The Abomination of Desolation: future event or has it already taken place?

The book of Daniel is considered such a complicated narrative that foreshadows the time of the end, but of which generation- the one in the past or is it yet to occur in the future? Jesus is talking to His disciples and describing the cataclysmic events as well as upheavals that will bring about the end of the age [world], but he says in Matthew 24: 15 these interesting words: “So when you see the ‘Desolation of Abomination’ [“desolating sacrilege” New Oxford Annotated Bible] standing in the holy place, as was spoken by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand). The rest of Matthew present a panoramic view of destruction and chaos as cosmic forces are unleashed that will shake the heavens and rend the very fabric of reality asunder. One could ask about Jesus’ knowledge or understanding of apocalyptic prophetical writings or if He even said those words at all. This study will utilize the book of Daniel as well as the non-canonical Apocryphal book of Maccabees to help shed some light on what is to come or has already passed.


Daniel 8: 1-2, 5, 8-9
In the third year of King Belshazzar’s reign, I, Daniel, had a vision after the one that had already appeared to me. In my vision I saw myself in the citadel of Susa in the province of Elam. In the vision I was beside the Ulai Canal. As I was thinking about this, suddenly a goat with a prominent horn between its eyes came from the west, crossing the entire earth without touching the ground. The goat became very great but at the height of his power his large horn was broken off, and in its place four prominent horns grew up toward the four winds of heaven. Out of one of them came another horn which started small but grew in power to the south and to the east and to the Beautiful Land.


1 Maccabees 1: 1, 7-8
After Alexander the Macedonian [the Great], Phillip’s [of Macedon] son, who came from the land of Kittim [Greece], had defeated Darius III, king of the Persians and Medes, he became king in his place. Alexander had reigned twelve years [336-323 BC] when he died. So his officers [generals] took over his kingdom, each in his own territory. There sprang from these a sinful offshoot, Antiochus Epiphanes IV, son of King Antiochus.


Daniel 8: 10-12
It [the horn/Antiochus Epiphanes IV] grew until it reached the host of the heavens, and it threw some of the starry hosts down to the earth and trampled on them (‘figuratively’ speaking). It set itself up to be as great as the Prince of the host. It took away the daily sacrifice from him, and the place of his sanctuary was brought low. Because of 1rebellion, the host of the saints and the daily sacrifice were given over to it. It prospered in everything it did and truth was thrown to the ground [and trampled underfoot??].


1 Maccabees 1: 11, 20-22
In those days there appeared in Israel 1men who were breakers of the law [Torah] and they seduced many people saying, “Let us go and make an alliance with the Gentiles all around us; since we separated from them many evils have come upon us.” After Antiochus Epiphanes IV had defeated Egypt in the year one hundred and forty-three [169 BC] he returned and went up to Israel and Jerusalem with a mighty force. He insolently invaded the sanctuary [Temple] and took away the golden altar, the lampstand for the light and all the fixtures, the offering table, the cups and bowls, the golden censers, the curtain, the crowns, the golden ornament on the façade of the temple.


1 Maccabees 1: 41-49, 52
Then king Antiochus Epiphanes IV wrote to his entire kingdom that all should be one people, each abandoning his particular customs. All the Gentiles conformed to the command of the king, and 1many Israelites were in favor of his religion, and they sacrificed to idols and profaned the Sabbath. The king sent messengers to Jerusalem and to the cities of Judah, ordering them to prohibit holocausts [burnt offerings], sacrifices, libations in the sanctuary, to profane the Sabbath and feast days, to desecrate the sanctuary and sacred ministers, to build pagan altars, temples, and shrines; to sacrifice swine and unclean animals [on the altar], to leave their sons uncircumcised, and to let themselves be defiled with every kind of impurity and abomination so that they might forget the law [Torah] and change all their observances [ritual customs]. 1 Many of the people, those who abandoned the law [Torah], joined them and committed evil in the land.


Daniel 8: 13-14
Then I heard a holy one [‘watcher’] speaking, and another holy one said unto him, “How long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled- the vision concerning the daily sacrifices, the rebellion that causes [the Abomination of] desolation (desecration/sacrilege), and the surrender of the sanctuary and of the host that will be trampled underfoot?” He said to me, “It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings: then the sanctuary will be cleansed (reconsecrated).”


1 Maccabees 4: 36, 38, 42-43
Then Judas [Maccabees] and his brothers said, “Now that our enemies have been crushed (defeated), let us go up and purify the sanctuary {Temple] and rededicate/consecrate it.” They found the sanctuary desolate, the altar desecrated, the gate burned, weeds growing in the courtyard as if in a forest or some mountain, and the priests chambers demolished. He (Judas) chose blameless priests dedicated to the law [Torah]; these purified the sanctuary and carried away the stones of the [desolation of] Abomination to an unclean place.


1 Maccabees 4: 52-55
Early in the morning, on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, that is the month ‘Chislev’ [December], in the year one hundred and forty-eight [164 BC], they arose and offered sacrifice according to the law [Torah] on the new altar of holocausts [burnt offerings] that they had made. On the anniversary of the day on which the Gentiles had defiled it, on that very day (Cp. 1 Maccabees 1: 54-55). It was reconsecrated with songs, harps, flutes, and cymbals. All the people prostrated themselves and adored and praised Heaven, who had given them success.


1 Maccabees 1: 54-55
On the fifteenth [twenty-fifth??] day of the month Chislev {December], in the tear one hundred and forty-five [167 BC], king Antiochus Epiphanes IV erected the horrible abomination [“Abomination of Desolation”] upon the altar of holocausts [burnt offerings], and in the surrounding cities of Judah they built pagan altars. 1They also burnt incense at the doors of the houses and in the streets. Whoever was found with a scroll of the covenant, and whoever observed the law [Torah] was condemned to death by royal decree.


NOTE: Using the lunar chronology of 30 days in a month which amounts to 360 evenings and mornings in a year, but the prophetical number seems to be a total combination of 2,300 evenings and mornings, so instead of 2,300 it should be half of that; so then it should be 1,150/360= 3.20 years more or less. This corresponds roughly to the culmination of events described by the holy one in the eight chapter of the book of Daniel as supported by the Maccabean account.



Robert Randle
776 Commerce St Apt B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
April 26, 2015
robertrandle51@yahoo.com

Exactly what is or who are the Bride of Christ?

The Christian Church has historically considered itself to be the celestial bride of wife of Christ; Catholic nuns notwithstanding, but is it as simple as that? To start on this journey it will be helpful to begin with a few statements by the Apostle Paul below in the following:

2 Corinthians 11: 2
I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I may present you as a pure virgin [bride] to Him.

Ephesians 5: 25-27
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present to Himself a radiant [glorious] church [bride], without stain, wrinkle, or blemish; but [that she be] holy and blameless.

Now, let’s look at the description of the Lamb’s [Christ’s] bride as found in the book of Revelations in the following:

Revelation 19: 7, 9
Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready. Then the angel said to me, “Write: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb.”

Revelation 21: 1, 9-11
And I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues cams [near] and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb. And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain, great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It was shining with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like jasper, clear as crystal.

NOTE: At this point we have read two theological inconsistencies- either the Church (Jews and Gentiles who believe that Jesus is the Son of God and Savior of the world) is the bride of the Lamb [Christ] or it is the supernaturally restored city of New Jerusalem; it seems unlikely that it can be both.

Revelation 21: 3
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will be with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God.

NOTE: This is all fine and good but King Solomon posed the question in 1 Kings 8: 27- But will God really dwell on the earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven cannot contain thee.
Let’s look at what the prophet Jeremiah has to say about this future event:

Jeremiah 3: 17
At that time they will call Jerusalem the Throne of the LORD, and all nations will gather in Jerusalem to honor the name of the LORD.

Revelation 21: 23
The city [New Jerusalem/the Lamb’s bride] does not need the sun or the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb [Christ] is its lamp. The nations will walk in its light and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor [tribute??] into it. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.

Lastly, consider the question the disciples of Jesus asked before His ascension back to heaven. In Acts 1: 6-7 we read: So when they met together, they asked Him, “LORD, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel [Jerusalem/ including Judah and Israel (Cp. Jeremiah chapter 3)]?” He said, “It is not for you to know the times or the dates that the Father has set by His own authority.”

CONCLUSION: Be that as it may the one thing that seems obvious is that God is still very much concerned about the Israelites or Jewish people/Hebrews, and that whatever blessings that the Gentiles receive does not supersede or replace those who are descendants from Abraham and heirs to God’s promises to him along cultural, ethnic, racial, and even religious grounds. In fact the entire book of Revelations is the most pro-Jewish book in the New Testament, along with the book of Hebrews (quite naturally). It is not a matter of choosing one or the other but to consider both sides of the issue as merely food for thought; although to some true believers there is no further need for any other consideration because the Church is the bride of Christ and this settles the matter-simple as that.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St Apt B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
April 20, 2015
robertrandle51@yahoo.com