6

First, from the Book of Daniel we have:

Daniel 9:27: “And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.”

This is followed a bit later by very similar language:

Daniel 12:7-10: "I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, as he raised his right hand and his left toward heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time; and as soon as they finish shattering the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed... 10Many will be purged, purified and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand. 11From the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days."

Christ then tells his disciples what appears to be the very same thing, even quoting Daniel in the process:

Matthew 24:15-18, 21: "Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. 17Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things out that are in his house. 18Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak... 21For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will."

Are these passages not referring to the same "abominable" force, one that "makes desolate" the "power of the holy people" — Israel?

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  • I wonder where you got the idea for this Q. from. Aug 9, 2021 at 4:30
  • @OldeEnglish Oh, I've have been reading/studying through Revelation the past week or so. My OP didn't originate from our discussion, but rather from the consistent use of the the term "abomination of desolation." But, I see your point with your question. :-)
    – Xeno
    Aug 9, 2021 at 18:09
  • (Short Answer) Absolutely Yes! The establishment of the fantastic Kingdom of God which Jesus announced and inaugurated had to become only when the Old Covenant with all its trappings were done away with. See Hebrews 8:13, Luke 16:16. This ending was not whimsical, but was prophesied (in the forethought of Providence) by Old Testament men, and by John the Baptist (Matt. 3:10), and by Jesus Himself. And the End was to be by the Roman Legions according to Luke 21:20 (compare the synoptic Gospels). The Roman army was the "Abomination that made Israel Desolate."
    – ray grant
    Jun 13, 2023 at 22:07

4 Answers 4

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Modern scholars accept that Daniel 11's original context refers to the conflicts between Jerusalem and various Greek generals in the 2nd century BC. Even most scholars who believe in Biblical inerrancy accept this. Here are two conservative commentaries as examples, which I'm not really endorsing, I'm just using them to point out the fact that this isn't really something subject to debate.

In particular, the phrase "abomination of desolation" meant, to the author of Daniel, the time when Antiochus IV desecrated the temple in Jerusalem by building an altar to Zeus inside the Holy Place and sacrificing a pig on it. That's about the strongest middle finger you could give to the Jews and certainly something that would warrant the phrase "abomination of desolation"! From the Wikipedia article:

"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 replaced the twice-daily offering in the Jewish temple, or alternatively the altar on which such offerings were made. In the 1st century CE it was taken up by the authors of the gospels in the context of the Roman destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in the year 70, with Mark giving Jesus a speech concerning the Second Coming, Matthew 24:15-16 adding a reference to Daniel, and Luke Luke 21:20-21 giving a description of the Roman armies ("But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies…"); in all three it is likely that the authors had in mind a future eschatological (i.e., end-time) event, and perhaps the activities of some anti-Christ.

Therefore, Jesus reinterpreted Daniel, so at least in some sense the passages are not talking about the same thing. However, it's easy to see how the Roman sacking of the temple in 70 AD would also qualify as an "abomination of desolation," and restricting Daniel to a single interpretation might not be wise. How you ultimately view this is probably a matter of faith.

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  • Indeed, everything after Daniel 9 reads like a completely different book. There are many who believe chapters 10-11 were either Hasmonean interpolations or 2nd CE Babylonian interpolations, as both the language and narrative devices are radically different from the earlier parts of Daniel. It's completely different from any other Biblical prophecy, including the other prophecies in Daniel.
    – Robert
    Aug 10, 2021 at 6:45
  • @RichardFitzhugh-The OP did not mention chapter 11 (which does indeed deal with Antiochus). The OTHER VERSES which were mentioned DO indeed refer to the same conquest by the Romans. History has a way of confirming prophecy! Jerusalem (and its Temple worship) were conquered by the Romans in the first century (appx. 70x7 heptads later than Daniel), as a consequence of the Jewish refusal to accept their Messiah. Th 1290 days of invasion "from Dan to Beersheba" (appx. 31/2 years) with the final surrender at 1335 days, is an amazing supernatural prophetic fulfilment!
    – ray grant
    Jun 29, 2023 at 19:59
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There is little question that Matt 24;15 alludes directly to Dan 9:27, 12:11. let me be more specific.

In the Greek NT, the phrase βδέλυγμα τῆς ἐρημώσεως (= “abomination of desolation”) has a pivotal occurrence in both first century events and apocalyptic events that overlap. The word ἐρημώσεως (eremoseos) is from the root word ἐρήμωσις (erémósis) which BDAG defines as, the “state of being made uninhabitable, devastation, destruction, depopulation”. This word only occurs in the following places in the NT:

  • Matt 24:15, “abomination of desolation which was spoken by Daniel the prophet …”
  • Mark 13:14, “abomination of desolation standing where it ought not to be …”
  • Luke 21:20, “when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near.”

The “abomination of desolation” (or similar phrase) occurs elsewhere only in Daniel 8:13, 9:27, 11:31, 12:11. The phrase might be more helpfully translated, “depopulating sacrilege”. It is also alluded to in several other places as we shall see. Let us list the characteristics of the abomination of desolation from these references.

  • It causes the cessation of the “daily” (Heb: Tamid) usually understood to be the daily (or continual) sacrifice (Dan 8:13). More correctly, (See Annex), it points to the ministry of Jesus our High Priest and His continual ministry in the heavenly sanctuary.
  • It occurs because of rebellion (presumably of those supposed to be God’s people. Non-Christians and non-Jews cannot rebel because they have not declared loyalty to God.) (Dan 8:13)
  • It ushers in a period (“times of Gentiles” according to Luke 21:20-24) where the sanctuary and God’s people will be trampled underfoot (Dan 8:13, Rev 11:2)
  • It is associated with a coming ruler (not Messiah), presumably, the antichrist (Dan 9:27); in 2 Thess 2:1-12 he is called the “man of lawlessness”, and, “son of destruction”.
  • Dan 11:31 appears to equate the King of the North with the one who would abolish the “continual” (Heb: “Tamid”) and desecrate the temple fortress and thus depopulate the temple of worshipers.
  • There are several time periods associated with the abomination of desolation: 2300 days until its end (Dan 8:13); 1290 days from its beginning (Dan 12:11); 42 months (Luke 21:20-24, Rev 11:2), 70 weeks (Dan 9:24-27).
  • The abomination of desolation is to stand in the holy place (Hebrew idiom for either the temple or Jerusalem, Matt 4:5, 27:53, 24:15, Acts 6:13, 21:28) and is where this ruler does not belong (Mark 13:14). This is the signal for those in Jerusalem to immediately flee and the immanent depopulation of Jerusalem of Christians.
  • The abomination of desolation was in Jesus’ time still future (Matt 24:15). (Therefore, this could not have been Antiochus Epiphanes.)

It is immediately obvious that Jesus applied this prophecy (at least in part) to the destruction of the temple (which occurred in 70 AD) that temporarily despoiled and depopulated Jerusalem, in his famous “Synoptic Apocalypse”. But it is also obvious that Jesus intended far more than this from the numerous references in this sermon to the end of the world. The question that prompted this sermon is a two-fold question (Matt 24:3) about both (a) the destruction of Jerusalem, and, (b) Jesus’ Second Advent. Jesus’ response was to answer both questions simultaneously by giving a dual prophecy. The advantage we have is to learn lessons from the destruction of Jerusalem and apply these to the remainder of Christian history since. Thus, while some parts of Jesus’ final sermon are clearly apocalyptic, much has a dual application as we shall soon see.

[Historical note: According to Josephus and a few other locals, the siege of Jerusalem began when Vespasian was ordered (by Nero) to destroy Jerusalem in 66 AD. It was probably an insurrection in Egypt that caused the siege to be abandoned the following year. This caused great jubilation amongst the Jews who believed they had been miraculously saved. By contrast, the Christians in Jerusalem recalled the prophecy of Jesus and took the opportunity to flee Jerusalem, but, Jews flooded into Jerusalem. In 68 AD the siege was re-established and in 69/70 AD, with Vespasian now emperor, he asked his son, Titus, to complete the siege. In 70 AD the wall was breached and many Jews perished but no Christians.]

In Jesus’ time, the abomination of desolation was fulfilled when the pagan Roman government (by its army) stood in Jerusalem and soon destroyed it by desecrating the temple and temporarily depopulating the city . Apocalyptically and eschatalogically, Paul tells us what would happen in 2 Thess 2:3 & 4 - Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. This uses the same language as Jesus’ sermon. The “man of lawlessness” would precipitate the abomination of desolation by blasphemously trying to usurp the rights and prerogatives of God Himself by removing Christ from the heavenly sanctuary and the continual (Heb: “Tamid”) intercession He offers for us (1 Tim 2:5, Heb 4:14-16, 7:23-28, 8:1, 2, 9:1-28, 10:1-18) as our High Priest.

Thus we find that the little horn of Daniel 7, the (latter part) of the little horn of Daniel 8, the (latter part) of the king of the north that causes the abomination of desolation, the “man of lawlessness” in 2 Thess 2, and the sea beast of Rev 13, are all prophecies about the same medieval power that is blasphemous and sets itself against Jesus and His faithful people and persecutes Christ’s followers.

This medieval political power is different from all other political powers in that it blasphemously claims to usurp Christ and His salvation and thus is a legalistic, works based pseudo-Christian power, different from any other political or civil power. Thus, the abomination of desolation is an alternate means of salvation that takes away Christ as our mediator and high priest and replaces Him with a man-made system.

Annex: תָּמִיד (tamid)

In the book of Daniel, the word תָּמִיד (tamid), meaning continual or regular, occurs just five times, Dan 8:11, 12, 13, 11:31, 12:11 as an adverb. It is always associated with the apostate power that removed this “continual” from the sanctuary. The same word occurs almost 100 times in the rest of the OT. It is often associated with various things in the sanctuary such as:

  • The shew bread which was to be on the table continually, Ex 25:30, Lev 24:8, Num 4:7, 16, 2 Chron 2:4
  • The menorah which was to burn continually, Ex 27:20, Lev 24:2-4
  • The High Priests’ breast plate as a continual memorial, Ex 28:29, 30
  • The High Priests’ blue ribbon attached to his turban as a continual reminder of the presence of God, Ex 28:37, 38
  • The morning and evening sacrifice of a burnt offering (a lamb) on the sanctuary altar, Ex 29:41, 42, Num 28:3-6, 10, 15, 23, 24, 31, 29:6, 11, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31, 34, 1 Chron 16:37, 40, 2 Chron 24:14, Ezra 3:5, Neh 10:33, Ps 50:8, Eze 46:15
  • The burning wood in the altar of offering, continually, Ex 30:8, Lev 6:13
  • Offering of fine flour was to be continual, Lev 6:20, Neh 10:33, Eze 46:14
  • The continual presence of the cloud over the sanctuary, Num 9:16
  • The blowing continually of trumpets, 1 Chron 16:6
  • The ceremonies of the sanctuary, generally, that operated continually, 1 Chron 16:37, 23:31.

Note two important things about this survey:

  1. There is MUCH more than just the continual/regular (morning and evening) burnt offering of a lamb associated with the word תָּמִיד (tamid); however, that is the most common. תָּמִיד (tamid) is also associated with shew bread, the light (menorah), the High Priests’ breast plate, the blue ribbon, fire on the altar, grain offering, trumpeting, sanctuary services generally.
  2. All the features associated with the תָּמִיד (tamid), “continual” are taken up in the NT as symbols of the ministry of Jesus as our High Priest both here and in heaven, Heb 4:14-16, 7:23-28, 8:1, 2, 9:1-28, 10:1-18. Note the following:
  • Jesus was the fulfilment of what the sanctuary/temple typified, John 2:19-21, Heb 9:1-28, 10:1-18
  • Jesus represented the foundation of the temple as well, 1 Peter 2:4-8 (Compare Isa 28:16, Ps 118:22)
  • Jesus was the bread of life, John 6:35, 41, 48 (compare Ex 25:23-30, Lev 24:8).
  • Jesus was the light of life, John 8:12, 9:5 (compare the lampstand Ex 25:31-39, Lev 24:3, 4, Isa 53:11, Ps 56:13, etc)
  • Jesus was the Passover Lamb and thus the promised Messiah, John 1:29, 1 Cor 5:7, 1 Peter 1:19 (compare Ex 12:1-14).
  • Jesus is the High Priest of the New Covenant in fulfilment of the Levitical covenant, Heb 4:14-16, 7:23-28, because He was “pure, blameless, set apart” exactly as the Levites were. See also Heb 9:15, 12:24.
  • Even the blue cord signifying the presence of God was fulfilled in and of Jesus, John 14:10, 11, etc.
  • Jesus provided the blood of the new covenant of which the communion ceremony was to be a memorial, Matt 26:28, Mark 14:24, Luke 22:20, 1 Cor 11:25, Heb 13:20, 1 Peter 1:19 (compare Ex 24:5, 8).

Now back to Daniel and his תָּמִיד (tamid). Many of the English versions add “sacrifice” after “continual” - is this valid? Yes and no! “Yes” if we understand it refers to the sanctuary ceremonies generally; “no” of we understand it refers to the sacrifices exclusively. I believe that Daniel is alluding to all that pointed to Jesus and His perfect ministry as our intercessor (1 Tim 2:5, Heb 8:6, 12:24, etc).

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  • Nice retrieve here. Aug 9, 2021 at 6:11
  • @OldeEnglish - I think this was the subject of one of your first questions here?
    – Dottard
    Aug 9, 2021 at 6:57
  • You got that right, so why didn't you just reference it, or is it mostly about amassing as many points as possible??? We don't all have a huge 'personal' reference library that we can just go to, extract and maybe tweak a little bit, then post as if new. Aug 9, 2021 at 16:29
  • @OldeEnglish - my apologies if I have offended you. If I recall that question was different. If you believe they are sufficiently similar, vote to close this one. My aim here is to be as helful as possible and so I almost never downvote by try to explain as often as possible where there are genuine questions.
    – Dottard
    Aug 9, 2021 at 20:51
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    @raygrant - I think your history has been "flexed" to suit your prophetic interpretation of the first Jewish-Roman war which began in 66 AD. This included a decisive victory by the Jews called the Battle of Beth Heron and first year of liberty with Jewish coins struck to celebrate it. The war ended in 73 AD with the destruction of Masada.
    – Dottard
    Jul 1, 2023 at 21:36
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Are the passages from Daniel 9:27, 12:7-10, and Matthew 24:15-21 not describing the same "abominable" force of "desolation"?

The word "abomination" is used three times in the book of Daniel (Dan 9:27 (plural), 11:31 and 12:11). The Hebrew word is 8251 in Strong's Exhaustive Concordance:

from 8262; disgusting, i.e. filthy; especially idolatrous or (concretely) an idol; abominable filth (idol, -ation), detestable (thing).

For 8262 it says:

a primitive root; to be filthy, i.e. (intensively) to loathe, to pollute:- abhor, make abominable, have in abomination, detest, * utterly.

The word is used in the singular in 1 Kings 11:5, 11:7 (twice), 2 Kings 23:13 (three times).

From these texts it can be seen that an "abomination" is not a force but rather a disgusting idol, or detestable false god.

So where an abomination is said to "stand in the holy place" it is most likely a statue/idol representing a false god or an alter or shrine to a false god (Matt 24:15), standing either in the Jerusalem Temple or on the holy site of the Jerusalem Temple, where the Temple had once stood.

As others have already said, an alter was built to Zeus in the Temple in Jerusalem by Antiochus IV Epiphanes: this lead to rebellion by the Jews against the Seleucids and this rebellion lead to Jewish independence under the Hasmonians/Maccabees, a "golden age" of Jewish independence. The action of Antiochus Epiphanes accounts for the mention of "abomination of desolation" in Daniel 11:31.

When our Lord speaks of the abomination in Matthew 24:15 he must either be speaking of Dan 12:11 or Dan 9:27. In that Daniel 11:31 is referring to exactly the same false god, i.e. Zeus/Jupiter, you could say verse Daniel 11:31 is also being referred to. In other words, what happened in the days of Antiochus Epiphanes with an abomination to Zeus will happen again: only the name will be the Latin name for Zeus, i.e. Jupiter.

The use in Dan 12:11 seems to be figurative, the main purpose of this section being an encouragement to patience and perseverance in times of trouble. The 1290 days is about three and a half years, a time often used in Scripture to represent a time of chastening and suffering (James 5:17; Rev 11:2, 12:6, 13:5, 12:14).

The most likely verse Matthew 24:15 refers directly to, is Daniel 9:27.

Matthew 24 is a difficult passage because it is our Lord's reply to two entirely different questions 1. When will the Temple be destroyed? and 2. When will be the end of the age? (Matt 24:1-3). These two events were closely associated together in the minds of the disciples. It seems they thought the Temple would survive until "the end of the age".

Q: Why did our Lord not immediately correct this mistake? A: Because he would not have them believe there is a vast gap between the destruction of the Temple and the end of the age. Q. And why would he not want them to believe that? A. Because not even He, in his human nature, knew if it were true or false (Mark 13:32). Q. So why not tell them there might be a big gap between the time of the Temple's destruction and the end of the age? A. Because he wants them and us to be always spiritually awake and ready for the end of the age; for the Son of Man shall come as a thief in the night.

I cannot deny that the following interpretation of Matthew 24 has problems, but I think interpreting the abomination of desolation to have appeared at the time of the Temple destruction (AD 70) has much greater problems.. there was no abomination at that time, and there was no desolation either. The following interpretation has both. Though the destruction of the Temple in AD 70 was bad, something far worse happened during the Kokhba Rebellion ending AD 135. The mere destruction of the Temple in AD 70 was something from which the Jews could recover. It had happened in the past and they had recovered from it. The destruction that happened in the Bar Kokhba Rebellion ending AD 135 was something from which the Jews could not possibly recover... ever. The Bar Kokhba Rebellion was the final chapter of a 2000 year era for the Jewish people.

In Matthew 24, our Lord takes the opportunity to speak of future things in general. One thing must be remembered: our Lord did not know the day of his return to judge the world (Mark 13:32). In his divine nature he knew, but in his human nature he did not know.

He tells them what he does know: the Temple will be destroyed, the abomination of desolation will come, many will rise up claiming to be the Christ, etc. Having finished talking in general about future things he returns to answering their original question (of verse 3): in v34-36 he talks of "these things" and of "that day and that hour". The "these things" in v34 refers back to the destruction of the Temple, and that alone.

On this understanding, the "abomination of desolation" (verse 15) is not related to the destruction of the Temple (AD 70). It is mentioned in the passage speaking generally of future things. The truth is there is nothing of any historical consequence that happened at the time of the Temple destruction that can be spoken of as the abomination of desolation.

However, in the days of the Emperor Hadrian about AD 130 a Temple to Jupiter was set up on the Temple mount, the site where the Jewish Temple had been. (" Jupiter" is the Latin name for Greek god "Zeus".) This lead to the 3rd Jewish Roman War, the Bar Kokhba Rebellion. The Jews remembered and were greatly encouraged to think how successful they had been the last time an idol was set up at the Temple in the days of Antiochus Epiphanes about 168 BC. It had lead to nearly a 100 years of Jewish independence. They believed Emperor Hadrian's idol was an afront to the honour of God. They believed God would be with them as they sought to throw off the Roman rule. They believed the hour had come for the Kingdom of God which they believed was a physical, earthly kingdom in which the Jews were the masters. They believed the man who was promising to lead them to military success. They thought he was their long-promised Messiah.

Simon Bar Kokhba had changed his name. Really "Bar Kokhba" was a title, his father's not was not "Kokhba". Bar Kokhba, "Son of the Star", is a reference to Numbers 24:17. Many Jews, not just in Palestine but in the diaspora, who had rejected Jesus as the Messiah believed Simon Bar Kokhba to be the Messiah: afer all, they had been expecting him to come, the general timing in the book of Daniel pointing to the time of his coming being very close, or even his coming was overdue.

At one time it is said about 400,000 Jewish men were involved in the rebellion, it gained independence for three years. When the Romans finally regained control they were extremely brutal against the Jews, Jerusalem was flattened, and many towns and villages destroyed. Some call the vengeance a time not far short of genocide; we are told about half a million Jews were sold into slavery.

But what was truly devastating for the Jews was the destruction of the their genealogical records showing their descent from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Without these records there was no coming back for the Jews as the covenant people of God: that covenant was based on genealogical descent from Abraham. Without the records no Jew could prove they had access to the privileges of the Abrahamic Covenant: the Covenant came to an end. It can never be reinstated. There is no coming back for the Jews.

The abomination of desolation in Matthew 24 is the Temple to Jupiter set up in the days of Hadrian. The Jews had faith in Simon Bar Kokhba thus demonstrating they had no faith in Jesus of Nazareth and no love for God. They rather hated Jesus (without a cause) and suffered the consequences.

The Jews had rejected utterly that they were sinners needing a spiritual Messiah. They believed they were good enough for God, even the only ones in the world who were. Proud self-righteousness undid them. They thought the Law of Moses required only an outward show of obedience: they neither loved the laws of God truly in their hearts nor the One who had given them. If we are the same as them we must expect the same judgement.

The real cause for the destruction of the Jews in the Bar Kokhba rebellion was their rejection of Jesus our Lord, revealed by their faith in another.

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  • If it hadn't been for your edit and me deciding to respond/comment to Ray Grant, below, I might have left this alone. Don't know whether I took the time to read this in 2021 or not. IMO you hit and missed here, badly (see my comments to RG). It's a definite downvote from me. Jun 29, 2023 at 2:26
-1

Daniel 9:27 The whole prophecy in chapter 9 dealt with the Second Temple Era, zeroing in on its beginning, and its ending. The exile of 70 years was just about over, which was the result of failure in the First Temple Era, so the angel informed Daniel about the future Temple Era. This was to cover a time period of 70X7 heptads (490 years, taking it to the Roman Era).

Its Ending was also to be tragic, just like the first, BUT with this caveat: the Messiah (Anointed One) would come with a grand program and a New Covenant (See listing of six events, vs. 26.) But mysteriously, the Messiah would be killed (cut off) after 31/2 years (middle of the week).

As a result of this ignominious event, the Nation of Israel would eventually be judged, and conquered by the ABOMINATION WHO MAKES DESOLATE. And the 490 Heptads of years limited all this to the first century of the Roman Era. Lo and behold, history confirmed this prophecy!

Daniel 11-12 The prophecy found in these two chapters covers the same Second Temple Era, BUT while Daniel 9 only dealt with its beginning and its ending, this prophecy dealt in much more detail, the whole period of time. From Persia...to Greece era...to Diodochi persecution (Antiochus and Maccabees)...to Roman conquest of the East...to Herod...to the Gospel era...and the final Destruction of the Temple and Judea.

The ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION in chapter 12 is described in its conquest (which we now know to be the Roman Legions). The Romans began a flood of destruction in 66A.D at the behest of Nero under the General, Vespasian. His Legions trampled down village after village in Galilee, Samaria, Perea, and Judea proper for 1290 days just as Daniel wrote! Down to 70 A.D.

Finally the soldiers besieged Jerusalem: 12th and 15th Legion under General Titus, 5th Legion from Emmaus, 10th Legion from Jericho. The three outer walls were broken...the Temple burned and torn down...the Lower city ravished. But in the Upper City, the Zealot rebels held out in Herod's immense Palace. The towers and walls were so thick and strong that Titus decided to wait it out.

There was estimated that there was enough food and water to last an indeterminant length of time. But MYSTERIOUSLY, the rebels opened the gates and surrendered on the 1335th day. The Abomination of Desolation completed its prophetic task. Amazing fulfilment!

Matthew 24:15-16 Jesus referred to this same prophecy in the Olivet Discourse, and we know He interpreted it as the invasion of the iron-booted Roman army because of the synoptic verses in Luke 19:41-44, 21:20. Jesus's heart was broken because He knew of the tragedy that was to come because of the corruption of the Jews (Don't forget to read Matthew 23, before you study chapter 24-25. CONTEXT is everything! Well, not everything; but it is so important.

Indeed, tis True Yes all three of these passage refer to the Destruction of Jerusalem, beyond a doubt. History has a way of confirming prophecy...and destroying false interpretations, too. One would be enriched by reading Flavius Josephus's WARS OF THE JEWS (an eye-witness observer). {As well, Raymond Grant, TIMES, THEY ARE A'CHANGING; and Marcellus Kik, MATTHEW TWENTY'FOUR}

15
  • Yes! I too agree that all 3 passages in the Q are referring to the same Abomination of Desolation, i.e. Roman armies, under Titus. But, you seem to be confused about the dating of certain events/prophecies. Also, your wont/want to incorporate the 1290 + 45 days, making for a total of 1335 days (Dan, 12: 11,12), I find to be pure hyperbole. First of all, the Jews exile in Babylon ended in 538/7 BC, with Zerubbabel, along with 49,897 others, not leaving for Jerusalem until 536 BC, which is around 80 years before the start of the "70 Weeks" (490 years) prophecy ... tbc... Jun 29, 2023 at 1:11
  • ...ctd... which most theologians date from 458 BC (1st decree of Artaxerxes I) which would then end in 33 AD (Crucifixion/Resurrection of Jesus). General Cestius Gallus and his 12th legion set out for Jerusalem in Oct/Nov of 66 AD and did certainly commence their actual siege of Jerusalem some 3 1/2 years later, Apr 3 to be exact, whether that amounted to a total of 1290 days, is very much debatable. In any case, it took 4 mths and 25 days to complete and didn't end until, Aug 30, of 70 AD, which does not amount to a further 45 days. I too have read Flavius Josephus's WARS OF THE JEWS. Jun 29, 2023 at 1:44
  • 1
    Apologies... Titus actually began the Apr 3, 70 AD, siege. Cestius Gallus famously withdrew his forces, later in 66 AD. Jun 29, 2023 at 1:51
  • @OldeEnglish-It is good you corrected the surrounding of Cestius, and his withdrawal. The invasion through all Judea, Samaria, Perea, Galilee, for 3 1/2 years (1290 days) by Vespasian, and then Titus, until the capitol Jerusalem was decimated shows the prophecy to be accurate...supernatural! The hold out of the last fortress for just 45 days, was the cherry on the top of this amazing prophecy! (1335 days) History confirms this interpretation to the jot and title!
    – ray grant
    Jun 29, 2023 at 20:10
  • If this is true, then you/history must have a starting date and ending date for the so called 1290 days, plus 45 days and yet you fail to mention them. Jun 29, 2023 at 22:27

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