a disgusting thing. Is this a figure we should still expect, or has he come already? The fall of Jerusalem, Jesus return, and the end of the age were one complex event in their minds. Their being gathered together has doubtless been done under the active guidance of the heavenly angels sent forth by the invisibly present Jesus Christ. (a)Why does not the scarlet-colored wild beast gain a reward for being used as an instrument in devastating Babylon the Great? (a)What is that battle called, and where is it fought? In the prophetic vision of Revelation 17, the symbolic immoral woman, Babylon the Great, is depicted. . Nineteen centuries ago, when Jesus gave this prophecy, the chosen ones included the apostles to whom he was talking. that Roman legions marched on Jerusalem to put down a revolt. No Jew can prove his qualifications as a real member of that priestly family. 5 Ways to Maintain Unity amid Disagreement, If God Is for Us: Standing Accused with Romans 8, When (and How) to Avoid Contentious People. But how is it even possible that the chosen ones could be misled by the clergy or anyone not associated with the leadership of the trusted Watchtower organization? 15 "The prophet Daniel said that the disgusting thing that will cause destruction will stand in the holy place. Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases on Amazon.com. 36 Boast for just a little while the Eighth World Power may, that it has desolated all false religion included in Babylon the Great, but it will never be able to boast that it will have desolated Gods only true religion, the miraculously preserved true Christianity. 29 These words emphasize, not a flight in escape to various places of safety, but a gathering of the chosen ones by angels. After all, this prophecy alerts God's Named People to the timing of Vindicating Jehovah's Sacred and Holy Name. Keep praying that your flight may not occur in wintertime, nor on the sabbath day; for then there will be great tribulation. (Matt. 'Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. But inexplicably the army withdrew. So how could the international peace-and-security organization promoted by it be the abomination or disgusting thing? (b)Into what will any love turn, and who says so, and where? When Jesus gives instruction concerning future events, his purpose is not to satiate our curiosity or answer all or our speculative questions. Not only were the United States and the British Empire the principal creators of the United Nations Organization during the Second World War, but they will force the nations to accept the United Nations as a world government in the future. Eusebius, the first great historian of the church, says that when the Romans fell upon Jerusalem, the church at Jerusalem . 31 Since the tribulation of those days upon ancient Jerusalem nineteen centuries have passed. Who says so? What came to a full conclusion at Jerusalems destruction in 70C.E., and how can that be shown? But, alas, post-WWI Germany did not have anything to do with setting up the League. Wt 7/15 2013. Here we have a prophetic panorama like that with foreshortened perspective. Since when after the great tribulation of ancient Jerusalem has this gathering of the chosen ones been going on, and under guidance of what? (b)May they be among those to whom what cry of praise to Jehovah is directed? standing in a holy place. (Mt 24:15) In 66C.E. Copyright 2023 The Gospel Coalition, INC. All Rights Reserved. And since that is prior to the destruction of Babylon the Great the disgusting thing includes the harlot with her cup full of disgusting things. . ( Matthew 24:15; Daniel 12:11) w85 10/1 pp. Acts 8:30,31 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? So those who make up the wild beast oppose those who practice the true Christianity and who preach and faithfully stick to Gods Messianic kingdom, in which the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, serves as King under Him. A desolation, devastation. Look! Should they obey literally or metaphorically? Indeed, Scripture calls sexual sins like adultery, homosexuality, and bestiality abominations (e.g., Leviticus 18:22, 29-30). An abomination is normally a great sin, commonly worthy of death. 26 Fleeing out of the antitypical unfaithful Jerusalem (Christendom) has been the right thing for them to do at any time since the end of World WarI in 1918. In short, the disgusting thing will stand in a holy place when the present system collapses and is replaced by a tyrannical world government, supported initially by organized religion, and the work of Jehovahs Witnesses is crushed. The use of en tachei [shortly] in Revelation 1:1 should make one pause before he decides. So, since the Watchtower teaches that Germany was the king of the north during the first half of the 20th century, followed by the USSR, the they is ostensibly understood by Jehovahs Witnesses to be the Anglo-American kings of the south and the Nazi/Soviet kings of the north. When, whenever. These have one thought, and so they give their power and authority to the wild beast [the disgusting thing]. This object of disgust, an idol, will cause desolation, causing those in Judea to flee to the mountains ( Matthew 24:16 ). "Desolation" is from the Greek root word eremosis and means something that has been stripped or laid waste. 33 Also, as foretold in the final part of Jesus prophecy, all nations have been gathered before the Son of man, Jesus Christ, enthroned in the heavens. The pagan desecration of the temple altar by Antiochus, however disgusting in Gods sight, did not result in desolationfor Jerusalem, for the temple, or for the Jewish nation. . What? 24 And as Jesus added: In fact, unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved; but on account of the chosen ones those days will be cut short. (Matt. Here is the Christ, or, There! do not believe it. 10 For more than two centuries this Seventh World Power has professed to be Christian and has been a stronghold of Christendom. It cannot possibly apply to Jesus return. But under the title of League of Nations this organization did not destroy Christendom. Her type, the prophetic figure of her, is the unfaithful Jerusalem of the first century of our Common Era. It will be the grand finale of the great tribulation. During that finale it [that is, the scarlet-colored wild beast that came up out of the abyss in the year 1945] goes off into destruction. (Rev. As regards the little horn with eyes and a mouth speaking great blasphemies, the prophecy states: I kept watching as that horn made war on the holy ones, and it was prevailing against them, until the Ancient of Days came and judgment was rendered in favor of the holy ones of the Supreme One, and the appointed time arrived for the holy ones to take possession of the kingdom., In the book of Revelation, the same event is depicted thusly: But as for the courtyard that is outside the temple sanctuary, leave it out and do not measure it, because it has been given to the nations, and they will trample the holy city underfoot for 42 months. 24. Mentioned also in Matthew 24:15, this is one of the signs of the end, when the antichrist sets up an abomination in the holy place and will command the people to worship it. So, a careful reading of the Scriptures indicates that the disgusting thing standing in a holy place precedes the revelation of the Son of man and the gathering of the sons of the Kingdom. (a)Jesus prophecy about the disgusting thing was given when foretelling the sign of what? (b)What reason, then, is there for the Bible to call the international peace organization a disgusting thing or abomination? It is a wholly artificial and self-serving interpretation intended to blind Jehovahs Witnesses to the judgments of Jehovah. It will bring to an end the total present-day system of things. 16. Help train Christians to boldly share the good news of Jesus Christ in a way that clearly communicates to this secular age. is a type or prophetic picture of the desolating of modern-day Christendom, which is likewise unbelieving as regards the Holy Bible and its Author, Jehovah God. From hote and an; whenever; also causatively inasmuch as. So his core prediction was fulfilled by AD 70. It may seem to us that they asked three questions: But a close reading shows that Jesus heard and answered two questions. Not only were the United States and the British Empire the principal creators of the United Nations Organization during the Second World War, but they will force the nations to accept the United Nations as a world government in the future. Because the emergence of the last kingdom initiates Gods hour of judgment upon the world and the book of Revelation is quite clear that all who give their allegiance to the wild beast after it emerges from a death-like state, from the abyss, do not have their names written in the book of life. Yes, it is the same as "the disgusting thing that causes desolation" that began as the League of Nations and that now exists as the United Nations. (Na 3:4-7) The bloodstained and disgusting things to be removed from the teeth of the Philistine (Zec 9:6,7) likely relate to the pagan practice of eating sacrificial animals along with their blood.Compare Eze 33:25. The numerous prophecies of Daniel are complimentary, as well as harmonious with Revelation. (a)We look forward to see members of the United Nations act together as what toward Christendom? Who or what is that Disgusting thing that causes desolation? onward. the present worldwide system of things has been in its time of the end. (Luke 21:24) The prophet Daniel associates the time of the end with the placing of the disgusting thing that is causing desolation when he writes: Make secret the words and seal up the book, until the time of the end. 34 Then at Gods predetermined time, the great tribulation that will surpass anything of previous human history will begin with surprising suddenness. Is the Watchtowers interpretation that the disgusting thing is presently the U.N. correct? Jesus foretells the destruction of the temple; that the gospel must be preached to all nations; that great calamities shall happen to the Jews; and the manner of his coming to judgment; the hour whereof being known to none, every man is to watch and pray, Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, NT Gospels: Mark 13:14 But when you see the abomination (Mar Mk Mr). (a)Till when did the chosen ones of nineteen hundred years ago wait before fleeing out of all Judea? From nous; to exercise the mind, i.e. An abominable thing, an accursed thing. Indeed that abomination did come in Roman form in AD 70. Additional prophecies of a disgusting thing. As the angel explained the seven heads to the Christian apostle John: There are seven kings: five have fallen, one is [namely, imperial Rome], the other [the Anglo-American World Power] has not yet arrived, but when he does arrive he must remain a short while. In view of what does a question of doubt arise as to Christendoms desolation? 34. She is called the mother of the harlots and of the disgusting things of the earth. She holds a golden cup full of the disgusting things of her fornication with the kings of the earth. Though she curries the favor of the earthly kingdoms, sitting on top of a symbolic wild beast composed of such kingdoms, the time comes when this beast refuses to carry her, turns on her, and completely desolates her.See BABYLON THE GREAT. Given the similar content and wording of the prophecies of Daniel it should be evident to the discerning reader that the holy place that is destined to come to desolation . 35. That two-horned beast is properly understood to be the Anglo-American dyad. (a)Despite the destruction of Babylon the Great, what will the Eighth World Power never be able to boast of having accomplished? Disgusting Things Leading to Desolation. Daniels prophecy foretold disgusting things associated with desolation. Abomination also refers to idolatry in the prophets, including Daniel 9 and 11. Verb - Perfect Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Singular. (Most modern translations use the term abomination, rather than disgusting thing. For comparison check out Bible Hub). Then, at that time. The survivors on earth will look back at the desolating of Christendom and of all Babylon the Great and the supernatural destruction of all the remainder of this system of things as proving to be just what Jesus Christ foretold it would be. 4 In the spring of the year 33C.E. flee to the mountains (Luke 21:10-24). And the wild beast that was but is not, it is also itself an eighth king, but springs from the seven, and it goes off into destruction.Rev. (Matt. brought an end to a Jewish system of things that has never been restored. Such fleeing out of Christendom has meant also fleeing out of Babylon the Great, for Christendom is also an integral part of religious Babylon the Great. Keep praying that your flight may not occur in wintertime nor on the Sabbath day; for then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the worlds beginning until now, no, nor will occur again.In fact, unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved; but on account of the chosen ones those days will be cut short., That the admonition above applies to Christians in the future and not merely those living in Judea in the first century is evident from the span of verses immediately following, where Jesus went on to say: Then if anyone says to you, Look! Down to everlasting desolation will go the antitypical unfaithful Jerusalem (Christendom). It states: First, it is important to note that there is an obvious connection between the profanation of the sanctuary, the fortress and the removal of the so-called constant feature, as well as the putting in place of the disgusting thing that causes desolation. What was the first-century type of modern-day Christendom, and how was her desolation typified? 24:21,22) That means nothing less than that the entire system of things, including antitypical unfaithful Jerusalem, will be annihilated, never to be restored. 29,30. Today, Barry Cooper turns to the context of Christ's warning to give clarity to this figure's identity. "Abomination of desolation" is a phrase from the Book of Daniel describing the pagan sacrifices with which the 2nd century BCE Greek king Antiochus IV Epiphanes replaced the twice-daily offering in the Jewish temple, or alternatively the altar on which such offerings were made. He says, "When ye see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that her desolation is at hand." But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains. It was in the year 66 C.E. Thus since 1935C.E. That destructive hate must therefore strike at Christendom, the hypocritical Christian organization. Judea, a Roman province, capital Jerusalem. 7:9-17; Matt. Wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.. 12:4-11; see also 11:40. There that old religious harlot, Babylon the Great, is pictured as riding a scarlet-colored wild beast that has seven heads and ten horns. With her the nonreligious elements of this system of things have committed fornication in a spiritual sense, sharing with her in her crimes against the faithful people of Jehovah God and against all the rest of his earthly human creatures. left the city, and moved to a town called Pella.[1] So Jesus, ever the Good Shepherd, told the first Christians how to survive those most harrowing years of the churchs infancy. . Thus the great tribulation will not be over at the desolating of Babylon the Great (including Christendom). She is listed as having a membership of over nine hundred million church members. , Luke 21:21-24 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. It is Christs congregation, made up of holy ones. A wise preacher dealing with this passage may find particular value in focusing on this point. 7 What, though, is the disgusting thing that will soon bring Christendom to complete desolation? This is the first installment in a new series that analyzes perplexing passages of the Bible. "The daily sacrifice will be stopped. 33. But, as now seen, Babylon the Great is actually the world empire of false Babylonish religion, of which Christendom is the most populous and powerful part. 30 Jesus words, immediately after, do not mean right after ancient Jerusalems great tribulation in 70C.E. In the historical books, abomination always describes idolatry, often with child sacrifice (1 Kings 11:7, 2 Kings 23:13). 37. But all in vain! He did not indicate any modern date to parallel the year 66C.E., neither any modern time period of three and a half years to correspond with the period of 66 to 70C.E. "When you see the abomination of desolation standing where it should not be" (let the reader understand), "then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. What is the connection between the prophecies of Daniel and Jesus? Instead, his purpose is to protect and guide and instruct his people. 4. From eremoo; despoliation. Soldiers even began undermining the wall of the temple to get at the militant zealots who were holed up in it. (a)Why in this time of the end is the disgusting thing that causes desolation not the military people of the Roman Empire? In 24:4-14, the, Jesus is preparing his disciples for eventsmost of them extremely difficultthat will take place in their lifetime.