15 “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house. 18 Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. 19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. 22 “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. 23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time. 26 “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather. 29 “Immediately after the distress of those days “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ 30 “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. (Matthew 24:15-31)
The Lord Jesus said that in the last days, you will see the “abomination that causes desolation” mentioned by the prophet Daniel standing in the holy place. That is, the abomination of desolation will occur in the holy place, in Jerusalem.
27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him. (Daniel 9:27)
The Book of Daniel predicts that the Antichrist will appear in the last days. He will make a firm covenant with many people within seven years. Three and a half years later, he will stop the sacrifices in the temple and setup the abomination of desolation.
31 “His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation. (Daniel 11:31)
This also speaks of what will happen in the holy place of Jerusalem, where the daily burnt offering is removed and the abomination of desolation is established. The prophecy of the abomination of desolation is fulfilled three times.
In 167 B.C. Antiochus erected a statue of the Greek god Zeus in the Jerusalem temple. He also ordered that swine, biblically unclean animals, be offered on the temple altar, desecrating the holy place (fulfilling Daniel’s prophecy). These acts were loathsome, abhorrent and detestable to the Jewish people and were the first fulfillment of the abomination of desolation.
A second fulfillment of the abomination of desolation occurred in A.D. 70 when Roman armies under Titus sacked the city of Jerusalem. In the process, Titus’ forces destroyed the temple building and altar. It has not been rebuilt to this day.
11 “From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. 12 Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days. (Daniel 12:11-12)
There is about three and a half years from the time when the daily burnt offering is removed and the abomination of desolation is established, which is the last three and a half years of the seven years mentioned above. This is what the Antichrist will do in the future. This will be the third fulfillment of the abomination of desolation.
Here in Matthew 24, the Lord Jesus talks about an unprecedented great tribulation. The Lord Jesus said that you ask that when you flee, it will not be in winter or on the Sabbath. It is very cold in winter and escaping to the mountains is a big problem. It is also inconvenient to flee on the Sabbath. The Jewish Sabbath has many restrictions, such as not allowed to walk more than a certain distance. The Lord Jesus continued: But for the sake of the elect, those days will be shortened, that is, for the sake of the elect, the Israelites, those days will be shortened. After the great tribulation, the Son of Man, the Lord Jesus, will come on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, and he will send angels to gather his elect from the four winds.
9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. (Revelation 7:9)
13 Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?” 14 I answered, “Sir, you know.” And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (Revelation 7:13-14)
The Book of Revelation talks about many people from every nation, tribe, people and language are saved after the great tribulation. They are wearing white robes, and they have washed their robes white with the blood of the Lamb, the Lord Jesus.
I hope that more people will turn to God soon and receive God’s protection, because God is our refuge.
May God bless you and your family!
