PROPHECY---- ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION?

A NEW ROMAN YEAR AND DECADE IS NEARLY UPON US - 2021----

PROPHECY——

Abomination of Desolation?

Jesus and Daniel talk about it!

     It has been a common Fundamental Christian teaching for a

hundred years or more, now adopted by many Church of God people,

that near the end of this age, within about 7 years before the

coming of Christ the Messiah, that a Jewish Temple of some

type will be constructed in Jerusalem, and Jews will once more

perform animal sacrifices.

The teaching continues to say that a great religious leader, the

false prophet of the book of Revelation, will head a mighty world

power. It is said that he will come into Jerusalem, overcome the

Jews, walk into the Temple they have constructed, and establish

himself and his religion within its walls. This event is said by

these Fundamental Protestants to be what the NT (New Testament)

and Jesus were meaning to convey to us when they talk about "the

abomination of desolation."

  

     I openly and frankly disagree with this theological idea of

some of those who so interpret this phrase of Jesus in Matthew

24. I believe it is in total error and using the NT to interpret

itself, I believe the truth of the matter is plain to see. I have

not been the only one to see how the NT explains and interprets

itself on this "abomination of desolation" phrase.  Ralph Woodrow

wrote a book on certain prophecies of the Bible, way back in

1971, called "Great Prophecies of the Bible."  I do not agree

with all that Woodrow has written on prophecy. But I do think he

has written and come to some very good insights on parts of Bible

prophecy, this being one of them.

     I present here, as the truth on this matter, what Ralph

Woodrow has in part to say on what is the "Abomination of

Desolation.”

Quote:

     "Concerning our Lord's statement about the destruction of

the Temple, the disciples asked: 'WHEN shall these things be? and

WHAT SIGN will there be when these things shall come to pass?'

(Luke 21: 7).  As we have seen, Jesus mentioned things of a

general nature that would come to pass first. Now he gives THE

sign - a specific sign that would let them know that Jerusalem

was about to be destroyed. He said that they would see 'the

abomination of desolation' and when they saw this, they were to

quickly flee, for the desolation of the city would be nigh.

Matthew: 'When you shall SEE the abomination of desolation,

spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso

reads, let him understand), then let them that be in Judea FLEE

into the mountains' (24: 15, 16).

Mark: '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 Judea FLEE to

the mountains' (13: 14).

Luke: 'When you shall SEE Jerusalem compassed with ARMIES, then

know that the DESOLATION thereof is nigh. Then let them which are

in Jerusalem FLEE to the mountains....Jerusalem shall be trodden

down of the GENTILES' (21: 20, 21, 24).

     Now, step by step, let us notice what we are told in these

parallel accounts:

     1. We notice where Matthew and Mark record: 'When you shall

see the abomination of DESOLATION.....then let them which be in

Judea flee into the mountains,'  Luke, in speaking of exactly the

SAME thing, says: 'When you see JERUSALEM compassed with armies,

then know that the DESOLATION thereof is nigh. Then let them

which are in Judea flee to the mountains.' We see, then, that it

was JERUSALEM that would become a DESOLATION.

     We notice also that this 'desolation' was that 'which was

spoken by Daniel the prophet.' ............(Daniel spoke about

this in Daniel 12:11 in which the context is only certain number

of days before Daniel would be resurrected at the end of the

days, verse 13. Jesus in Matthew 24 is talking about the same

time frame as the disciples asked Him what would be the signs of

His coming and the end of the age, Mat.24:3. Keith Hunt).

     .....it is evident that what was to become a 'desolation'

was JERUSALEM. There is no room for any misunderstanding here.

     2. Looking again at the parallel accounts, we see that what

Matthew and Mark refer to as the 'abomination' that would make

Jerusalem DESOLATE, Luke (using plain language) shows that such

would be ARMIES - Gentile armies: 'And when you shall see

Jerusalem COMPASSED with ARMIES, then know that the DESOLATION

thereof is nigh....JERUSALEM shall be TRODDEN DOWN of the

Gentiles' (Luke 21:20-24).

     The word 'abomination' is a word that refers to anything

that is especially loathsome or detestable. Certainly this fits

the feelings the inhabitants of Jerusalem would have towards an

idol-worshipping Gentile army advancing to destroy their city! In

fact, an army (coming to destroy) is an abomination to any people

or nation. And, as history has repeatedly recorded, the work of

armies so often results in desolation - destruction!

     3. Matthew's account says that the abomination (Gentile

army) would 'stand in the holy place' and adds the words: 'Whoso

reads, let him understand.' Mark's account, because it too is

given in somewhat veiled language, includes the words: 'Let him

that reads understand.' BUT, looking at Luke's account of the

SAME passage which is given in PLAIN language, we read: 'When you

see JERUSALEM compassed with armies....' And because he gives the

EXPLANATION, he does not include the phrase: 'Let him that

reads understand.'

     By letting the Bible be its own INTERPRETER, then, we see

that the term 'holy place' (Mat.24:15), is a reference to

JERUSALEM. Jerusalem is commonly referred to as the HOLY CITY

(Mat.27:53; Dan.9:16 etc.). According to the prophecy, Gentile

armies were to compass it and finally bring it to desolation.

     The word translated 'place' in the expression 'holy place'

in Matthew's account is TOPOS (see any Greek dictionary or Bible

Concordance such as Strong's, Young's, etc.). The word TOPOS

means simply a locality. Such words as TOPICAL and TOPOGRAPHY

are derived from it. It is used in such Scriptural expressions as

'a desert place,' 'dry place,' etc. (It is NOT the same term as

that which is used in describing the holy of holies in the

Temple).

     What is called the holy place is EXPLAINED  by Luke as the

area that would be occupied by armies surrounding Jerusalem. The

MATTHEW HENRY COMMENTARY has well put it: 'Jerusalem 

was the holy city, Canaan the holy land, the Mt.Moriah which lay about

Jerusalem, for its nearness to the Temple was, they thought, in a

particular manner holy ground; on the country lying round about

Jerusalem the Roman army was encamped, THAT was the abomination

that made desolate' (Henry, Commentary on the whole Bible, vol.5

p.352). "

     [The 70 A.D. captivity of Jerusalem by the Roman armies of

Titus and then the desolation and destruction of that city was a

forerunner of what once more will take place in the last few

years before the close of this age and the return of Christ -

Keith Hunt]

     Continuing with Woodrow:

     "These pagan armies were to 'compass' the city (Luke); they

would take a 'stand' there (Matthew) - the word STAND indicating

rebellion or hostility. Examples of the word used in this way may

be seen in the following:

     'A king of fierce countenance...shall stand up' (Dan.8:23,

25). 'A mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great

dominion...and when he shall stand up...'(11:3,4). Another will

'stand up in his estate, and shall come with an army' (verse 7).

'Then shall stand up...a raiser of taxes...and in his estate

shall stand up a vile person' (verses 20, 21). A king 'shall be

stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he

shall not stand...' (verse 25). Concerning persecution against

the cause of Christ, we read in Acts 4:26: 'The kings of the

earth stood up and the rulers were gathered together against

the Lord...'

     We cite these references to show how the word 'stand' is

used of those who assume a place of leadership or authority to

rebel or fight. And in the same sense, the 'abomination' - the

pagan armies - were to take a stand against Jerusalem and compass

it about to destroy it!.....Any way we look at it, according to

the words of Christ, Jerusalem was marked for destruction by the

hands of her enemies......."

     [From recorded history we know that in the 70 A.D. forerunner

and type of what will take place at the end time, not one single

Christian was killed in the destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman

armies of Titus. They saw Jerusalem being compassed with armies,

waited for the opportune time (which God gave them) and fled the

city. They fled when they saw Jerusalem compassed about with

Gentile armies, NOT when something was done inside the Temple.

The prophecy has nothing to do with the a Temple in Jerusalem. It

has nothing to do with a person doing anything outside or inside

a physical building, that some could want to call a Temple. The

prophecy has to do with Gentile ARMIES compassing about the city

of Jerusalem, and getting ready to capture and desolate and

destroy it - Keith Hunt]

     Woodrow explains correctly:

     "We see, then, that in the place where Matthew and Mark use

the somewhat veiled expression 'abomination of desolation,' Luke

(using PLAIN language) shows that such was to be Gentile armies

compassing Jerusalem to bring it to desolation. All three of the

Gospel accounts before mentioning this sign begin with the words:

'When you see...' and follow this with the words: 'Then let them

that be in Judea flee to the mountains,' etc. There can be no

mistaking that these are PARALLEL accounts. By simply letting the

Bible EXPLAIN ITSELF, we have seen that the 'desolation' was to

be the destruction of Jerusalem.....the 'abomination of

desolation' referred to the heathen armies that would bring about

the desolation; and then these armies would be seen compassing

Jerusalem, the disciples were to flee.

     This interpretation is solidly built on the Bible. With it,

the Gospel accounts are COMPLIMENTARY, not CONTRADICTORY......

     Having set forth what we sincerely believe to be the exact

and only fulfillment of our Lord's words, we must now consider an

interpretation which has become widely believed, especially in

this century (20th century). We have reference to the teaching

that the 'abomination of desolation' is an IDOL to be placed in

the holy of holies of a REBUILT Jewish Temple - possibly an idol

of the Anti-christ or the Anti-christ HIMSELF.....

     An example....is seen in the following: 'The Jews - who will

have....restored Herod's Temple, and be in LEAGUE with the

Antichrist - will have a visit by the False Prophet who shall

bring an image of the Antichrist into Jerusalem and wheel it into

the Temple....When this image of the Antichrist is taken into the

Jewish Temple, that will be the sign Jesus mentioned in Matthew

24, the Abomination of desolation' (Roberts, how to be Personally

Prepared for the Second coming of Christ, p. 38).

     Another futurist says: 'This image will be placed in the

Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, and is the abomination of desolation

to which the Lord made reference in his Olivet discourse'

(DeHaan, The Antichrist and Armageddon, p. 13)......

     The setting up of an idol in the sanctuary is something the

enemy could not do UNTIL such a time as the Temple would be in

the enemies' possession. Since the magnificent Temple would no

doubt be the LAST thing to be yielded to the enemy in battle, by

this time the city would have ALREADY BEEN CAPTURED and it 

would be TOO LATE for the disciples to FLEE! Obviously then, this 

could NOT be the SIGN to flee. In order for something to be a WARNING

for the disciples to ESCAPE, it would have to come BEFORE the

capture of the city - not something to take place AFTERWARDS!

     In view of this, an idol in the holy of holies could not be

the sign Jesus referred to. But the presence of heathen armies

compassing Jerusalem could be - and was the sign, such happening

BEFORE (in 70 A.D. Keith Hunt) the overthrow of the city (as we

have seen)......

     The 'abomination' that would make desolate was to be

something that could be SEEN by the inhabitants of Judea and

Jerusalem. 'When you SEE the abomination,' that is, 'When you SEE

Jerusalem compassed with ARMIES,' then, 'let them that are in

Judea flee into the mountains.' It is evident that Jesus was not

talking about an idol in the holy of holies, for such could NOT

be SEEN by the population of Jerusalem and Judea. Only the high

priest entered the holy of holies. None of the ordinary Jews

would dare enter there.....

     On the other hand, it was pagan armies that destroyed the

city....It was armies that were seen by the people, and it was

the compassing of Jerusalem by the armies that warned the

disciples to flee! (in the first 70 A.D. fulfillment when

Jerusalem was desolated by the Roman armies of Titus - Keith

Hunt).....

     'And as He (Jesus) went out of the TEMPLE, one of His

disciples said unto Him: Master, see what manner of stones and

what buildings are HERE! And Jesus answering said unto him, See

you THESE great buildings? There shall not be left ONE STONE

UPON ANOTHER, that shall not be thrown down......' "

End quote

     With this last quote from Matthew 24 by Woodrow I leave off

quoting from him and his chapter in his book on this subject, and

continue with my own further expounding on this matter and topic.

     The context of Matthew 24 from where this quote by Jesus is

taken must be read very carefully.  The disciples asked Jesus

when these things would be AND, "what shall be the SIGN of YOUR

COMING, and of the END of the world (age, as the Greek should

be understood), verse 3.

     Matthew 24 is clearly a prophecy for the END TIME, not for

70 A.D. There may have been a type fulfillment in 70 A.D. but the

prophecy of Jesus in Matthew 24 is for the END of the age, for a

time just SHORTLY BEFORE His return. This we can see from the

mention of the resurrection of the saints as they are gathered by

the angels to meet the returning Christ (verses 25-31).

     The fact is that in 70 A.D. NOT ALL the stones from the

Temple and the buildings were cast down, so that there was not

one left upon another. Such as that NEVER happened in 70 A.D. Nor

has it happened to this very day. For the now famous WAILING

WALL in Jerusalem which still stands with stones one upon

another, was a PART OF THE TEMPLE of Jesus' day!  In the future

fulfillment of Matthew 24, when the Gentile armies of the Beast

power of the book of Revelation comes to compass about Jerusalem,

to take the city and to destroy it in battle (see Rev.11:2) then

this prophecy of Jesus will finally be fulfilled and all the

stones of the Temple of Jesus' day will come down, so not

one will be left upon another.

     In passing, you may have questions regarding Revelation

11:1-2 as it talks about a Temple and altar (but notice it says,

"temple of God" not "temple of the Jews." A Jewish Temple, built

by those who have rejected the Christ and the NT, who are

worshipping God not under the NT but under the OT, who do not

worship God in "spirit and in truth" could hardly be said to be a

"temple of God').  For the contextual truth of these verses

I refer you to the excellent comments by Albert Barnes in his

Bible Commentary.

       

Animal Sacrifices by Jews at the End Time?

     Many have and do feel very confident that a Jewish temple

will yet be built in Jerusalem, and that the Jews will once more

offer animal sacrifices in that Temple before the coming of the

Messiah in glory.

     First, it is often either not known or is forgotten by most.

The State and Government of Israel is a "secular" Government.

They are NOT interested in "religious matters" on the whole. The

secular government of Israel could really care less about

building a "religious" Temple for a certain relatively small

religious sect of Judaism.

     Secondly, the main body of "orthodox" Judaism clearly and

strongly is opposed to any Temple being built BEFORE the coming

of the Messiah. They actual teach that ONLY the Messiah can build

the NEXT temple in Jerusalem. This main body orthodox religious

Jews would be totally AGAINST the building of a Jewish temple in

which an animal sacrificial system would once more be practiced.

     Thirdly, of those religious Jews who do want to build a

Jewish Temple in Jerusalem (and some Christian sects backing

them), those Jewish groups teach that a Temple CANNOT be built

just ANYWHERE in Jerusalem. They teach that a Temple can ONLY be

built where the Dome of the Rock now stands. They claim and teach

that the Arab Dome must GO, and that the Jewish Temple must be

built where it now stands.

They have their clear theology for so teaching, and nothing, no

other place or area of land in the city of Jerusalem can be used

to build a temple upon, in which the old Levitical priesthood and

sacrifices could be reinstated. They have then limited themselves

between a rock and a hard place as they say. The religious Arabs

would never allow their Dome to be destroyed by the Jews, not

without creating a full scale war of death unto the end. Such an

attempt by the Jews or by Christians would bring sure Nuclear war

between a united  Arab world and the Jews of the State of Israel.

Some today (2020) say this new temple could be built anywhere 

In Jerusalem. If that is so, then why has it not been built? The small

sects of  Protestant fundamentalists who teach this idea, are pretty 

slow indeed to build this temple; it’s strange as they say this must

come to pass before Jesus can come to earth. You’d think they’d

be out there just boiling up a sweat to get this temple built. 

     But, even with all this, some still say the Bible prophecies

of the OT, especially in the book of Daniel, teach that animal

sacrifices will be performed in Jerusalem before the Messiah

returns.  Hence to them a Temple, a Jewish Temple, in Jerusalem

must yet be built before the end of this age.  To them this is so

critical that the Messiah cannot come until such a Temple and

animal sacrifices are once more functioning in Jerusalem, hence

they believe the sooner all this comes about the sooner the Lord

Messiah can return, and so they live and breath (some sects) and

push and pull and shout and move, to bring all this to pass,

thinking they are then being a part of fulfilling the Lord's

prophecies of the end time.

     Their mistake is two fold. First, they do not read the

prophecies of Daniel very carefully. They do not see that in

those end time prophecies the Hebrew word for "sacrifice" is NOT

THERE!!  Yes, that is correct, the Hebrew word for "sacrifice" is

not there in those prophecies!  Oh, to be sure, something is

going to be STOPPED by the end time Beast power that comes into

the city of Jerusalem as foretold by Daniel and by the book of

Revelation. But the word for "sacrifice" is not found in those

passages of Daniel that have reference to the end time, the final

world power and to the city of Jerusalem. Yes, as they say, be my

guest. Look up those passages in Daniel, go to the Hebrew/English

Interlinears.

     Many things can be stopped as to not allowed to function by

a people who are taken in captivity by another army of another

power. Many of their daily practices as to religious practices

can be stopped by a conquering power that may differ in its

religious beliefs and practices from those it has conquered.

Certain religious sects within Jerusalem have certain daily

religious practices today. The orthodox sect of Judaism have

their daily religious devotions at the Wailing Wall. This would

certainly come to a stop when the Gentile Beast power takes

captive and destroys much of the city of Jerusalem at the time of

the end, when not one stone of that wall (once a part of the

Temple of Jesus' day) will remain upon another, but when all will

be cast down.

     Secondly, they miss the mark by not understanding some of

the principles of Bible prophecy. Bible prophecy is not all cut

and dry, there are many pros and cons, many slights of the hand,

and within a context it may not always be easy to pin down

certain phrases and how they may be played out in actual reality.

     A study of all the prophecies that were fulfilled at the

first coming of Christ will show this to be all so true.

     There are some prophecies that will only take place ONCE,

and others that will take place more that once, a duality to

those if you will. I have given some of the keys to understand

Bible prophecy in another study.

     Some have seen that in the book of Daniel there are a few

passages that have ALREADY been fulfilled, recorded history

making this very clear. And with a few of those passages the

words "daily" is used but the word in Hebrew for "sacrifice" is

NOT used. Yet, it was indeed the daily sacrificial system that

did come to a stop by the power of certain kings and armies of

certain nations that came against Judah or the Jews. Hence,

the reasoning goes because of this that those passages of like

manner that are to do with end time or end of the age prophecies,

must also mean animal sacrifices will be stopped. So the reasoning

continues that for physical sacrifices to stop they must begin

again, and to begin again a Temple will need to be built. The

reasoning feeds on itself, so is one (people coming to a

dogmatic, close of the mind, stance on a verse) and so must be

the other.

     What they fail to see and understand about Bible prophecy is

that just because one verse with certain words was fulfilled in a

certain way, DOES NOT MEAN another verse with the same words,

regarding a prophecy for much later (at the end of the age) must

also be fulfilled the exact same way as the one fulfilled

thousands of years earlier.

     Not understanding this "un-sameness" in Bible prophecy, even

when the words used are identical, has led many to run off

shouting as they go, on wild goose chases, which have often left

all kinds of egg on people's faces, or a face full of the smashed

cream pie dripping all over it.

 

     As before stated the passages in Daniel to do with end of

the age prophecies that use the word "daily" but not the word

"sacrifice" CAN be understood in a way that has nothing to do

with daily animal sacrifices being stopped by some Beast power

that captures Jerusalem and takes the Jews captive. There are

many "daily" practices (some religious in nature) that the Jews

would be prevented from practicing and continuing, should they be

conquered by a religious force such as that mentioned in the book

of Revelation, a religious force that would not be at all

sympathetic to the Jews and their OT religion. I have mentioned

ONE very important daily practice done by the orthodox Jews

that would surely come to and end, be stopped, by the Beast power

and its false Prophet, and that is the prayers and religious

worship done daily by Jews at the Wailing Wall.

             More interesting Words and Verses

     Now we shall look at two Hebrew words used in the OT for our

English KJV translation - the words are TEMPLE and SANCTUARY. 

The Hebrew word translated "temple" in dozens of passages, such as in

Mal.4:1 and Zech.6:12,13, is number 1964 in Strong's Concordance.

It is used for the tent tabernacle built under the leadership of

Moses, also called "the sanctuary" as well as the "temple" that

Solomon built.

     The Hebrew word translated "sanctuary" in dozens of OT

passages is number 4720 in Strong's Concordance. This word is

used in Ex.25:8,9.

     Sometimes the physical structure that God dwelt in when

among Israel was called "sanctuary" and sometimes it was called

"temple." BOTH WORDS ARE USED TO DENOTE THE SAME 

PHYSICAL STRUCTURE that God dwelt in when among Israel.

     Now notice this!

     Talking about the tribes of Israel, Moses prophesied, "You

shall bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine

inheritance, in the place, O Lord, which you have made for thee

to dwell in, in the SANCTUARY, O Lord, which they hands have

established" (Ex. 15:17).

     This is BEFORE God instructed Moses to build a physical

tabernacle or tent sanctuary. The Hebrew word used here in

Ex.15:17 is the SAME WORD used for the physical sanctuary - #4720

in Strong's.

     Ex.15:17 is plainly talking about the LAND OF PALESTINE or

the PROMISED LAND!

     Now, turn to Psalm 78 and read verse 54. Talking about how

God brought Israel out of Egypt, verse 53, AND, "And He brought

them to the border of His SANCTUARY, even to this MOUNTAIN......"

verse 54.

     The whole context makes it clear that the "sanctuary" here

spoken about is the PROMISED LAND - PALESTINE!!

     So, as the words "sanctuary" and "temple" as used for the

physical structure, as the literal building that God dwelt in

when among the people of Israel could be called EITHER

"sanctuary" or "temple," COULD IT BE POSSIBLE (without being

dogmatic), could it be that when the prophet said the Messiah

would "suddenly come to His temple" he had in mind the PROMISED

LAND, and not a physical building at all?

     Again, when another prophet said that the BRANCH (Messiah)

would "build the temple of the Lord" was he telling us that the

Messiah would RESTORE and REPLENISH the land of PALESTINE 

from the destruction it had received (during the last few years of

this age)  prior to the Messiah's coming in power and glory to

bring the Kingdom of God on earth for a thousand years? It could

well be that this is what the prophet had in mind, as well as

overseeing the building of the millennium Temple of Ezekiel, that

will be built when the Messiah comes again.

    Then the apostle Paul was inspired to say we the Church of God are 

The temple of His Holy Spirit. And we know when Jesus comes

The saints will meet him in the air, in the clouds of this earth—

Matt.24,  note “after the tribulation of those day” and what follows, 

plus 1 Thes. 4: 13-18. Jesus will indeed come to His temple - the

people of his church.

     Once more we see that passages of the Bible, especially

prophetic passages, can be understood in different ways. We have

seen (if you have studied the Hebrew in the book of Daniel, or

noticed the italic words in the KJV, which mean those words are

not in the Hebrew) that the word "sacrifice" is not in the

end-time passages in the book of Daniel, and something "daily"

that is stopped by the end time Beast power in Jerusalem and

Judea, could be something other than the sacrifice of animals on

an altar in a physical temple. I have one Bible Commentary that

says it seems more than just a slip of the writer to leave out

the word for "sacrifice." It seemed to be a deliberate plan, as

it to tell us something. And it does tell me that whatever this

"daily" is that is going to be taken away, it could be something

OTHER THAN ANIMAL SACRIFICES!

     It is interesting that in Daniel 9:27 the Hebrew words for

"sacrifice" and "oblation" ARE NOT IN ITALICS!  This prophecy

was, as we have seen in other studies, not an end time prophecy

at all, but one for the first century A.D. It was fulfilled in 70

A.D. by Titus and his armies when they took Jerusalem and

destroyed most of the city, including the physical Temple. It was

at that time that animal sacrifices in a Jewish temple did come

to a complete and utter stop.

     Turn to Daniel chapter 9. Here you will find a revealing and

interesting passage concerning the city of Jerusalem. Verse 16

shows God had turned away from the city of Jerusalem, His HOLY

MOUNTAIN. He had desolated it and the people thereof. They had

become a reproach to all people around about them.

     Daniel cries out to God that He would stop this reproach in

verse 17. And that God's face would once more shine upon....."THY

SANCTUARY that is DESOLATE...."

     He further goes on in verse 18 to tell us about the Jews

"desolations" which includes the CITY. The context is the

desolation of JERUSALEM. Yes, of course, in Daniel's day the

Temple in Jerusalem was desolated also, being a part of the city.

But the physical temple is not specifically THE desolation, but

the whole CITY is.

     The Hebrew for "sanctuary" in verse 17 is number 4720 in

Strong's. And some translations render it as "holy place."

Jerusalem is called by God's NAME (verse 18). God is

HOLY....Jerusalem is a holy location that God had chosen and will

yet choose to dwell in when God the Messiah comes to reign on

earth. Jerusalem and the land of Palestine is God's holy place,

God's holy mountain, the Lord's "sanctuary" or "temple."

What about 2 Thessalonians 2?

     Here we have this famous passage of the man of sin sitting

in the Temple of God, a passage much used and I will add much

mutilated by the end time "Jewish physical temple and animal

sacrifice" teachers.

     The Greek word for "temple" here is NAOS. Vine's Expository

Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words says, "a shrine or

SANCTUARY....."  Is used both in a literal way and also

metaphorically in the NT.

     With all I have expounded on this, Paul could well have seen

exactly what I have shown you from the OT. He was then simply

telling us and the church at Thessalonia what was written in the

OT. At the end time, the faith once delivered would be in decline, 

hard to find (as Jesus said, "When the Son of man comes,

shall He find THE [definite article is in the Greek] faith on

earth?"), and a false prophet, a great religious leader, would

arise [John in Revelation was given the same vision and more

concerning this False Prophet at the end of the age], who would

plant his seat between the seas in God's holy MOUNTAIN, in the

city of Jerusalem, in the holy city, in the holy sanctuary/temple

LAND of Palestine and Jerusalem [see Daniel 11:40-45]).

     This great end time false prophet will live up to the coming

of the Lord in power and glory, and shall be cast into the lake

of fire, shall be consumed with the spirit of God's mouth, and

destroyed with the brightness of His coming (2 Thes.2:8 with Rev.

19:11-21).

     There is another way to understand 2 Thes. 2:1-12 which sees

the office of a one man Pope church leader as coming from within

and out of the very NT CHURCH TEMPLE of God, way back in 

the first centuries of the NT age. This one man leader office came

eventually from out of the very NT true Church of God and

continues today in the form of a great religious organization

that will continue until the Christ Messiah comes again. Many 

do not realize, but it is there in the NT, that many false leaders

of Christian religion came from within the very true Church of

God, in the first century A.D. who eventually formed another

organization with its headquarters in the city of Rome. For

a few centuries there were debates and dialogue over certain

theological issues with the churches of Asian Minor (founded by

the apostles of Jesus) and the leader of the new Christian

organization in Rome.

     All the details of that aspect of understanding 2 Thes.2 I

will present in another full and in-depth study in the future.

     The "abomination of desolation" is the end time Beast power

of Revelation, with the False Prophet, coming with their armies

and conquering the land of Palestine, desolating the city of

Jerusalem, setting up their seat in the city, destroying much of

the city and the Wailing Wall (where not one stone will be left

upon another that is not thrown down), and scattering the power

of the holy people (Jews and Christians). Who when they see

Jerusalem compassed about with the armies of the Beast, will flee

to the hills.

     As Jesus told us, let us pray that our flight will not be on

the Sabbath or in the winter.

                       .............................

Written first in 1990 and re-written/edited in August 2000

All studies and articles by Keith Hunt may be copied, published,

e-mailed, and distributed as led by the Spirit. Mr. Hunt trusts

nothing will be changed (except for spelling and punctuation

errors) without his consent.